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Question about a pick off to second base.
My older son uses what some call the spaghetti move, when the pitcher while on the rubber lifts his leg as if he's going to the plate and spins and steps toward second base and throws for the pick or run down, I have even seen my son run at the runner forcing him to third and then throw to 3rd baseman for the out. Never has he been called for a balk. My younger son's team pitcher tried that and was called for a balk, WHY?

I wasn't at the game heard about it later, but I was told that the pitcher could even throw to shortstop. What do you guy's think?
Thanks,
Dmangalo
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I had a balk called on one of my pitchers at 12u. When he lifted the lead leg, the runner took off. We had him dead, except that my pitcher in the heat of the moment put his foot back down without rotating and landing behind the rubber. So, to the untrained eye it was a pick-off and a rundown. To the BU, his foot came down in almost the same spot of where he landed for a normal pitch to home. BALK. Cost us the game at a pretty important point in our season. Ooops.
It's a shame you weren't there to get more details. As mentioned if he doesn't land behind the rubber then it is a balk. If the runner really broke he could have just as well thrown to third. The problem there is in younger ball the umpires may not be aware that is legal.
The secret is to get the umpire to explain the balk. If he says he landed on the wrong side, then you are sunk. If he says he faked to second then he would be wrong by rule and you can protest.
quote:
Originally posted by dmangalo:
thanks guy's, let's say for the sake of argument that the pitcher lifted his leg spun(on the rubber) and stepped towards second base never going forward to the plate and landing on dirt,would this be legal?
Yes as long as the dirt it lands on is behind the rubber and there is no hesitation (continuous motion).

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