Balks

[JJ]

This is the text of a clinic speech I gave over the summer to High School level umpires. Read it, pick at it, add to it, pass it along -

JJ

BALKS

I First, the easy part. In High School baseball, HOW do you call a balk?
Throw your arms up and yell as loud as you can, “BALK!”

II Here’s another easy part. In High School baseball, what is the award for a balk?
Each base runner moves up one base. That’s it. Ball’s dead immediately as soon as you call the balk.

III Now it starts to get tougher. Who calls a balk?
Despite what you’ve heard, the answer here is “Anyone who sees it.” This isn’t Pro ball, or college ball, so your partner might not have the same level of experience as you. We’re not into “Base guy takes the pitcher above the waist; plate guy from the belt down”. Reaction times are different with every umpire. We blink. We freeze. In High School baseball, if you see a balk, call it.

IV Tougher still. Who explains the balk to an inquiring coach?
Odds are REAL good that the guy who called it will have to explain it. Occasionally, a coach will go to the senior umpire on the crew and ask if he agrees with the rookie’s call. Just like any other call, even if you don’t agree with your partner’s call there are ways to mask that fact from a coach. “He had a different angle than I did, coach”. “I blinked”.
You get the idea. It helps when one umpire calls a balk if his partner throws his hands up, too. It REALLY helps if you both saw the balk and called it simultaneously. One of the beauties of baseball is that from the time you call a balk until the coach can get to you, you have time to think about your upcoming explanation.

V OK, it’s getting tougher. What IS a balk?
The Federation Rule Book says, “A balk is an illegal act committed by the pitcher with a runner or runners on base which entitles each runner to advance one base.”
That’s all…….Thank you!
Oh, wait.

VI The toughest part. How will you know what is and what isn’t a balk?
An old umpire I worked with once said, “Balks are like pornography – you’ll know it when you see it.” To some extent he was right. I’m not going to stand up here and demonstrate balks – this isn’t a week long clinic, and besides, even though I’ve been umping for 25 years I still haven’t seen them all. I got a call yesterday from another IHSA Rules Interpreter – who’s been at it even longer than I have – asking if this is a balk. (Give Example).
While I won’t demonstrate, I will give a few guidelines, and I’ll ask other vets in the room to pitch in.
1. From the last example, when pitching from the set position, the non-pivot foot must gain ground toward the base being thrown to. And don’t forget that 45-degree thing!
2. The pitcher cannot simulate any part of his pitching motion while straddling the rubber. This is any movement that leads you to believe that he is beginning his motion. The rulebook is pretty clear on what the pitcher can and cannot do with his arms, legs, and hands. Read Rule 6 on Pitching, and read the Case Book plays listed on Rule 6.
3. It’s all about deception. If you’re deceived, odds are the runner is, too, and it’s probably a balk. One example I will give that we see in High School ball is the pitcher, working from the WINDUP with a runner on third base, starts his hands up AS HE STEPS OFF, and then he picks the runner off. Is this legal? Why not?
4. Remember, FED, NCAA, and Pro all have somewhat differing descriptions of what is a balk and how to enforce it. If you work multiple levels of ball, you have to stay sharp.

Does anyone have any balk scenarios they’d like to discuss?

[Richard_Siegel]

It's late and I don't have the patience to write a long response. But to sum it up, I would take the piece of paper you printed that balk explanation on and tear it up and throw it away.

Start over.

I found the discussion to be overly simplistic in some cases, and inaccurate in others. It does not describe the proper mechanics of calling balks. It does not discuss the way to deal with coaches properly. i.e The man who called the balk intercepts the coach if the coach come out and is headed to the wrong guy. I would never say "I blinked."

Finally, if the speech was meant for new umpires, the most confusing thing you can say is "It is all about deception." Bringing up deception is a slippery slope because most deceptions are LEGAL. As soon as you equate deception with balks you are openning yourself up to defending all the other legal decpetions.

[SAump]

Throw your hands up like your calling time. Make a loud and decisive call.
"Time, that's a balk," followed by short explanation and award of base(s).
Some prefer to point and yell, "That's a Balk," followed by a short {2-3 word} explanation, followed by "Time," and award of base(s).

Short explanations: Start and stop, indirect step, dropped the ball, removed hand, no throw, etc.
{please add to list or improve above descriptions}

Don't coach pitcher during a game and don't begin discussion with coach.
If coach request explanation, repeat short 2-3 word description for pitcher and coach.
If coach continues onto field, prepare to dump him for PPP delay of game and arguing a proper judgment call with official.
Warm up coach with "What do you need coach?" and listen to coach.
Repeat short explantion and keep your mouth shut.
Let coach decide and do whatever he needs to do.
Good luck.

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by JJ

It’s all about deception.

No it's not.

Deception is legal except where noted otherwise.

There are illegally deceptive balks, mechanical balks and penal balks.

[ozzy6900]

• Verbalizing the call. Call it the same as OBR or NCAA "That's a balk!" except in FED ball, add "TIME" afterward. Reason being most amateur umpires operate in different rule sets through the course of the year. It is easier to just drop the "TIME" command than it is to change the entire mechanic.

• Calling the balk. I don't know where you get the idea in OBR or NCAA that it is any different. Any umpire may call the balk in any rule set and the umpire that called the balk explains it to the coach if there is a question. And it better be in the form of a question and not a complaint especially on a step-balk!

• Deception is part of the game. A pitcher's job is to deceive the runner whenever possible, as long as he does it legally. You wouldn't balk a pitcher because he varies his delivery time, would you? That is one of the easiest way to deceive a runner - by freezing him in the base line. You really need to re-think this whole deception thing before you start trying to instruct others.

Balks are simply an error in mechanics, or a violation of the rules of pitching (depending on the rules you are playing under). An example of a mechanical balk is a pitcher not setting properly with runners on. Many young pitchers are in a rush to deliver the ball and commit this mechanical balk all the time. A rule violation would be faking a throw to first base while in contact with the rubber. These are just examples but the list goes on and on. I do agree that balks are like pornography - I know it when I see it but I usually don't see it until the blind guy in the 15th row hollers "Hey, isn't that a balk?!?"

Regards

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by ozzy6900

I do agree that balks are like pornography

Balks are not like pornography. I don't go looking for balks.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Balks are not like pornography. I don't go looking for balks.

Yeah, and the internet wasn't invented for balks.

[UMP25]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Balks are not like pornography. I don't go looking for balks.

Now we know what you do in your free time.


BTW, what's pornography?

[Jerry]

I don't even own a pornograph anymore. Ever since cassette tapes came out to replace my 45's.

[UMP25]

Well, at least you didn't say "8-track."

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Balks are not like pornography. I don't go looking for balks.

BS, Bob! I heard that you sneak around the back of the mound just waiting for a balk to come your way!

[Forest Ump]

JJ.....The best thing you could do for youself and the umpires you are training is to buy the Jim Evans Academy Video on "Pitching Regulations and Balks". You will learn more than you ever knew about balks after viewing this video. It's perfect for training as you can stop and restart the DVD to get a full understanding on the fine points of pitching regulations. Google it and you will find it. I bought mine from the PONY website.

[UMP25]

Trust me, John knows more than most when it comes to balks. He wouldn't have gotten to where he's at if he didn't.

[Forest Ump]

Originally Posted by UMP25

Trust me, John knows more than most when it comes to balks. He wouldn't have gotten to where he's at if he didn't.

UMP25...I'm sure you are right but I don't know John. I'm just responding with my thoughts from his post on a public forum. The emphasis in my post was to express how great the DVD is as a teaching aid in a clinic.

[UMP25]

Don't worry. I wasn't trying to nitpick.