Can a pitcher throwing from stretch with runner on second, pause with his knee up before deciding to A) spin towards second to pick off runner, or B) throw home?

If it is part of his routine every pitch and he isn't making a move to home pausing then going to first

Some commentary I ran across:

" Items (d) through (i) below deal with step balks:
(d) Official Baseball Rule 6.02(a)(3) requires the pitcher, while touching the pitcher's plate, to step directly toward a base before throwing to that base. If a pitcher turns or spins off of his free foot without actually stepping, or if he turns his body and throws before stepping, it is a balk.
NOTE: The pitcher is required to step directly toward a base when feinting a throw to a base. (Under current rules, the only base a pitcher may feint to is second.) Umpires should indicate balks called under Official Baseball Rule 6.02(a)(3) (no step) by slapping the side of their leg after calling the balk. This indicates the balk is for failure to step directly towards a base.

(e) A manager, coach, or player may not come onto the field or leave his position to protest the call of a balk as defined in Official Baseball Rule 6.02(a)(3) (failure to step directly towards a base before throwing there). If such protest is made, the manager, coach, or player shall be ejected from the game.

(f) A manager may come out and question the reason for a balk call (other than a step balk) and shall not be ejected for his visit to learn why the balk was called. The manager may be ejected if he argues the call after explanation.
(g) If a pitcher, while touching the pitcher's plate, jumps into the air with both feet simultaneously and his non-pivot foot lands in a step towards first base before he throws to that base, he has made a legal move.
(h) Under the changes made to the Official Baseball Rules for 2013, the pitcher, while in contact with the rubber, may no longer fake a throw to third base (in addition to not being allowed to fake to first base). This rule change outlaws the so-called "Third-to-First Move."
The pitcher is still allowed to fake a throw to second base while in contact with the rubber provided that he steps towards second.
Note that a pitcher, when faking a throw to second base, is not required to have arm motion in the fake, although a legal step is required.
The pitcher, of course, may properly disengage the rubber and then fake to any base. The pitcher is considered an infielder after he properly disengages the rubber. See Official Baseball Rule 6.02(a)(2) and the Comments to Official Baseball Rule 6.02(a)(3)."

From: https://baseballrulesacademy.com/official-rule/mlb-umpire-manual/balk-regulations/

1991sir said:

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If it is part of his routine every pitch and he isn't making a move to home pausing then going to first

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It doesn't even have to be part of his every pitch routine

On an inside move there is nothing saying a pitcher cannot delay his leg kick

As long as he does not double set it is perfectly legal

Yes. It's a pickoff move that I recommend every pitcher add to their repertoire. With the runner on 2nd, lose the slide step, bring your front foot in pretty close to the back when you come set, pick it straight up, and bring it straight down to about 6" above the ground before moving ANYTHING towards the plate. There's not always a "right" mechanic to baseball. Some of the greatest hitters have had peculiar swings, and some of the greatest pitchers have had odd motions, but if someone has a pretty generic motion from the stretch when there's a runner on 2nd, I emphasize that they need to lift that front leg high, and before stretching it towards home, bring it back straight down toward the ground. Not only does that allow you to keep your weight on the back leg to push off for power, it makes this pickoff move particularly lethal because you get a full leg kick like you would from the windup, but you don't commit to the plate until really late, keeping the baserunner from stealing and even taking a step of the secondary. Another thing about that move, pick the leg up slow, just like the windup. Don't jerk it, because if that runner is stealing 3rd, he's going on the front leg's first movement, so if you take it gentle and slow, you have time to hear the call and react by twisting back before you move to the plate. Set that front food behind the back foot, and you can completely step off the rubber and throw to third. It's CRUCIAL, that you make it look natural so that runners can't tell which move you're making until you've brought your front foot all the way down after it goes up.

Later in high school, my team ran through multiple catchers over the course of about 2 weeks. One broke his jaw, one got the yips (that was funny) and quit out of frustration, and the 3rd stringer was upset when got back from a weeklong vacation and the freshman was using the TEAM varsity gear that this guy had claimed as HIS, so he quit. So, as a big 4A HS, we had 2 catchers in our whole 3 team system, and both were freshmen. The guy we ended up using put the bat on the ball, had good speed, directed the field well, blocked well, framed well, and had a great grasp on the game. But he was tiny. He was a cornerback in football, and an assist-king point guard in basketball, so he had no muscle. Teams were stealing 3rd on pitch outs because his arm was a noodle. It's dang hard to pick a guy of at 2nd without a perfect daylight move, but every game, as soon as a guy would get on 2nd, I'd show them that move, and it wasn't good for getting guys out, unless they steal, but it sure did help change their gameplan regarding stealing 3B. You can do that move and just step off the back without even having to throw, so if there's not a clear play, you just hold the ball, hop back on the rubber and keep the previous pitching sign.

That's not a balk, and it doesn't have to be part of his normal routine. He just can't make a motion towards home before deciding to pick off.

Is there a limit to how long he can pause with leg up in a balanced position?

We live here in KC and everyone remember Johnny Cueto, but he did that from the windup.

Yep - it's called an inside move if he picks at second

But can pitcher pause for 1-2 seconds with knee up?

It's clear you have an agenda here... so just tell us the story.

Quito said:

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But can pitcher pause for 1-2 seconds with knee up?

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As long as he doesn't make a move home, sure. He can Karate Kid all he wants

I've watched baseball for over 60 years and I've never seen a balk… until someone points it out to me.

Yes. A pitcher can pause. Good pitchers vary their routine and a good leg pause is one tool.

Lefties do the same thing to runners on first.

AgEng06 said:

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It's clear you have an agenda here... so just tell us the story.

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No agenda, just not sure about the rule and would like to know.

This kid changes speeds and delivery often. Throws strikes, but average velocity. He does very well because they rarely barrel one off him.

An Ump called this a balk and sometimes other coaches complain. I think I need to start talking to umpire before he starts to pitch to give them a heads up.

Fun fact- I know the 3rd base umpire in the walk-off-stolen home tech vs sips game and apparently the umpires called that play a balk because the pitcher pulled his hands apart when he finally saw the runner. It just didn't matter because the runner was 80% of the way home anyway.

Quito said:

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AgEng06 said:

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It's clear you have an agenda here... so just tell us the story.

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No agenda, just not sure about the rule and would like to know.

This kid changes speeds and delivery often. Throws strikes, but average velocity. He does very well because they rarely barrel one off him.

An Ump called this a balk and sometimes other coaches complain. I think I need to start talking to umpire before he starts to pitch to give them a heads up.

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Huge misconception with young / inexperienced umpires and (insert eye roll icon) parents .. that the pitchers motion has to look the same everytime.

From the stretch your front foot will come off the ground when you come set. You can high leg kick when coming set and then again in delivery and it is legal, it is not a double set. There is nothing that says how high you leg kick and the timing must remain consistent.
From the stretch going to the plate , you can do the same and you can also in the leg kick delay the action and even move the front leg up down as long as you don't double set by front foot hitting the dirt twice after coming set.

Inside move , same thing can mix up timing and looks as long as don't come double set.

Of course all this requires exceptional balance because if pitchers flinches with his balance then yes it is a balk.

But as long as pitcher is under control and does not double set he can change the delivery routine all he wants