Would you have called a balk?

[Don Mueller]

Originally Posted by Steven Tyler

I cannot understand why everyone is arguing so hard for a balk they never call.

Some do call it (post #16)
I think it's a good idea to know exactly which interp you're going to live by and be able to defend in case a coach does make an issue of it.

For those who think taking a sign off the rubber by rule is an immediate balk I ask the following questions:

Which signs are F1s obligated to take from the rubber?

The sign from the catcher to his middle infielders indicating any play he may put on in the event R1 attempts to steal?
Does the pitcher have to close his eyes so as not to see this sign while off the rubber to avoid balking? I don't think so

If he closes his eyes he may miss the sign indicating bunt defense. Does the bunt defense sign qualify as a sign that must be seen while only on the rubber? Probably not

The pickoff sign? Maybe
The sign indicating which pitch to throw?
YES that's the one

The rule says:
"He shall take his sign from the catcher with his pivot foot in contact with the pitcher's plate"

So he can look at and see the signs for all the infielders while off the rubber but he must take ""his"" sign from the rubber.
I don't plan on quizzing F2 every time I see F1 looking at him and asking if he's giving F1 "his" sign.

As for me, I have no idea what signals the catcher is flashing prior to F1 stepping on the rubber and like Ozzy I don't care. As long as once F1 steps on the rubber he takes or pretends to take "his" sign I'm cool.

[Don Mueller]

Originally Posted by ozzy6900

That's easy Don. I am not the pitcher so as I stated he could be staring at a "babe" for all I know while F2 is flexing his fingers. I'm not in F1's head.

I agree, but I was referring to the last sentence of your post.

"Now I'll tell you this, if a coach complains to me once, both F1's from that point had better be aware that I and my partner will be watching the rest of the game. If F2 so much as flinches with F1 straddling the rubber, we will balk the hell out of F1 (and I've done it in several Varsity and sub-varsity games in the past"

He's still looking at the same "babe" but now you're balking him.
So either you have better discernment after the complaint or you thought you knew it was a balk all along and you're letting the coach dictate when to call it.
Curious as to which it is?

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by Don Mueller

I agree, but I was referring to the last sentence of your post.

"Now I'll tell you this, if a coach complains to me once, both F1's from that point had better be aware that I and my partner will be watching the rest of the game. If F2 so much as flinches with F1 straddling the rubber, we will balk the hell out of F1 (and I've done it in several Varsity and sub-varsity games in the past"

He's still looking at the same "babe" but now you're balking him.
So either you have better discernment after the complaint or you thought you knew it was a balk all along and you're letting the coach dictate when to call it.
Curious as to which it is?

It's kind of like the coach that pi$$es about the other coach being out of the box. If one complains they both have to suffer. Don't worry, When the coach complains about F1 taking his signs off the rubber, I'll give him the same spiel about looking at the babe. If he still insists, then I guess my partner and I have to look harder!

[BigUmp56]

Originally Posted by Steven Tyler

That the BRD is not the final say on all rule interpretations. It is a source of research that bring different interps together and only one person's opinion. You said the coach was fishing for a balk call after you balked his pitcher earlier. It sounds like you were fishing for an attaboy for not calling a balk that you are arguing vehemently is a balk, technically speaking. You will get in more trouble calling balks than you will for not calling them.

I guarantee if you ever call this in a game you will be picking more nits than a father-son spider monkey team that knows a National Geographic film crew is following them.

What I was debating was you telling me that it's not technically a balk when in fact it is. I e-mailed a friend who has served in passed years on the NFHS rules committee and as an advisor to Elliot Hopkins. He's assured me that the NFHS does consider this a balk. Enforcement is another matter as some will call it while others will not. I was just curious to see what others here felt about it. I don't let worrying about "trouble", as you put it, dictate what calls I make. I am, however, concerned that I call my games using an accepted standard where common sense and fair play are at a premium.


Tim.