[UmpJM]

Lapopez,

1. I, in general, I find FED balk rules a bit "pickier" than OBR rules. You are technically correct that under FED rules, actions which would be considered balks with runners on base are treated as "illegal pitches" with no runners on base - and penalized by a ball added to the batter's count.

In my experience, it is unusual for an umpire to "see" one of these infractions when there are no runners.

johnnyg's assertion that "...A balk is a balk FED or OBR..." is patently incorrect. There are a number of actions which are NOT a balk in OBR that ARE a balk in FED. There is also one action that IS a balk in OBR but is NOT a balk in FED.

His assertion that the ball is immediately dead upon a balk in FED (unlike OBR, where the ball may or may not become dead depending on what happens next) is correct.

2. I would agree that the pitcher would have had to get within "...approximately 5' of the pitcher's plate..." in order to be "on or astride", so the wording is a bit superfluous. I was told by Kyle McNeeley that the intent of the rule is to prohibit the pitcher from stepping on the "dirt circle" of the mound (a la NCAA) without the ball. The "approx. 5' " language was put in to accommodate schools with fields that have "skin" infields.

3. This is the one action which IS a balk in OBR and is NOT a balk in FED. OBR rules explicitly prohibit the F1 from remaining engaged on a "3rd to 1st" move, while FED rules explicitly permit it. Despite johnnyg'a assertion to the contrary.

If the pitcher does choose to remain engaged, he must THROW to 1B - not merely feint - and a legal step is to 1B is required.

JM