Balk

[Dave Hensley]

Originally Posted by BigUmp56

It's in the AR to 7.10.


If a pitcher balks when making an appeal, such act shall be a play. An appeal should be clearly intended as an appeal, either by a verbal request by the player or an act that unmistakably indicates an appeal to the umpire. A player, inadvertently stepping on the base with a ball in his hand, would not constitute an appeal. Time is not out when an appeal is being made.

AH must have had some reason for calling the balk. I can't imagine that he would have thought they weren't throwing to first for an appeal considering Belliard was already standing on second.


Tim.

I find it entirely believable that Angel called the balk under the mistaken understanding that a pitcher can't throw to an unoccupied base from the rubber in order to make an appeal. It wouldn't be the first, or even the most egregious rule misinterpretation Angel has made.