Balk with continuing action

[Rich]

He stepped to first.

He failed to throw.

The "play", for the purposes of the balk and the NAPBL passage, is over.

Why do we kill the play when F3 catches the ball after a balk? Heck, F3 could throw the ball into left field and R1 could advance to third base.

Some rules are rules simply because they are. When a pitcher balks and fails to deliver the ball or throw it to the base, the penalty is a dead ball and the runners are advanced one base.

The OBR and the NAPBL are quite clear about this.

Once the pitcher fails to throw, ALL PLAY HAS CEASED for the purposes of the NAPBL citation.

You can argue all you want to the contrary, but you would be wrong. Jim Evans, J/R, Childress, Jenkins, Willson, Porter, BJMoose (member EWS), and Fronheiser all agree.

I've tried to convince you, but we've obviously reached the point where you're beyond convincing.

Rich