Gorilla Arm

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by bossman72

I seen the gorilla arm a few times when i first started a few years back and never felt comfortable calling that a balk in the first place, so lucky thing i was able to talk to my state interpreter at a clinic last year and bring it up on how he wants it enforced.

Oz, what is your philosophy on why this rule should be strictly enforced?

My philosophy is simple - FED says it is a balk so I am a FED umpire and I should be calling the game the same as Tee or Steve on the West Coast. States and rule interpreters should not change the rules!

My opinion - it is the stupidest thing that I have ever heard of. My son used to do the gorilla arm to "get the blood going". It is not a deception at all - but as Tee impressed on me, it is a mechanical flaw that is prohibited (for now) by the FED rulings.