Quote:
Originally posted by Gre144
Quote:
Originally posted by Tim C
It is impossible to balk to second base.
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I called a balk at second for F1 not stepping towards second as the runner was stealing towards third. F1 seeing the runner going towards third, stepped in the direction of the advancing runner. I wasn't sure if I made the right call or not but I was a little confused in two aspects:
1) The pitcher didn't make any initial arm movement towards second. I was wondering at the time if a foot movement towards the bag constituted a legal fake?
2) I wasn't sure what stepping towards the bag meant. How close does F1 have to step towards the bag for the umpire to define his movement as stepping towards the bag? In the case I mentioned above, F1 stepped towards the advancing runner in my opinion. But the coach argued that he stepped towards the bag. I really didn't have a good explantion for him.
Also, F1 can balk towards second by stopping his motion with his non pivot foot while it is in the air and then turning that non-pivot foot towards second.
[Edited by Gre144 on Jun 16th, 2001 at 09:57 AM]
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Greg, I would think in your scenerio that F1 could have legally stepped toward 2nd (the runner's original base) or 3rd (the base he was advancing to) and still be legal. I would not require arm movement. Is not the foot movement itself a feint indicating where he intends to go?
I, therefore, would not likely have called a balk provided F1 gained distance and direction with his step. As for F1 raising his leg, hanging it, and then continuing to 2nd--------I would expect Tee to comment that would be a balk by not going to home. Everyone who knows Tee knows his philosophy that it is impossible to balk going to 2nd, right, Tee ??? LOL