[PeteBooth]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by DDonnelly19
[B]Jim:

Which do you think is better advice for younger umpires -- "see a balk, call a balk", or don't call them at all?

The reason I started this whole thing in the first place - is What is the Intent of the rules? - I am not an Historian, but I suppose that before there was no such thing as a Balk - the game became a Joke with runners on base, so the rulemakers felt the need to put in some rules so that a runner would know when F1 is throwing home as opposed to when F1 can make a proper pickoff - In other words - balance it out a little.

This I can understand. Now comes along the Mechanical Balks - This area IMO is where the rule needs to be amended at least in Amateur Ball. By amending the rule, I mean the umpire should be able to use his / her sound judgement (regarding Mechanical Balks) in determining whether or not to call the infraction.

This thread already cited one of those instances in which the umpire should use discretion in whether to call the infraction or not. Are baseball umpires not held to the same standards as our Fellow officials in Football? I say yes, yet in Football, the referee is allowed to wave off certain penalties if he feels the infraction didn't effect the play - Why shouldn't a baseball umpire be afforded the same luxury?

An umpire should be able to use his / her sound judgement in determining whether a REAL BALK was committed.

Why? There are other rules such as interference in which our judgement is used to determine if we should record 1 outs or 2 Outs. If IN OUR JUDGEMENT, the interference was intentional we could call 2 outs on the play. So when dealing with interference our judgement is relyed upon to determine if an act was intentional or not, why not with the Balk Call?

You mentioned 13 yr. olds - I guess we all have our opinions - but personally I do not like Balk-a-Thons. This is similiar to when calling Balls / Strikes in the "Rugrat" Division - If one doesn't have a liberal zone - Walk-a-Thons. Let the kids play.


I believe in past threads, we mentioned those Rules which we NEVER call such as the 20 second rule for pitchers, Strict Uniform Codes, etc. In other words these are referred to as "NIT-PICKEN" rules which one hardly if ever calls.

To me these mechanical balks fall into the same category.
When everyone in the Park knows that F1 was merely stepping back and taking instructions from his coach - That is not a Balk - At Least IMO that was not the INTENET OF THE RULE.

The Intent of the Step-Back (free foot) Balk was so that F1 could not "pull a fast one", and I believe most of the proponents who would NOT CALL A BALK on the scenario above - WOULD CALL A BALK IN A HEARTBEAT if F1 was trying to pull a fast one.

This makes for good discussion, as we all have our opinions on any given matter.

Pete Booth