The pitcher takes his position in an illegal, "hybrid" position on the pitching plate with a runner on first base.

• A. A balk shall be called immediately when the pitcher assumes this illegal position.
• B. A balk would be called when the pitcher made a move to pick-off the runner at first.
• C. A balk would be called when the pitcher begins his delivery to the batter.
• D. Both B and C.

Answer: (D)

In this situation, the key idea is that a balk is called when the pitcher, from an illegal stance on the mound, makes a move that attempts to pitch or to throw to a base. Merely standing in an illegal hybrid position isn’t a balk by itself; the penalty comes from the action that follows.

If the pitcher tries to pick off the runner at first, that feint to throw to a base is an illegal motion from an illegal position, so a balk is charged. If the pitcher begins his delivery to the batter, that is an actual pitching motion started from an illegal stance, which also results in a balk. Because either movement constitutes an illegal action triggered by the illegal position, both scenarios would be balks.