Ok so I had it happen last night a pitcher was pushing the line on the pause from the stretch position. Then one time he completly blew the pause. Ok Right handed pitcher, guy on 3rd base, Pitcher starts of in full stretch, brings left foot back towards set position, brings hands together, he does not pause picks up left foot, high kick, straight up does not cross, steps to third for a pickoff attempt on the runner, I call balk as soon as he blows the pause and picks up foot, however i then regress as per my understanding of the rule a pitcher does not have to pause and can step towards any base in his preliminary movements prior to comming set and attempt a pickoff. Was this a balk? Should the picking up of the left foot set him in his pitching motion and therefore make this a balk because of no pause, or in a pickoff attemp is there no rule that the pithcer must pause? My rulling ended up being dead ball put runner back at 3rd and replay, becuase as soon as i called balk the runner did not attempt to go back to third.
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