JP in another thread wrote this:
---A balk is a judgment call. While I agree that, under most circumstances, the improper act by the pitcher would be a balk, I do not agree in this instance. A balk is a judgment call. Say it with me, "A balk is a judgment call.--
I see the basis for some good discussion. I disagree with this blanket statement.
What is Judgement? And what is a Judgement Call??
I've read (several times) Larry Gerlach's "THE MEN IN BLUE".
One of the umps called Judgment the ability to KNOW what you SAW. I like that one... so I'll steal it. On any play, or pitch, our eyes "see" the play, our mind forms an image. But then it has to "interpret" the picture.
I argue that in reality, physical space, time, etc, there is an actuality to what happened, the closer the umpire comes to calling that actuality, the better his JUDGMENT is... thus, knowing what you saw.
In the same vain, Judgment is "getting the calls right." If you interpret the reality as it is, you get the call right, simple.
Thus Judgment is exercised on every force play or tag play, the steal of 2nd, the catch or trap. Every pitch is a judgment call. On that banger at 1st, or that cloud of dust play at the plate, there is a reality, SOMEONE beat SOMEBODY. The umpire who is graded with EXCELLENT JUDGMENT has a very high percentage of calling these plays based on the reality.
Now back to JP's statement. I argue that not ALL calls are judgement calls. Some are simple black and white rules based, so based on occurance A, one must robotically make call B. There's no application of judgement.
Otherwise, how would there EVER be protests? You cannot protest my strike or ball call, or protest my call at 1st base, or the steal of second, no matter HOW WRONG I may have been. Although the runner BEAT the throw to 1st, my poor judgement says I "saw" the throw win, thus the OUT call. Bad judgement, c'est la vie.
Let's look at this BALK stuff. There are many applications of judgment in calling a balk... but there may be just as many where judgment doesn't play.
Examples: The lefty pitcher - how CLOSE is he to violating the 45 degree line on his step and move to 1st? Clearly judgment, 100%. If you don't balk this guy, you are saying that what you SEE is his stepping within the 45 degree triangle... even if the reality is you are WRONG!
But the pitcher who DROPS the BALL?? There is no judgment to apply... you must go to binary mode and call balk. In my 45 degree example, an offended coach "could" argue with you, but not protest, because your reality is what you called. But the dropped ball? IF you tried to not balk this, talk about the pitcher's intent, you have a protestable situation. You AGREE that the ball was dropped from the rubber in the appropriate position.. and at this time your hands are tied to a call.. no judgment applicable.
To save space and sanity, I won't use the "other" balk example. But there must be others.
Mike B
Member Northwest Baseball Umpires Assoc.
No Secret Decoder Ring
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