Any word on the rationale for the balk call against the Orioles' pitcher in the 8th inning of Monday's game? Jim Palmer seemed to be adamant that he saw no balk on that play. To his credit, a half-inning later, he noted that there were numerous reasons (runners LOB, etc.) that the O's were in a precarious situation in the game. Just wondering if there was a post-game debrief that is available to the public as to what PU saw, and what rule was violated.

Jim Palmer didn't think the pitcher balked? I guess it must not have happened then, eh?

OK, strike everything from my post between the first and last sentences. Now do you have anything to contribute?

A lot of posts lately on major league balks. Do we have to go over these? If so, the poster needs to put a link to a video replay.

To borrow from SNL (Saturday Night Live, not some baseball acronym)

.........never mind!..........

The crew chief, Dana DeMuth, gave an explanation after the game--> "He started and stopped.Once you start to take your set position, it has to be uninterrupted".

looks like a balk ...
 

saw the replay on ESPN this morning and he did kind of do some herky jerky kind of movement moving to the set.

So I can see why the balk was called.

Thanks
David

<i> Originally posted by gotblue? </i>

<b> Any word on the rationale for the balk call against the Orioles' pitcher in the 8th inning of Monday's game? Jim Palmer seemed to be adamant that he saw no balk on that play. To his credit, a half-inning later, he noted that there were numerous reasons (runners LOB, etc.) that the O's were in a precarious situation in the game. Just wondering if there was a post-game debrief that is available to the public as to what PU saw, and what rule was violated. </b>

The problem is that in major league baseball balks are not consistent and are called less frequently.

If memory serves about 4 years ago a memorandum was issued to the umpires instructing them to start calling more balks. In that year they had more balk calls in 1/2 the season then all of the previous season, then:

I think it was after the All Star Break, the players union got involved and basically stated "Ease-up" if you want to work here. Therefore, the remainder of the season, the umpires became lax on the balk calls.

Pete Booth

After seeing the replay on ESPN, Kline was looking in and getting the signs, started to come set and stopped. It wasn't much of a movement, but if your the umpire watching the pitcher, it was obvious that he started then stopped.

*Edited to add* The movement reminded me of how a lineman would flinch and get called for a false start in football. It doesn't have to be much movement, but if you flinch, it's a penalty, a balk or five yards, depending on the sport.

Of course Mazilli and Kline didn't think there was a balk. What else is new...

[Edited by Kaliix on Jun 28th, 2005 at 04:21 PM]

Just echoing Kaliix's thoughts, I TIVO'ed the highlights on ESPN and it was clear that Kline's back shoulder moved before he came set. In realtime it was difficult to see but at half-speed it was very clear. Credit to Marty Foster for seeing it and Laz Diaz for being there in a split second when Kline went crazy.

It was the right call and you really did not need to slow it down any to see him start to the set position and then stop and then he decided to try and step off. From what I understand the got Pavano for the same thing earlier in the game and according to ESPN Kline was called for the same balk earlier in the year. Maz/Kline/Palmer are going to put on the Oriole colored glasses and say there was no balk but there was. Their was of saying the blue's cost them the game.

There was a flinch. To the trained eye of an Ump maybe you can pick it up. To the average fan..what flinch ?. I feel it should had been handled like incidental contact in basketball..no harm no foul. This is not good for the game.
If the pitcher would have sneezed we would had seen a balk I'm sure. But then again I'm from Baltimore & we hate Yanks.

Wrong comparison imo. A balk is more comparable to a violation in basketball, like stepping on a boundary line, traveling, etc. We don't "no harm/no foul" or "advantage/disadvantage" those and never have.

Traveling??? Have you ever seen an NBA game.