[PeteBooth]

Originally posted by IHSAIllini

Something I've always been dying to ask other umpires about. I don't know how many of you use house rules that include a balk warning component, but I'll fill you in as best I can. For the Bronco and Pony kids (11-12 and 13-14) there are balk warnings. For the 11-12s it's a warning per pitcher, for 13-14s it's a warning per team. Now, of course you can't call balks without a runner on base. Or, I've been led to believe this without actually looking up the section in the FED rulebook...but if I'm wrong someone correct me right away.

(Oh great, IHSA is gonna love this, I just passed my Part 1 rules test and I'm already making them look bad for patching me...heh).

So I guess my question is, even though you can't call balks without runners on base, presuming I'm right of course, how would you feel about wasting the warnings without runners? My rationale is that because it's house ball, the purpose is to teach the kids, and it's easier for them to make the adjustment before they're under pressure with runners on base.

What does everyone think?

There's a problem with Warnings

Sitch: R3 less than 2 outs. F1 in wind-up

Offensive coach calls for a suicide squeeze. F1 seeing this gets rattled and in the middle of his pitching motion STOPS.

Now if you give a warning you just handed the defense an Easy OUT which they didn't earn and to make matters worse the defense is rewarded for committing an illegal act.

Here's what I recommend. Do not give warnings so you don't box yourself in

IMO balks are divided into what I consider the "No brainer type" meaning even the occasional fan knows it is a balk and then there are the "technical balks"

It is the "technical balks" that IMO cause the most comotion and this is the area where an umpire can use some game management skills.

Example; FED rules F1 MUST take signs on the rubber or be guilty of a balk with runners on. Even the FED official will not call this a balk on the first offense. What you do is get the attention of one of F1's teammates and have them tell him/her to correct it.

If there is a local league league rule REQUIRING blue to give a warning I would at least amend that statement to say Warnings will be given for "Technical" Violations only meaning you can still call the "no brainers".

Pete Booth