Pitching Rules in Baseball // Baseball Explained for Beginners

[@buildingbetterbaseball]

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[@rodrigosilvaaparicio8047]

Thanks for explaining the pitching rules very good. ⚾👍🕵️

[@buildingbetterbaseball]

You’re welcome Rodrigo!

[@Xander_Vaughn]

You may want to look at your balk rule again. If a runner starts to steal a base prior to the pitcher starting their motion, the pitcher is allowed to throw to the base they are running to without stepping off the rubber for the purpose of making a play. Rule 6.02(a)(4) The pitcher, while touching his plate, throws, or feints a throw to an unoccupied base, except for the purpose of making a play* *When determining whether the pitcher throws or feints a throw to an unoccupied base for the purpose of making a play, the umpire should consider whether a runner on the previous base demonstrates or otherwise creates an impression of his intent to advance to such unoccupied base. Also the pitcher is not required to throw it to second base, the pitcher is only required to throw it to first or third.

[@josephjones9719]

I would add that, pitchers can't use the back of the rubber. They must be on, or in front of. For the pick off to a corner base, the actual rule states that the free foot must not pass the back edge of the rubber.

[@YosefSkato]

If you're a right hand pitcher and you want to throw it at first, you first remove your right foot from the rubber and then throw it to first?

[@buildingbetterbaseball]

Hi Yosef, yes that’s one way to do it. If you step behind the rubber (basically step toward second base, away from home plate), that means your foot is not engaged with the rubber anymore, so you can do whatever you want - aka throw to first. If you DON’T step behind the rubber, and you attempt to throw to first, you HAVE to throw it because you were still engaged with the rubber at the time of the attempt. If you don’t throw it, it will be a “ball” (or penalty). So your two options are to move your foot if you want to be free to throw anywhere, or don’t move your foot from the rubber and you must throw to first base. A little hard to explain with words but I hope this makes sense! Thanks for the comment!

[@SafferPOV]

I know very little about baseball and am surprised at the number of rules just involving the pitch. Interesting However, I have a question that wasn't addressed. When a pitcher delivers the pitch (go home?) must his hind foot maintain contact with the rubber until he releases the ball? If not, must it maintain contact with the ground (drag it) or may he lift it before releasing the ball? Why I ask, I see that the Japanese pitcher, Shohei Ohtani, either drags his foot or lifts it before releasing the ball, which seems wrong

[@buildingbetterbaseball]

Thanks for the comment, great question! To the first question, the hind foot does not need to maintain contact with the rubber until delivery. Almost every pitcher uses the rubber to push off of, or drive toward home plate, before they release the ball. That’s where a bulk of the high velocities come from. To your second question, there’s no rule that says that both feet have to be on the ground at release - however, you throw harder and more accurately if you’re on two feet rather than one foot, so ideally you would want your pitchers to keep both feet on the ground until after they release the ball. I hope this helps!

[@SafferPOV]

@@buildingbetterbaseball Thanks for responding

[@nofurtherwest3474]

What does it meant to "come set"?

[@buildingbetterbaseball]

Hi there - coming set is when the pitcher comes up to a set position and they can no longer move their body besides their head, until they begin their delivery. So when they’re engaged with the rubber (back foot against the rubber), they’re able to move their body. When the pitcher is ready to pitch, they bring their hands together and come to a set position before the delivery. I hope this helps!

[@nofurtherwest3474]

@@buildingbetterbaseball Wow I didn't know they could not move body after coming set. Very interesting. Thanks