Do you think this is a Balk?

[ozzy6900]

I don't know, guys but this looks like a balk to me!!!

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/ba...icle-1.2591331

[Rich]

Originally Posted by ozzy6900

I don't know, guys but this looks like a balk to me!!!

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/ba...icle-1.2591331

Nobody on base, can't be a balk.

[Benchcoach]

I'm no MLB Umpire but it looks like an illegal pitch to me, based on the following:

OBR 8.01(a) in part "From this position any natural movement associated with his delivery of the ball to the batter commits him to the pitch without interruption or alteration. He shall not raise either foot from the ground, except that in his actual delivery of the ball to the batter, he may take one step backward, and one step forward with his free foot.

Underline added for emphasis

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by Benchcoach

I'm no MLB Umpire but it looks like an illegal pitch to me, based on the following:

OBR 8.01(a) in part "From this position any natural movement associated with his delivery of the ball to the batter commits him to the pitch without interruption or alteration. He shall not raise either foot from the ground, except that in his actual delivery of the ball to the batter, he may take one step backward, and one step forward with his free foot.

Underline added for emphasis

It's MLB. Nobody cares.

[CT1]

Pitchers..........SMH

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by Benchcoach

I'm no MLB Umpire but it looks like an illegal pitch to me, based on the following:

OBR 8.01(a) in part "From this position any natural movement associated with his delivery of the ball to the batter commits him to the pitch without interruption or alteration. He shall not raise either foot from the ground, except that in his actual delivery of the ball to the batter, he may take one step backward, and one step forward with his free foot.

Underline added for emphasis

OBR: An ILLEGAL PITCH is (1) a pitch delivered to the batter when the
pitcher does not have his pivot foot in contact with the pitcher’s plate; (2)
a quick return pitch. An illegal pitch when runners are on base is a balk.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Benchcoach

I'm no MLB Umpire but it looks like an illegal pitch to me, based on the following:

OBR 8.01(a) in part "From this position any natural movement associated with his delivery of the ball to the batter commits him to the pitch without interruption or alteration. He shall not raise either foot from the ground, except that in his actual delivery of the ball to the batter, he may take one step backward, and one step forward with his free foot.

Underline added for emphasis

I wouldn't care about this delivery in any level of baseball.

Then again, I don't umpire in a rulebook -- I umpire on an actual field.

[Benchcoach]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

OBR: An ILLEGAL PITCH is (1) a pitch delivered to the batter when the
pitcher does not have his pivot foot in contact with the pitcher’s plate; (2)
a quick return pitch. An illegal pitch when runners are on base is a balk.

OBR 8.01 (a)The Windup in part, "He shall not raise either foot from the ground, except that in his actual delivery of the ball to the batter, he may take one step backward, and one step forward with his free foot.

OBR 8.01 (d) If the pitcher makes an illegal pitch with the bases unoccupied, it shall be called a ball unless the batter reaches first base on a hit, an error, a base on balls, a hit bat- ter or otherwise.

Part (a) of the rule says can't do it part (d) describes the penalty.
What is your point and why does not the pitch delivery in the video in the original post violate the Rule?

[Benchcoach]

Originally Posted by Rich

I wouldn't care about this delivery in any level of baseball.

Then again, I don't umpire in a rulebook -- I umpire on an actual field.

Your post basically says you don't care and you don't read. Too bad you choose to ignore the Rulebook. You might want to learn the rules before you take the field. Ignorance is not something one generally takes pride in. It is insightful that you are unable to explain why the delivery in question would in fact be legal.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Benchcoach

Your post basically says you don't care and you don't read. Too bad you choose to ignore the Rulebook. You might want to learn the rules before you take the field. Ignorance is not something one generally takes pride in. It is insightful that you are unable to explain why the delivery in question would in fact be legal.

My work speaks for itself.

It's not that I can't explain, it's that I couldn't possibly care to. Big difference.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Benchcoach

OBR 8.01 (a)The Windup in part, "He shall not raise either foot from the ground, except that in his actual delivery of the ball to the batter, he may take one step backward, and one step forward with his free foot.

OBR 8.01 (d) If the pitcher makes an illegal pitch with the bases unoccupied, it shall be called a ball unless the batter reaches first base on a hit, an error, a base on balls, a hit bat- ter or otherwise.

Part (a) of the rule says can't do it part (d) describes the penalty.
What is your point and why does not the pitch delivery in the video in the original post violate the Rule?

(d) is not referring to (a). In OBR, an Illegal Pitch is one of two things only -- a quick pitch or a pitch while not in contact with the rubber.

And, (a) is routinely ignored in MLB (and MiLB). Both of these would fall into the category of the "234 known errors in OBR".

[Benchcoach]

An answer! Thank you. As I understand you explanation the pitcher is exploiting a short coming in the rules. Even though the windup definition says he "SHALL NOT", there is no penalty for the infraction. This begs the question.."How many times could he raise and lower his leg before being called for delay?"

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by Benchcoach

An answer! Thank you. As I understand you explanation the pitcher is exploiting a short coming in the rules. Even though the windup definition says he "SHALL NOT", there is no penalty for the infraction. This begs the question.."How many times could he raise and lower his leg before being called for delay?"

From windup EVERY pitcher picks up his pivot foot and repositions it. Gonna call that one?

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by Benchcoach

Your post basically says you don't care and you don't read. Too bad you choose to ignore the Rulebook. You might want to learn the rules before you take the field. Ignorance is not something one generally takes pride in. It is insightful that you are unable to explain why the delivery in question would in fact be legal.

While the rules are in black and white, they are not supposed to be enforced as such. Many of the rules require interpretation or an understanding of why they are there in the first place. Especially OBR, which is a convoluted mess cobbled together over decades of changes. It's in need of a good rewriting.


It might help to know who you're chastising before embarking on such a crusade.

[charliej47]

The first time I saw that and some of the other actions by pitchers during Spring play, I could not understand why it wasn't being called.

I have since learned that this has been discussed and the PROs are going back to the original ruling where "if a patcher is consistent in his movements with runners on base as he is with no one on, then it shall not be considered a balk/illegal patch".

I believe this was first printed in the 1903 or 1913 time frame.

The discussion was that the umpires were becoming too strict and needs to "let the players play".