Unusual Balk Call

[John L]

We had an interesting call the other day. The pitcher threw to 1st base in an attempt to pick off the runner. He had his foot off the rubber when he made the throw. The first baseman was not standing on the bag but was about 6 feet away. When the throw was made the firt baseman tagged the runner out who was standing to the right side of the first baseman. The umpire called it a balk because the first baseman was too far off the bag to take the throw. He quoted a IHSA rule but could not produce it from the rule book. I have talked to several HS coaches, college coaches, expros and some say this is true but others say they have never seen or heard of this rule. What gives??

[UmpJM]

John L.,

This sounds like a bad call to me, for two primary reasons.

The balk rules do, in fact, require an "in contact" pitcher to throw (more or less) "directly" to 1B, once he has "committed" to a move in the direction of 1B, and he is properly balked if instead he throws to the F3 who is "well off" the base and has no possibility of making a play. (No such requirement in regard to 2B or 3B - not even required to throw, only to "step".)

The following is from the J/R discussion of Balks addressing this point:

[It is a balk if a(n "in contact") pitcher]

...

11. steps to first base

...

(c) and throws to first baseman who, because of his distance from the base, is (or would have been) unable to try a tag against the runner at first base.

So, by your description (if I'm reading correctly),

1. the pitcher had legally disengaged and was, therefore, no longer constrained by this proscription. (Strike 1!)

2. the F3 tagged the freakin' runner out! So, even if the F1 threw "from the rubber", he was not in violation. (Strike 2!)

JM

[mcrowder]

Coach - (1) is right. (2) is wrong. Say the leadoff was 15 feet, and F3 was right beside him - the throw to F3 is perfect for a tag, but is still a balk (if pitcher was on the rubber when the throw was initiated) because he did not throw TO A BASE. F3's proximity to the runner doesn't take the pitcher off the hook in his requirement to throw to a base.

[UmpJM]

Originally Posted by mcrowder

... Say the leadoff was 15 feet, and F3 was right beside him - the throw to F3 is perfect for a tag, but is still a balk (if pitcher was on the rubber when the throw was initiated) because he did not throw TO A BASE. F3's proximity to the runner doesn't take the pitcher off the hook in his requirement to throw to a base.

mcrowder,

I certainly wouldn't disagree with your assertion above. However, in John L's sitch, the F3 was alledgedly six ft. off 1B. I would stand by my 2nd assertion in my initial response to John L., NO balk, bad call.

JM

[TussAgee11]

I'd say the biggest problem with this one is the pitcher disengaged. As for throwing to a base, there's no set number in feet or anything, so thats going to be judgement by the Umpire (assuming the pitcher didn't disengage)

[UmpJM]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

... As for throwing to a base, there's no set number in feet or anything, so thats going to be judgement by the Umpire (assuming the pitcher didn't disengage)

TussAgee11,

I wouldn't argue with what you say above either, and your assertion is quite consistent with what it says in the BRD on the subject (#385, for those following along at home):

....if the pitcher throws directly to the fielder there is no balk as long as the fielder attached to that base is in the "proximity" (umpire judgement) of the base. (6.2.4j).

However, as presented, the bozo who made the balk call in John L.'s sitch did not understand the criteria constraining his judgement, as nicely articulated in the following passage from the MLBUM:

...The pitcher shall be charged with a balk if, while in contact with the rubber, he throws to the first baseman who is either in front of or behind first base and obviously not making an attempt at retiring the runner at first base. ...

Again, as presented, NOT a balk, bad call.

JM

[UMP25]

Originally Posted by mcrowder

the throw to F3 is perfect for a tag, but is still a balk (if pitcher was on the rubber when the throw was initiated) because he did not throw TO A BASE. F3's proximity to the runner doesn't take the pitcher off the hook in his requirement to throw to a base.

This is not an accurate statement. If a pitcher from the rubber throws to the first base bag, he's fine. However, under OBR, he CAN throw to an F3 away from a base if F3 is making a legitimate attempt to retire the runner. Do not get trapped by this "to the base" restriction, because it's not the sole, determining factor. The other key is: "Was F3 legitimately attempting to retire the runner?" If yes, no balk, distance from the base notwithstanding.

[TussAgee11]

Originally Posted by UMP25

This is not an accurate statement. If a pitcher from the rubber throws to the first base bag, he's fine. However, under OBR, he CAN throw to an F3 away from a base if F3 is making a legitimate attempt to retire the runner. Do not get trapped by this "to the base" restriction, because it's not the sole, determining factor. The other key is: "Was F3 legitimately attempting to retire the runner?" If yes, no balk, distance from the base notwithstanding.

Good point, although I think you are misinterpretting this. A pitcher still must throw to a bag. The legitimate attempt to retire a runner only pulls off the restiction of throwing to an occupied base. So if R1 leaves, the pitcher can not throw to F4 running in to make the tag. He must either throw to first or second, without balking.

Correct?

[UMP25]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

Good point, although I think you are misinterpretting this. A pitcher still must throw to a bag. Correct?

That is not an accurate statement. A pitcher can throw to F3 "15 feet away" if F3 is making a legitimate attempt to retire R1.

[SAump]

Originally Posted by John L

We had an interesting call the other day. The pitcher threw to 1st base in an attempt to pick off the runner. He had his foot off the rubber when he made the throw. The first baseman was not standing on the bag but was about 6 feet away. When the throw was made the first baseman tagged the runner out who was standing to the right side of the first baseman.

The umpire called it a balk because the first baseman was too far off the bag to take the throw. He quoted a IHSA rule but could not produce it from the rule book. I have talked to several HS coaches, college coaches, expros and some say this is true but others say they have never seen or heard of this rule. What gives??

The pitcher does NOT have to throw directly to the base.
The fielder does NOT have to stand by the base to receive the throw.

[bob jenkins]

Maybe it would help (but I doubt it) if we just looked at the "IHSA rule" (sic) the umpire was referencing.

FED 6.2.4J: With R1 on first base and two outs, F1 attempts to pick off R1. AS F1 pivots to throw, he realizes that F3 is not on the base, but is in his normal defensive position. F1 completes the throw without interruption. The coach of the defensive team want a balk called on F1. RULING: As long as F3 is in the proximity of the base, F1 would not be guilty of a balk. Proximity is umpire judgment and is based on whether the fielder is close enough to the base to legitimately make a play on the runner.