[CelticNHBlue]

I must have jumped to the baseball site!! Did I really see the word balk in this thread (lol)? I am trying desperately, but I can not find that definition in my rule books, any of them, from any year, from any governing body.

I don't actually have my rule book in front of me and can not currently quote you the rule(s) that will verify this, but yes, if the pitcher stops her/his motion it is an illegal pitch regardless of the actions around her/him with the exception of the umpire suspending play. I would also add the exception of a batter, or any offensive player, using language or action to convey to the pitcher that s/he should not throw the ball (waving arms, yelling stop or no pitch, etc.) in which case I will use the Unsportsmanlike Conduct rule to supersede the illegal pitch.

Now, as to the second learned rule; unlearn it. In ASA an obstructed runner can not be put out between the bases in which they are obstructed. By your new ruling let's imagine the following:

The batter runner rounds first base and his inadvertantly run over by the massive sized first baseman on his way to a cut-off position within the infield. Our batter runner is laying unconcious on the ground. He may now be called out for not attempting to continue to a base.

Even better, the batter runner is accidentally tripped up rounding first. Having seen this, and knowing that this is the last out of the game, the second baseman jumps on the batter runner and beats him senseless so that he can not make an attempt to continue. He is now liable to be put out and end the game; after which you can eject the fielder for USC.

I realize these are two far-fetched scenarios, but sometimes you have to look at the extreme situation to get a grasp on whether or not a ruling makes sense.