dead ball balk?

GarthB · #9 (**permalink**) Thu Jul 29, 2004, 11:47pm

Quote:

Originally posted by DG

Quote:

Originally posted by GarthB

Quote:

Originally posted by DG
As already mentioned, there can be no balk until the ball is put in play. If the pitcher toes the rubber without the ball, and the PU points to him and says "play" and then R3 steps off 3b and is tagged, then a balk should be called.

But putting the ball in play require the pitcher to possess while toeing the rubber, right? So, the ball would still be dead when R3 is tagged. And you already said that ther can be no balk during a deadball.

I don't know he has the ball or not when I say "play". His intent is clear.

Once again, lets look at the rule:

OBR 5.11

After the ball is dead play shall be resumed when the pitcher takes his place with a new ball or the same ball in his possession and the plate umpire calls play. The plate umpire shall call play takes his position on his plate with the ball is his possession.

If you don't know whether or not he has the ball, shame on you. But it doesn't change things. If you call "play" and then discover he didn't have the ball, the ball is STILL dead. The pitcher didn't meet the requirement for putting the ball in play. Therefore the ball was not live, and no balk can be called.

This isn't that hard.