Expert: Brian Flaspohler - 4/29/2007

Question
Brian,

I am a Football, basketball and Softball official.  I have a question about the balk rule in baseball.  First part is this.  What must you do to "disengage the rubber?"  The reason I ask this is that I have researched the rule and found that the root of my question is that.  Here is the situation:  Runner on first and third with 0 outs.  Right handed pitcher on the mound comes to the set position.  He then uses a pick off move where he steps off the rubber with his right foot or pivot foot to the side of it, turns to first and then does not throw.  Should this be a balk>  Now I am reasonably certain that if he would step directly behind the rubber it would not be.  So basically can you disengage the rubber by stepping off in another direction other than behind toward second base?  Thanks for your time.

Lee

Answer
Lee,

All you have to do is stop touching the rubber and that has to be your initial movement in order to avoid the balk.  There is no rule about how you stop touching it, only that you stop.  Stepping the foot forward seems to me that it works as a method of disengaging.

Hope this helps!

Brian