Quote:
Originally posted by DG
Carl wrote a book, 51 Ways to Ruin a BASEBALL Game. I bought it, read it, enjoyed it. Number 7, was "Call a (highly) technical balk". Play 10 was stepping off with the wrong foot. That would get called every time by a FED umpire in my area. Everyone expects it and you get an earful from the bench if you did not see it and call it. However, bringing the hands together in front, and stopping, would not get a sound from anybody. I have NEVER heard anyone mention this one not being called. Maybe it's because there is a lot of OBR played after HS season, and it's not a balk in OBR. I just know it's a highly technical balk in these parts that nobody is concerned about. You guys in other parts continue to do what you do. But don't chastise me for doing what is normal and expected around here.
Maybe we need a new book on regional differences.
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that you would actually CALL a balk when a guy steps back with the wrong foot?
That's LL stuff. Coaches like to complain about that becuase LL umpires call it all the time because that's the only thing they know to call that can be a balk.
Once they reach HS, everyone knows when the pitcher is going to change positions because the coach (or infielder) will say "hey dummy, step off".
Why not call a real balk, and then have fun explaining to the coach how you know the rule and here it is etc., that's what I call having fun being an umpire.
Thanks
David