|
Balk Clarifications
This should be an easy one for all of you experienced baseball umpires. I just need clarification on a couple of parts of the balk rule.
1. I know it is illegal to fake a throw to 1st base. But what can a pitcher do to make it legal? Is it as simple as legally stepping off (back) the rubber?
2. What constitutes a fake throw? Is whirling toward first and JUST putting the arm up considered faking a throw? Or, for it to be illegal, must there be an arm whip.
3. This one I will explain in an example. R1 on first. Pitcher forgets that he has a runner on and is on the rubber in a windup-esque position (no movement has been made that constitutes a starting of the pitching motion). What I have read is that the pitcher must step off the rubber with the pivot foot. So, on a lefty, he must step off with the left foot and a righty must step off with the right foot. Correct?
Sorry for the easy questions. My summer association is making all softball umps (me) get certified in baseball as well due to a shortage of umpires. Any help is appreciated. Cant find my baseball rule books, so thought I could get my answers here.
|