Quote:
Originally posted by Michael Taylor
But Warren, you are missing the other half of the argument. If you apply the balk then the ball doesn't get called. Because they appealed at first base, everyone knows he is wrong. That means the improper batter stays at bat. Being he returns then you just switch batters.
If you agree then we would then be in agreement. Any other way I just see how you can get an out and the balk call.
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Enforcing the balk would normally nullify the pitch IF the batter and all runners did not ADVANCE on the following play. Yes, you would bring the batter back to bat with the same count and advance the runners.
BUT, that doesn't apply to actions that result from offensive errors such as BOT, passing a preceding runner or being thrown out after having overrun the advance base and missing it in passing.
Some people would have any and all outs made following a balk nullified, even if the runner has advanced beyond the base to which he would have been entitled but for the balk - see OBR 8.05 Penalty and AR1.
That argument was waged a couple of months ago over at eteamz, with Jim Evans eventually declaring by proxy that the out is nullified despite the wording of AR1. I'm still not comfortable with that interpretation. It allows the offense to manipulate the balk penalty to their advantage to avoid making an out while trying for runs on extra bases following a balk.
My best advice is to keep it simple. The balk occurred. Subsequent action is only to determine if all runners including the batter-runner advanced safely to or beyond the base to which they would have been entitled on the balk. The BOT appeal ensures that can never be the case when the B-R was an improper batter.
If there was NO balk, R1 would rightly be returned under 6.07(b.2) ... but there WAS a balk, so R1 should be kept at 2nd base under 6.07(b.2)Note.
Claiming the improper batter's at bat was officially over just to prevent the advance of R1 on the ball 4/ strike 3 balk is an advantage for the defense clearly not intended by the rules IMHO.
Cheers