Balk or Illegal Pitch

[Jim Porter]

Originally posted by Gee
One last time. The pitcher asks for a new ball and is given one. He is facing center field and rubs up the ball.

He just happens to be standing on the rubber and drops the ball with men on base. Are you going to call that a balk?

From what you say, you are. I'm not, simply because the pitcher was not in a legal pitching position when he dropped it. OBR 8.01 describes only two legal pitching positions, 8.01(a) and 8.01(b).

Adendum.

Just checked JEA and 8.05(k). Jim Evans states, "If a pitcher has STARTED HIS DELIVERY when the ball slips out of his hand, rule 8.01(d) should be enforced......" G.

[Edited by Gee on Jun 4th, 2001 at 09:09 AM]

Well, I'm sorry, Gee, but you are as wrong as wrong can be and you know it. You quoted Evans out of context on purpose to bolster your argument. Why did you do that? It's okay to be wrong sometimes. Why not just say, "Gosh I was wrong," and get on with it?

Under 8.05(k) in Jim Evans Annotated, the very first sentence under Customs and Usage reads, "Once the pitcher assumes a position on the rubber with his pivot foot, he will be penalized should he drop the ball." (my emphasis)

The penalty under 8.05(k) is a balk.

You are correct, however, that 8.01(d) is only enforced when the pitcher has, in fact, started his delivery.

So, Gee's mistakes aside, here's the breakdown of the correct rulings:

• 1. Runners on base - a balk is called should the pitcher drop the ball while in contact with the rubber (whether he has begun his delivery or not and whether it crosses the foul line or not).
  
  2. No runners on base - if the pitcher drops the ball before the start of his delivery, it is nothing.
  
  3. No runners on base - if the pitcher starts his delivery and the ball slips from his hand, it is a ball if it crosses the foul line.
  
  4. No runners on base - if the pitcher starts his delivery and the ball slips from his hand, if it fails to cross the foul line it is declared a, "no pitch."