The Official Forum  

Go Back   The Official Forum > Baseball
Register FAQ Community Calendar Today's Posts Search

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Rate Thread Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old Tue Jun 20, 2006, 10:36am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 727
Ejection, ensuing fun, and a couple of questions

Strict OBR. One runner on, two outs. Batter is ejected for arguing a strike call that ran the count to 0-2. Of course the team manager comes out to "discuss" the situation with the plate umpire (which was not me, in case you were wondering ). Afterwards, the manager reports a substitute for the ejected player to continue the at-bat. Player does not promptly take his position in the batter's box. After the plate umpire tells the batter 3 times to take his position in the box with the batter still not doing so (he has taken practice swings, switched bats, AND traded helmets), umpire calls for a pitch to be thrown which appeared reasonably close to the strike zone and calls strike three, inning over.

Now the question: When the umpire called for the pitch to be thrown, the pitcher, who was standing behind the rubber, just stepped up on the rubber and threw the ball into the catcher without pause, taking a sign, or simulating taking a sign.

Question #1: With runners on base, should this be called a balk?

Question #2: If yes to question #1, given the circumstances, would you call it?
__________________
"Not all heroes have time to pose for sculptors...some still have papers to grade."
Reply With Quote
  #2 (permalink)  
Old Tue Jun 20, 2006, 10:42am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 141
Send a message via Yahoo to jxt127
I would not call a balk. The ball is dead on a directed strike. No runner may advance.
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old Tue Jun 20, 2006, 11:05am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 202
Quote:
Originally Posted by TwoBits
Now the question: When the umpire called for the pitch to be thrown, the pitcher, who was standing behind the rubber, just stepped up on the rubber and threw the ball into the catcher without pause, taking a sign, or simulating taking a sign.

Question #1: With runners on base, should this be called a balk?

Question #2: If yes to question #1, given the circumstances, would you call it?
Sorry, don't know the OBR rule, but in FED the pitch does not have to be thrown. Umpire simply declares strike.
Does the pitch have to be made in OBR?

If FED is same as OBR there is no balk issue.
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old Tue Jun 20, 2006, 11:08am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: South Bend, In.
Posts: 2,192
Send a message via AIM to BigUmp56 Send a message via Yahoo to BigUmp56
Quote:
Originally Posted by jxt127
I would not call a balk. The ball is dead on a directed strike. No runner may advance.
I wouldn't call a balk either, but I find nothing to support your comment that the ball is dead on a directed pitch.


Tim.
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old Tue Jun 20, 2006, 11:10am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,057
Send a message via Yahoo to UmpJM
Cool

TwoBits,

As jxt127 points out, this is what is commonly referred to as a "directed" (or "penalty") strike. It is defined in Rule 6.02(c). From your description, it sounds like the umpire's application was proper in this case.

This pitch is ALWAYS called a strike, regardless of its location.

There is no rule that requires a pitcher to take a sign prior to pitching. If he chooses to take a sign, he should do so while in contact with the rubber. Under OBR, it is a "don't do that", rather than a balk, for a pitcher to take signs while not in contact.

It is, of course, a balk for a pitcher to throw a "quick pitch" (i.e. pitch before the batter is "reasonably set" to receive the pitch) when there are runners on base. However, on a directed strike, the batter is NEVER going to be reasonably set, so a "quick pitch" doesn't really mean anything in this situation.

If the directed strike is strike three, the batter is out and does NOT become a runner in the event the pitch is not "caught".

The bit about the ball being "dead" on a directed strike is brand spanking new (one of the 23 changes) in the 2006 edition of the OBR as published both by The Sporting News, and, more recently, the MLB.com website.

Prior to the change, the ball remained live during a "directed strike", but the batter was "dead".

So, I would say no, the pitcher did not balk.

JM
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old Tue Jun 20, 2006, 11:16am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 727
Just found 6.02c:

If the batter refuses to take his position in the batter’s box during his time at bat, the umpire shall call a strike on the batter. The ball is dead, and no runners may advance. After the penalty, the batter may take his proper position and the regular ball and strike count shall continue. If the batter does not take his proper position before three strikes have been called, the batter shall be declared out.

So if I'm reading this correctly, the pitch didn't even have to be thrown, correct?
__________________
"Not all heroes have time to pose for sculptors...some still have papers to grade."
Reply With Quote
  #7 (permalink)  
Old Tue Jun 20, 2006, 11:16am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 77
Quote:
Originally Posted by jxt127
I would not call a balk. The ball is dead on a directed strike. No runner may advance.
Not a true statement. The ball remains alive and in play (runners may advance at their own risk) UNLESS the batter hits the directed pitch, in which case the ball becomes dead, the strike counts, and any baserunning advance is nullified.

The pitcher is ordered to "pitch." There is no mention that pitching regulations do not apply.

That having been said, I would be at least as lenient as on an intentional walk.
Reply With Quote
  #8 (permalink)  
Old Tue Jun 20, 2006, 11:18am
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Lakeside, California
Posts: 6,724
It should not be a balk, because the pitcher does not need to deliver a pitch. The umpire should have called "Time," then called a directed strike without requiring a pitch.

New Rule:

6.02 (c) If the batter refuses to take his position in the batter’s box during his time at bat, the umpire shall call a strike on the batter. The ball is dead, and no runners may advance. After the penalty, the batter may take his proper position and the regular ball and strike count shall continue. If the batter does not take his proper position before three strikes have been called, the batter shall be declared out.

Editor’s Note: the MLB Umpire Manual’s official interpretation was added here. The change is that no pitch need be thrown for a strike and the ball is now dead when such intentional strikes are called, thereby preventing a batter from jumping back into the box and hitting the ball.
__________________
Matthew 15:14, 1 Corinthians 1:23-25
Reply With Quote
  #9 (permalink)  
Old Tue Jun 20, 2006, 11:22am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,057
Send a message via Yahoo to UmpJM
Cool

TwoBits,

Under the "old" 6.02(c), the pitcher was, in fact, required to throw a pitch.

I honestly don't know whether he is required to do so under "new" 6.02(c), but with the new provision that the ball is "dead", it would make sense to me that there is no reason why he would need to and the umpire could simply "declare" a strike, a la FED, without the pitcher actually delivering a pitch.

JMO.

JM

Edited to add: I see that SD Steve has clarified the question while I was composing my speculative reply. Never mind.

Last edited by UmpJM; Tue Jun 20, 2006 at 11:26am.
Reply With Quote
  #10 (permalink)  
Old Tue Jun 20, 2006, 11:29am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 77
Quote:
Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve
It should not be a balk, because the pitcher does not need to deliver a pitch. The umpire should have called "Time," then called a directed strike without requiring a pitch.

New Rule:

6.02 (c) If the batter refuses to take his position in the batter’s box during his time at bat, the umpire shall call a strike on the batter. The ball is dead, and no runners may advance. After the penalty, the batter may take his proper position and the regular ball and strike count shall continue. If the batter does not take his proper position before three strikes have been called, the batter shall be declared out.

Editor’s Note: the MLB Umpire Manual’s official interpretation was added here. The change is that no pitch need be thrown for a strike and the ball is now dead when such intentional strikes are called, thereby preventing a batter from jumping back into the box and hitting the ball.
I stand corrected. I know there have been some rules changes included in the 2006 edition. Just haven't had time to go through them all. I see also that MLB finally posted the new version on the website.
Reply With Quote
  #11 (permalink)  
Old Tue Jun 20, 2006, 11:30am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Western Washington
Posts: 112
Remember, this is an experimental rule for 2006. It is the same as Fed. I don't know if the players union, or owners have voted to officially adopt this rule change, and I've yet to hear or see this being called in any Major or Minor league game. This will create a storm when it does, with a couple of ejections in the process.

The essence is to speed up the game, with batters constantly stepping out of the box. Look at the ritual of N. Garciapara prior to entering the box.
Reply With Quote
  #12 (permalink)  
Old Tue Jun 20, 2006, 11:33am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 727
Quote:
Originally Posted by shickenbottom
Remember, this is an experimental rule for 2006. It is the same as Fed. I don't know if the players union, or owners have voted to officially adopt this rule change, and I've yet to hear or see this being called in any Major or Minor league game. This will create a storm when it does, with a couple of ejections in the process.

The essence is to speed up the game, with batters constantly stepping out of the box. Look at the ritual of N. Garciapara prior to entering the box.
I think 6.02d is the experimental rule regarding one foot in the box like FED. There is no mention that 6.02c is experimental.
__________________
"Not all heroes have time to pose for sculptors...some still have papers to grade."
Reply With Quote
  #13 (permalink)  
Old Tue Jun 20, 2006, 11:34am
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Lakeside, California
Posts: 6,724
Well, I guess that with the new 12 second rule, if Nomar doesn't hop back in the box right away, and stop with the batting glove foolishness, the umpire can now just order up a strike. That would lead to a couple of ejections right off the bat.
__________________
Matthew 15:14, 1 Corinthians 1:23-25
Reply With Quote
  #14 (permalink)  
Old Tue Jun 20, 2006, 11:51am
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Western Washington
Posts: 112
Quote:
Originally Posted by TwoBits
I think 6.02d is the experimental rule regarding one foot in the box like FED. There is no mention that 6.02c is experimental.
Twobits the whole 6.02d is directly from Fed and the first sentence of 6.02d says it's experimental. Near the bottom of 6.02d is the "No Pitch Strike" for delay of game. Also in 6.02d it references 6.02c as the penalty for violation.

If I remember correctly the directed pitch has been in the rules for quite a few years.

So now OBR has two rules for the delay of game strike call. One is the "Directed Pitch Strike" 6.02c and the "No Pitch Strike" 6.02d. Now, the doosey of a question, which one to enforce? Hmmmm!!!! I believe the intent here from OBR is to have both in play for a year and then phase one out.

The shennanigans by batters should decrease. Batters can be superstitious in the on deck circle, when you get to the plate, just swing the bat.
Reply With Quote
  #15 (permalink)  
Old Tue Jun 20, 2006, 12:07pm
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 727
I take that to mean that the penalty for violating 6.02d is the same as violating 6.02c.

Does anybody find it amusing that OBR is quoting FED rules now?
__________________
"Not all heroes have time to pose for sculptors...some still have papers to grade."
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Just a couple questions... gshoe10 Softball 3 Thu Jun 01, 2006 10:18am
couple questions??? jritchie Basketball 2 Thu Dec 08, 2005 12:21pm
couple of questions djmceltic Basketball 18 Wed Apr 20, 2005 06:33am
Couple of Questions gostars Basketball 3 Tue Jan 11, 2005 11:22pm
Many thanks and a couple questions. OfficialFan Basketball 7 Sun Jan 25, 2004 01:49pm


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:13pm.



Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.3.0 RC1