Sunday Night Baseball balk

[orioles35]

Anyone see the balk Sunday night? Seo threw (sort of) to first with a runner on and the 1B playing behind the runner. I guess they screwed up the signs and the 1B didn't break to the bag and they balked him. Genius Joe Morgan said "I'm not so sure that's a balk...they can't require him to make a good throw over there.", which is actually true but the 1B has to be in the vicinity of first base, correct?

[mcrowder]

If F3 was not in the vicinity of first base, then Seo balked when he didn't throw TO FIRST BASE. The rules say you have to throw to a base, not a player. Once he stepped toward first, he had to throw toward first. I believe it was Kenny Rogers last year, who turned to throw to first, and as he was throwing, noticed Teixeira playing WAY back. Rogers ended up lobbing it directly toward first base - slow enough that Tex kept it from rolling away. No balk, and the announcers (one of which is a decent rules guy for an announcer) went on and on about what a veteran move that was.

[shickenbottom]

I didn't see the play, however, for this to be called a balk, a play or attempted play should be made. If F1 threw the ball to F3 while still in contact with the rubber, and F3 was not anywhere near the bag and did not attempt to make a play on R1, then this is a balk. This is covered in the Jim Evans Balk Video.

As I understand the Balk Video, F1 can throw to F3 in an attempt to make a play on R1, however, if F3 does not break toward the bag, and the ball is not thrown in the general vicinity of 1st, then this is a balk, and all runners are awarded one base beyond their current occupied base.

[orioles35]

Well, of course Morgan didn't have a clue. This website cracks me up, especially when they start breaking down what he "says" during online chats:

http://firejoemorgan.blogspot.com/

[lawump]

They showed a replay from the camera behind the plate. The first baseman started moving toward first base when he saw the pitcher turn to throw the ball, but then the first baseman had to move back toward his right (toward the outfield) to actually pick up the ball.

I believe, at this point, Morgan agreed that it was a balk.

As a side note, I think all four umpires called it within a split second of one another.