My Pitcher was Balked Tonight

[UmpJM]

On a move to 2B from Set. (Not that it makes any difference, but under OBR based rules.)

I did not see that he had done anything illegal.

When I asked the umpire why he had balked him (having requested and been granted Time, of course) he explained his call along the following lines.

1. He had attempted to deceive the runner.

2. He had made a motion to home prior to going to 2B.

When I asked for further clarification on point #2, he said this alledged "motion to home" occurred after my pitcher had begun to lift his stride leg to balance. The umpire agreed that my pitcher did "step directly" to 2B on his move. Personally, I believe that's physically impossible.

I was not amused. I dropped it.

The balk had no bearing on the outcome of the game.

JM

[GarthB]

Sounds like an error by the umpire. Also, sounds like you handled it well.

On a side note and slightly off-topic, you say your pitcher was "balked". Whenever I hear this, I wonder what it really means. Pitchers "balk". They don't "get" balked. Umpires "call" balks. Umpires don't balk.

I have the same petty nitpicking problem with umpires who say, "I safed him." What? Oh, you mean you called him safe. Do you also "out him?" Do you also "strike him?" And, heaven help you if you should "ball him."

I realize this matters to no one, and as I said, it is definitely picking of nits,but, I just got home from working five basketball games and I'm a bit rummy.

I've got five more tomorrow morning and then six on Saturday and six more more on Sunday. Eight await me next Monday. These 50-something year old legs are getting a real test.

[UmpJM]

Garth,

While I get your point, especially in regard to "safeing", "outing" (depending on context, of course), "striking", and "balling " (lah me!), "balking" always struck me as a little different. So, I looked it up. Imagine my surprise when I found the following:

Originally Posted by American Heritage Dictionary

Balk

TRANSITIVE VERB: 1. To check or thwart by or as if by an obstacle.

While it may have been more proper to say "The umpire called a balk on my pitcher tonight", I find the phrasing I did use ironically apt.

Basketball?!?!? Great sport, but this is Baseball season!

I've been coaching 13-15 yr. old kids for the last 5 yrs. (baseball, basketball, & football), & somehow it saddens me that some of them (or their parents) choose to specialize year 'round in one sport at such a young age.

Such is life.

JM

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by CoachJM

Basketball?!?!? Great sport, but this is Baseball season!

I've been coaching 13-15 yr. old kids for the last 5 yrs. (baseball, basketball, & football), & somehow it saddens me that some of them (or their parents) choose to specialize year 'round in one sport at such a young age.

Such is life.

JM

Gonzaga University runs four one-week high school team camps each summer: two for girls and two for boys. The kids get individual and group skill training and the teams play at least two games a day. The kids look exhausted towards the end of the week.

I'm not sure how many teams show up, but we have to cover 128 games a day.

There is a individual fee and a team fee. The net profits go to GU's assistant coaches. This is how a small school can come up with enough money to keep their assistants in place for as long a Gonzaga does. Plus, they get to look at some good prospects for future recruiting. Teams come from all over the country and three Canadian provinces.

I agree with you on the specialization however. It has come to the point in Spokane when you can see a school's future varsity team by the time the kids are in 7th grade. It makes it next to impossible for a kid who can't afford to be in a "select" year 'round team to make varsity.

[waltjp]

Originally Posted by GarthB

On a side note and slightly off-topic, you say your pitcher was "balked". Whenever I hear this, I wonder what it really means. Pitchers "balk". They don't "get" balked. Umpires "call" balks. Umpires don't balk.

I have the same petty nitpicking problem with umpires who say, "I safed him." What? Oh, you mean you called him safe. Do you also "out him?" Do you also "strike him?" And, heaven help you if you should "ball him."

Gotta be careful before you "OUT" someone. Next thing you know people are holding press conferences to announce that they're straight. Anyone remember Mike Piazza's press conference a few years back?