Does a baseball pitcher have to maintain contact with the rubber throughout the entire pitching motion?

Answer 1

Legal pitching delivery. There are two legal pitching positions, the Windup Position and the Set Position, and either position may be used at any time.
Pitchers shall take signs from the catcher while standing on the rubber.
Rule 8.01 Comment: Pitchers may disengage the rubber after taking their signs but may not step quickly onto the rubber and pitch. This may be judged a quick pitch by the umpire. When the pitcher disengages the rubber, he must drop his hands to his sides.
Pitchers will not be allowed to disengage the rubber after taking each sign.
(a) The Windup Position. The pitcher shall stand facing the batter, his pivot foot in contact with the pitcher’s plate and the other foot free. From this position any natural movement associated with his delivery of the ball to the batter commits him to the pitch without interruption or alteration. He shall not raise either foot from the ground, except that in his actual delivery of the ball to the batter, he may take one step backward, and one step forward with his free foot.
When a pitcher holds the ball with both hands in front of his body, with his pivot foot in contact with the pitcher’s plate and his other foot free, he will be considered in the Windup Position.
Rule 8.01(a) Comment: In the Windup Position, a pitcher is permitted to have his “free” foot on the rubber, in front of the rubber, behind the rubber or off the side of the rubber.
From the Windup Position, the pitcher may:
(1) deliver the ball to the batter, or
(2) step and throw to a base in an attempt to pick-off a runner, or
(3) disengage the rubber (if he does he must drop his hand to his sides). In disengaging the rubber the pitcher must step off with his pivot foot and not his free foot first.

Answer 2

From the set position, yes. From the windup position, no.

The key to the answer of this question is the asker's use of the words "throughout the entire pitching motion."

In the windup, the pitcher is allowed to take one step back and one step forward with his lead leg in his delivery. Usually the pitcher lifts his pivot foot while in motion to do his kick as he turns his glove side to the batter, so he can move his pivot foot from facing the batter to facing third or first base (depending on whether the pitcher is right- or left-handed). This is legal, as long as he is in contact with the pitcher's plate as he strides toward the plate and delivers.

Answer 3

Unless he is throwing to a base, as in a pickoff. Pitching to the plate, the foot maintains contact with the rubber, using the front side of the rubber to push off towards home plate

Answer 4

No. The pitcher has to keep in contact with the plate only until the ball leaves his fingers. After that, he's free to sever contact. It's quite difficult to stay in contact throughout the entire motion, the momentum usually drags you off the plate.

Answer 5

Yes or else it will be a balk the only time the cant let go is whent they throw the ball and somtimes a pick off but pick offs involve lifting the leg in a different direction..

Answer 6

yes, he must stay on the rubber throughout the entire motion,if he steps off at anytime during his motion it would be a balk.

Answer 7

That's simply not possible during the follow-through.

This is covered in chapter 8 of the rule book. I'm giving you a link to the whole thing.

Answer 8

No. Read MLB official rule book rule 8.

Answer 9

Yes. Except when they pick their foot up after they release the ball.

Answer 10

Yes If he doesn't he is committing a broke, and If there's any runners on base they advance If on third he can score.