Baseball Catchers Balk

Question
On a suicide squeeze play or a pitchout to throw out a runner stealing, at what point in time can the catcher leave the catcher's box to catch the pitch on a pitchout to stop a suicide squeeze play or to attempt to throw out a runner stealing.  I watch MLB games all the time with the MLB pass on Direct TV and I see the catchers move out of the box to catch the ball as the pitcher starts forward in his motion all the time and it never gets called a balk.  I also see pitchouts when runners are stealing and the catcher steps out to catch the 92 mph fastball when the runner is stealing long before the pitcher releases the ball and never seen it called a balk on the catcher?  I always thought that the catcher could leave the box when the pitcher starts his motion towards the plate in a full windup or when the pitcher in a stretch kicks to come to home plate with the ball?  Please advise me on this rule and make it more clear.  Thanks!

Answer
Glen:  Thank you for your question.

The catcher must have both feet in the catcher's box at the time of the pitch.

Time of the pitch is covered in  rule 2-28, Art 3:  Time of the pitch is when the pitcher has committed himself to delivering the pitch to the batter.  For the windup position, the "time of the pitch" occurs when the pitcher,(a) first starts any movement of his arm(s) or leg(s) after stepping onto the pitcher's plate with his hands already together in front of his body; (b)with both hands at his side, first starts any movement with both arms or leg(s) prior to the pitch.  For the set position, the "time of pitch" occurs the instant the pitcher, after coming to a complete and discernible stop, starts any movement with arm(s) and/or leg(s) that commits him to pitch.

Art 4:  A pitch ends when:

a  the pitched ball is secured by the catcher

b.  comes to rest

c.  goes out of play

d.  becomes dead

e.  or the batter hits the ball, other than a foul tip

Time of pitch occurs well before the ball is released, that is why you see catchers already moving into a position for a play at the plate on a squeeze play as early as they do.

Intentional walks at the professional level are another instance where they are starting to get out there on first movement, to make sure the ball does not get away.  Pitch outs are the same way.  If a catcher had to wait until the ball was released, there would be no such thing as a pitch out, catchers would have no chance of getting out to the ball.

Balks are unique to pitchers.  Catchers can be part of an interference call, or an obstruction call.

Hopefully this makes it a little clearer for you.

Yours in baseball,

Rick