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Ooooh, I think the balk call was justified.
On the fake-to-third/fake-to-first move, the pitcher should disengage the rubber while he makes the initial step to third base so that, as the announcer said, he "just becomes another fielder" when he fakes to first. But this F1 never really disengaged. In fact, it looked to me like he executed a jab-step move to first after the fake to third, and a jab-step is considered a move from the rubber.
I don't know what the rest of the crew told U1 to convince him the call should be reversed. IMO, he made the right call.
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"Let's face it. Umpiring is not an easy or happy way to make a living. In the abuse they suffer, and the pay they get for it, you see an imbalance that can only be explained by their need to stay close to a game they can't resist." -- Bob Uecker
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