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Balk/No Balk in Padres Game 7-20
Saw this on ESPN this morning, and could not believe it.
The Padres pitcher was in the windup position with a runner on third. R3 feinted the steal of home. SD RH pitcher steps off with his pivot foot first and throws home in an attempt to retire the runner. R3 did not go, but retreated to third. Umps call a balk and send the runner home. Good call, right?
Then the offensive coach comes out to argue, and the umps get together and reverse the call, placing the runner back on third! The ESPN anchor said that the pitcher couldn't balk while standing off the rubber (lol) and that's why they sent the runner back.
It looked CLEARLY to me, in real time, that the SD pitcher made motions naturally associated with his pitching motion (8.05g) after stepping off. They spot-shadowed his feet showing that he in fact stepped off first, then threw home. I didn't know what the balk was for until they spot-shadowed his feet and slowed it down - however, it looked just like he was throwing a pitch.
That's a balk to me, as it looked just like he was throwing a pitch.
What do you guys think?
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