Would you have called a balk?

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Steven Tyler

It is not technically specified as a balk in 6.1. How can you balk just standing still looking in at the catcher straddling the rubber? Did he simulate a pitching motion? Wait until he steps on before you balk if the pitcher does anything wrong. Quick pitch, illegal move, etc. If you want to tell the pitcher to take his signs on the rubber, feel free.

It's been on the FED test before -- and the answer is that it's a balk (with runners on base). I've seen it called. I've never called it.

I think the FED's reasoning is that if F1 is looking in for the signs, he's acting like he is on the rubber. This influences the base runner's lead, and gives F1 some additional leeway that he wouldn't have if he were on the rubber. This is "too much" of an advantage for F1, so it needs to be penalized.

For what it's worth, in the house league where I do some games, at the 13-14 level we are instructed to give one balk warning per pitcher. I have no problem calling time and going to the mound and explaining what they did wrong and how to do it right. The pitchers and the coaches thank me for it. We have more and more younger kids these days who have no clue about the mechanics of pitching. The coaches are just as ill informed. The fact of the matter is that some will pitch in HS and above, and the sooner they understand the better. There are times when you know when the pitcher is taking signs (and they do it at this level) because they will nod their head or turn it side to side. Is it nit-picking, certainly - but as I said earlier the sooner they understand the better.

I did two games last night and issued balk warnings (neither for taking signs off the rubber) in both games and called one balk, after the kid continued to utilize the same mechanic. I could have ignored it. The reason I don't is because I want the kids to learn proper mechanics because in the end it will make them better players and certainly more knowledgeable, with the hope that they will continue to show interest in the game.

[UMP25]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

It's been on the FED test before -- and the answer is that it's a balk (with runners on base). I've seen it called. I've never called it.

I think the FED's reasoning is that if F1 is looking in for the signs, he's acting like he is on the rubber. This influences the base runner's lead, and gives F1 some additional leeway that he wouldn't have if he were on the rubber. This is "too much" of an advantage for F1, so it needs to be penalized.

And under NCAA rules, it's a ball to the batter, with or without runners on base. That's less of a penalty, but I'd still just quietly tell the pitcher to make sure he's on the rubber when he takes the sign.