The Pick Off Move

[99ThEGR8One]

Everyone lets get this straight you can move on a 45 degree angle but at 0:39 he went too far and it is a balk

[FlashhGaming]

to bad thats not a balk he gets a 45 degree angle towards the plate.

[blake28185]

People keep saying it's a balk. Until he gets called for anything it's just a good move.

[ninja2425]

If yall didnt know you have a 45 degree angle till you have to throw home fucktards so its not a balk learn the game of baseball....

[ERandby]

@ninja2425 Haha that's what I was thinking :)

[hellsbeast27]

@ninja2425 0:38 was a complete balk. That was not 45 degrees whatsoever.

[DeathLord897]

BALK BALK BALK

[mjr2013]

Balk at 0:19

Balk at 0:37

Balk at 0:57

I don't think I saw a clean pick off the entire video...

[Kindadinosaur]

stfu its not a balk if you do it correctly, you have to continue to walk so they dont know were your foot lands, ima lefty andi do this, the season just started, 2 games and i have 5 pickoff already

[DanDainStaff]

@Kindadinosaur thank god someone else knows this besides me.

[kcinsolag]

@bloemecoltan , this guy went to my highschool and he every game would measure the angle of were u have to be to be considered picking off, trust me thats not a balk

[TheMrpoopyscoopy]

@kcinsolag agreed, its a great move and nothing illigal

[chilenkon]

THIS HAS BALKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK WRITTEN ALLLL OVERRRR!!!!! FUCK OUTTA HERE!!!! best pick off guy is ANDY PETTITTE nd i hate the guy

[NickHadley]

Balking every time. I haven't seen his move in the majors, but surprised college umps didn't call him on it every time.

Horrible move. Even worse by CBS saying it's great.

[BobbbyTime]

Balk Balk Balk!!! He gets away with it because for one college umps and two he walks towards first after he throws.He doesn't use this move anymore or he would get called everytime.Blatent balk over 45 deg. but the key is he throws across his body which is what happens when you step that much toward home.He does however have awesome mechanics and probably will be the best pitcher in baseball in two years.

[YUBaseball]

Rightys can pick people off from third the same way lefties pick people off from first.

[tonyhump89]

there is no 45 degree rule in baseball...you must step directly to the base you are throwing too.. there is naturally leniancy from one ump to the next..but not in written rules...MLB Official Baseball Rules, Rule 8.05 (c) it is a balk when...The pitcher, while touching his plate, fails to step directly toward the base before throwing to that base...

[LickThis2]

hahah this kid blows

[BBallBEAST1000]

none of u must be left handed pitchers... he did not balk.... u get 45 degrees to work with. he was right on that line..... he was in college so the coaches prolly had days where he did nothing but work on his pickoff move.... so stop hatin

[rayameel]

@BBallBEAST1000 - "u get 45 degrees to work with", true, but your hip is not allowed to go in the direction of home plate, and his does on every pick. Sorry, you are wrong, this is a BALK!

[MrDominicanbaseball]

nice

[YourAvgPlayer]

it doesnt matter if he is moving home as long as his foot doesnt break the invisible 45 and even if u do no1 ever notices

[rayameel]

@YourAvgPlayer : yes it does matter, where in the world did you read that it doesn't matter. please post.

[YourAvgPlayer]

@rayameel after 12 yrs of being a LHP and nvr balking as long idk how to explain but if u r moving forward and u step to 1st ffs idk how to explain basically wut he is doing is the limit to ur momentum going forward u can hav b4 getting called on it

[awseiss]

If his foot does not turn towards home plate it is not a balk.

[JLTRAIN233]

yeah what the fuck, thats a balk, and isnt if you look home and then go to first its a balk as well?

[monstersrock1996]

Balk. His leg went passed 45 degrees

[skylarcockrell]

its call a "balk move"

[asp1007]

mm... borderline balk.

looks as if he isn't stepping far enough towards first base. However theres no rule that says his foot cant move forward at all. Just that he must step towards first.... close call

[skate1206]

@asp1007 definetly a balk. my teammeat that is left handed has a good one. he keeps his leg up and looks back and for to 1st and home. but he has to step towards the base.

[rayameel]

BALK!, not even close to being a good pick move.

[myherofguitar]

he balks EVERY time. He starts movement towards home and then picks? thats unheard of. and for him to go to vanderbilt...psh.

[kaka22ronaldo17]

@myherofguitar No retawd hes left handed so hes allowed to bring his leg up didnt even go towards home

[myherofguitar]

@kaka22ronaldo17

haha fail. you obviously don't know baseball.

he does start a motion towards home plate. this is a balk. learn some english, get taught by professionals, like i do, and then come speak to me. tata for now.

[kaka22ronaldo17]

@myherofguitar Obviously im not a rich bitch and how the fuck is he in college if he balks everytime dumbfuck maybe ur teacher needs to go bck to fundemental camp

[skate1206]

@kaka22ronaldo17 you cant step towards home and then pick off.

[Bloemecoltfan]

BALK @)0:39 his leg went home !!!DUMB ass

[WTFknifers]

@Bloemecoltfan i thought the same thng!

[yankeesfan625325]

@Bloemecoltfan umpires allow it its not a balk i do it all the time when i pitch and i have never balked

[knichtrider]

@yankeesfan625325 it is a balk though, his angle to first base was WAY over 45 degrees, but i guess youre lucky and have bad umpires no offence

[rynosaurify]

@Bloemecoltfan IT doesnt look like a balk to the umpire cause we walked to 1st base..It is a balk tho

[1209darkstar1]

@Bloemecoltfan acctually no it didnt it was more than 40 degrees

[JoshHolmesRHP]

@Bloemecoltfan i love how when rightys pick people off from 3rd its a balk....

[TheMrpoopyscoopy]

@Bloemecoltfan he stepped 45 its clean, hes out Dumbass!!!

[basepadz]

@Bloemecoltfan

i used to think the same thing, but actually its not a balk

[trenholmtide5]

@Bloemecoltfan ur so stupid there in college its not a balk if it was i think they would have called it

[we0be0spacely]

@Bloemecoltfan hes a left hand pitcher he can do that

[mrhahafunnylolol]

@Bloemecoltfan you can pick on a 45 degree angle. that wasn't a balk

[InDGalozo]

@Bloemecoltfan He looks a little disappointed after that play so I think the ump may have called it

[spongebobssj4]

@Bloemecoltfan do u have ears? i heard the ump say "BALK" right when he did that and it was pretty obvious i just love how some people think they're sooooooooooooo

special when the catch the most obvious stuff and they're like "im gonna get a bunch of likes because i cought something that was not supposed to be in the video and put it in the comments HAHA" well i congradulate u for pointing out something every person on earth could see >:)

[venticoffee]

Definitely a BALK at the 0:39 mark. Not even close.

[jrwripit]

Balk.

[livestrong1147]

@jrwripit

that would be in little league

[gunz4showknives4pros]

What he did may be bending the rules a little, but its what every good left handed pitcher is taught. there is generally a 45 degree angle from the mound that is used as a guideline between going to first, or home plate (where the pitchers front foot lands) as to whether or not it is a balk . -and which is what every half descent umpire should look for.

[teebat]

u little leauge level pitcher lmao ....bababallkkk

[youjuanmtz]

ESE ES UN BALK , AQUI Y EN CHINA

[Zaa13]

only a balk if the umpire calls it :) very hard call to make

[tabio0329]

BALKKKKKKK HARD BODYYYYY

[kace842]

it's not a balk... It is completely legal for a "left handed" pitcher to do this.. As long as he does not cross his back leg with his front foot he can legally go to first. It is completely within the rules for a lefty to lean home and throw to first as long as he doesn't make an effort toward home with his arm.

[lilraider7]

incorrect. Guy stepped mostly towards home. Balk. Video doesn't show us if the plate umpire called it or not. He'd have the best view.

Whether it was called on that play or not, what he did was illegal. That's the point most are making on here. And they're right.

[martin47g]

what is a BALK? hah sounds funny

[brent9046]

A lot of major league leftie pithcers pick off moves are balks but are not called. Watch veteran leftie pitchers pitch in the mlb

[zacstjoe]

Total balk

[keamow]

Thats A Balk all the way Geez,

[JAK0389]

...It's a balk because he stepped toward home he picked his leg up straight up and down like i do. if you stop at 0:39 you see him take a slight angle to first then straightens his leg out and blue follows his throw and doesnt notice where his foot lands... besides from the emotion he shows after he throws the pick the guy on first is safe. and you dont know maybe they called the balk it just didnt show. but that was a poor example DO NOT DO THAT KIDS.

[SimpleStuff31]

no it wasnt a balk he stayed within a 45 degree angle

[lilraider7]

no, he stepped mostly home.  Your geometry needs improvement =)

[SimpleStuff31]

well since you said that i measured it and no it is not a balk so really. if it was they'd call it

[TeAmViBe]

BALK!!! plz take ur base

[HBBabyHB]

im sorry but those are totally balks... for those who dont know the pitcher is only given a 45 degree line from the rubber...he tottally goes home on all of those.

[delacalle7784]

You can tell he stepped towards the plate at 0:38. BALK!

[xsirjeremy]

agreed

[franchise0220]

BALK

[sandiegosuperfilms]

yes it is a bak but he follows his throw so the umpires dont notice the angle he took,im lefty i know

[foreverluckky]

it wasn't a balk because he is a lefty pitcher and he can do that pick-off motion unless he makes the slightest move to home plate then it would be a balk

[MrGag962u]

It's a naulk you can't step to the plate when you do that move

[erikmunoz55]

this guys is pitching in the pros how are you going to say its a balk!!!

[308980481poop]

isnt 0:38 a balk?

[0629320625]

I think also, he is not stepping 45 degrees.

[masonator5]

this kid is fucking dirty

[The44Irish]

you are correct, 45 degrees is the guide line, but he sure went well past 45. it is a BALK.

[sweetcakepievidz]

hey. im a young pitcher for my team. im 13 years old. i was wondering, if this is a legal pickoff move. im right handed going 2 first base, i do the thing going into my pitch where i put my hand in my glove adn take it behind my head b4 i throw the pitch. if i go to this motion of putting the gloove and hand behind my head then do the pivot throw to first for a pickoff, is it legal?

[ConnorMoriarty55]

Not at all. That would be the definition of a balk.

[MaskedIdiots]

no thats a balk

[PBallerman]

the reason its a balk is bcause u r already in ur motion so if u tried to pik som1 off while in ur motion the ump will call it a balk

[luddyjr2]

Yeah he balked a few times... lawl.

[bobcatrally10]

at 0:37 he did balk. He pretty much went straight home lol. idk how he got away with that one

[ConnorMoriarty55]

There's no such thing as a left handed pick off move. Unless the pitcher goes directly home and throws to first, an umpire would be out of his mind to call that a balk.

[dvdshia]

isnt that a balk??he crossoes his legs nd then starts to go home??

[styrafomsubmrin]

its a 45 degree angle. its legal, im a left pitcher and it works great

[BostonCeltics90]

yeah thats right.but his one doesnt look like 45 degrees. hes almost going to ptch there

[ECLproductions1]

i see that too

[igotbling4]

ye the dont call balks rarely ever on leftys. if u guys ever watched baseball before?

[ralphyson]

dude he has to cross his right leg over his left leg get it striaght tard

[derekjeter2fan]

he balked at :57 easily...his leg crossed other leg and totally was goin toward home then went to first..if i was a base runner i would have thought he was goin home there

[samurispencer]

he was balking...he kept coming towards home

[mast3rsword]

isn't that illegal in the rules?

[xEl3M3NT]

it is a balk, there was one when he went towards home and moved his foot, so yeah. it is..

[mzherdev]

Complete balk. 45 degree angle rule isn't in the rulebook. It's akin to basketball with traveling, really. It's against the rules, but they never call it.

[m1k4e1y4]

who ever calls this move a balk your a dum fuck because you have a 45 degree angle and if you dont no that ur retarded watch andy pettite for me please tell me if the umps care and he doesnt balk soo u dum fuck learn the game thanks

[Mcblugi]

no that is not a balk because he is not going to home he's just going up. it is hard not to step little towards home when you are going to first base

[djwljck23]

thats a balk his leg is going towards the plate then he sidearms it over to first.

[manutd107]

Theres a line that divides homeplate from 1st base at a 45 degree angle, if he steps on the 1st base side of that line, its not a balk

[smoothbravo]

David Price, you have no right to be showing any instructional video with a horrible balk pick-off move. I've lost respect for CSTV for even producing this.

[jdate101]

:40 seconds is clearly a balk, his foot is going towards plate not 1st, 45 degrees breached

[davidemerling]

I agree 100%. That's a balk. He is *way* past the 45-degree line. In fact, I'd say he is stepping toward home. Most left-handers mask this by immediately walking toward 1st after making the throw, depriving the umpire of the opportunity to see where his foot landed. You don't want to pose in that position because then they WILL call it a balk. Notice how Price walks toward 1st and follows his throw.

[hucroxIrish2]

you guys are idiots, this is a great move and not a balk. Im not gonna write a 3 paragraph comment like u davidemerling but ur wrong

[davidemerling]

I can understand why you don't have much to say on this topic.

The move is a balk - unquestionably. Now, would it have been called a balk under game conditions? Maybe not. Probably not. Left-handers get away with this quite frequently. Much of it has to do with the fact that it fools the umpire as much as it fools the runner. When the umpire "replays" the move in his mind he often realizes that it was a balk but, once the moment has passed, it's too late.

[hucroxIrish2]

im a lefty and im 14, i get away with that all the time. i'll pick over and be like oh crap that was a balk and they wont call it haa

[skaterbouyheisheckac]

ya i know. thats a really bad balk

[EddieKrane7]

Very well said. The move is without a doubt a full-blown, flat-out balk- a balk that is rarely, if ever called by the umps. Lefties get away with murder with this move. The rulebook clearly states the pitcher cannot attempt to deceive the batter/runner. When this pickoff move carriesthe pitcher's front foot 3/4 of the way (or more) toward home plate, that is a decptive move: BALK. As you said, easy to call on a replay, not so easy in real time. Kudos for explaining it in understandable terms.

[derekjeter2fan]

actualllly urr wrong!...its when the pitcher crosses his front leg with the rubber or crosses his back leg....then he has to go to the plate.

[VGWN]

In high school rules, bringing the leg even to the opposite knee also requires him to go to the plate, which is what he's doing. I don't know about college though.

[Wh33lzZzZ]

Wow, GTFO of here. He's just explaining something. He's not explaining his pitching stance.

[Deanassar]

Wh33lzZzZ. What they are talking about is completely related to the subject. What the hell are you taliing about.

[manx991980]

its a balk...if his arm is dropping to the side he is obviously stepping towards home. no way in hell he is inside or at the 45 degree mark

[Noobpwnerethan]

i am a lefty and i pick off so many people with my move, and i do it exactly the same way this guy does and i have never been called for a balk

[style390]

i play middle skool baseball if u do this the cheap refs say is a balk

[bigrob981]

its not a balk, i am amazed at how little people know about baseball...please go read a rule book.

[easternrider2012]

perfectly legal move. no different if you r a righty and go over to third like that

[smoothbravo]

sorry no one watches your softball games but he's going to the plate and then drops his leg towards first to pick off. it's a balk.

[erikmunoz55]

how the hell u going to say its a balk he's a pro damnit yall is stupid!!!

[thughunter]

He is gaining distance. When a pitchers sets and then makes a step like he did, he gained distance from his original setting point. Even if it's 1 inch in gain of distance. This is not a balk to anyone who knows the rule.

[raahr]

I don't understand it. It seems like a bunch of shit. You make a good move following a rule. Often like you are saying and then everyone get's in a huff. Often if you don't have high caliber umps they just call the balk on anything sketchy.

[KNpoorman]

now hes pitching in the world series though so....

[Yipoman]

I was always told if you go 45 degrees than its not a balk

[boys3boys]

it was kinda boring

[mykonos329]

borderline "balk" move there dude!! He will be picked # 1 today in the draft though!

[keheit]

ha yeah no kidding thats what i was thinking! (about the balk)

[darkgatherer]

Not even borderline, it's a definite balk...you can't step toward home and throw to first.

[Zyro1014]

he can go 45 degrees....learn the rule

[cubbiefan26]

It is a balk, but I know that if u only hav 2 umps. then there is something called the "balk move." the 1 ump is behind home and the other standing behind u. then, the pitcher commits to home by either moving his shoulders, picking up his heel, or moving his leg/ body. then, the runner on first thinks that the pitcher made his move to home and an easy pick off. anyway, i'm a righty so, that may not work 4 lefties.

[skate1206]

@mykonos329 not even close to borderline. its a balk

[dodi4700]

N I C E

[zipping]

He balked on the last move shown.He throws from the rubber to 1st base without stepping toward (gaining distance in the direction of) 1st base. Watch how his right leg is going to home, not 1st. That deception is a balk!

[zipping]

He balked! He throws from the rubber to a 1st base without stepping toward (gaining distance in the direction of) the base. His right leg is going to home. That deception is definitely a Balk!

[johnaycee26]

looks like a balk

[OhioState120]

At :38... that's gotta be a balk. His front leg is more towards home than first base.

[TheTristMan]

genius

[rhpitcher]

but your pickoff move looks like a bulk

[ezmoe8]

Such a great pitcher with a BIG future ahead of him but...Two Words... Alan Oaks!!!

[pasot54]

Cool!

[RonSlyfox]

I guess I'll bend under the pressure and do this. FIRST!