Coach needing assistance with balks
 

Hey there. I'm a first year coach for an 11U recreational league team operating under USSSA. I believe we are using NFHS rules, where they are not superseded by USSSA or county rules, but am not sure (and have an email into the league coordinator to find out).

My question is about balks and how to instruct my pitchers not to do it and what the players should look for when they are base runners. I understand that there is (legal) deception involved when trying to pick someone off a base so I'm not trying to take that out of the game. I am, however, wanting to make the players (and myself) as knowledgeable as I can about a facet of the game that is new to them this year and, based on my research of prior postings on this site, subject to some controversy.

I have sent this same request into the official's association that calls our games to get the "local" interpretation but also wanted to get the input from the folks who frequent this site.

I can, and probably will, order the NFHS rule and case books to get the chapter/verse, but would appreciate any guidance you could provide from your experiences and/or common mistakes/legal moves you've seen while umpiring.

Thanks in advance.

I don't have the experience of some of the other guys here, but just some very common things I've called in the 5 years I've been working:

• Pitchers who "step off" with their left foot
• Pitchers who come set and separate the hands without making a delivery or stepping off first
• Last year I had one kid who, after coming set, would bob up and down without delivering.

I'll leave it to the other guys to describe exactly what constitutes a balk because they can do it more clearly than I can, but those are the more common balks I've seen/called at the 13-16 level.

http://www.umpireacademy.com/store/p...products_id=30

Jim Evans Balk Video

Also, USSSA operates under rules derived from the Official Rules of Baseball, not NFHS rules.

The best thing you could do would to become completely knowledge of the pitching rules and how umpires interpret them. Continue to visit this board and ask questions.

Rufus, this is only an issue with right handed pitchers. Left handed pitchers need to disengage with their left foot.

Rufus, pitchers may also separate their hands if they are stepping and throwing to a base.

Your best bet is to first find under which rule set your team will be playing. Then read the pitching regulations and come back with questions that arise.

:D Howdy Coach Rufus, I used to call a lot of ball up your way. Bennett, Sawnee, etc. Treated very nicely excepting I was an independent and the Old Guard ump org, nice guys, clueless though. :eek:

You guys have gone to USSSA?

Good luck with that. :p

Don't see the need for Fed rules, USSSA is based off OBRs BUT most Atlanta ttravel teams play the GHSA FED rulebook. So best be ready for all kinds of rules as you do the rounds.

Watch out for East Cobb, they're umps are home grown.

Since I don't know what ruleset I will offer a few basics.

1. Don't take the pitching hand to your mouth while on the dirt surface of the mound unless you are blowing into a fist on a cold day. New rules in FED are difficult for some to understand, but if you follow this guidance you will be fine for any ruleset.

2. When on the rubber in set or windup position, if you want to step off step off with the non-pivot foot (ie same as pitching hand side foot).

3. Step directly toward any base you want to throw to in an effort to pickoff a runner. (In Fed you can not step toward a base from the windup). Practice the jump turn, it's legal, but always throw the ball if you jump turn to 1B, unless of course F3 is nowhere near the bag. You may throw it away and runner get 2 bases, at least if you don't throw the runner will only get one on the balk. If F3 is nowhere near the bag and not moving toward the bag you are going to get a balk anyway. You don't have to throw to 2b or 3b.

4. When coming set, come to a complete stop. In fact, it is better to come set and vary the amount of time you are set until you pitch than to try to pitch immediately and risk a balk. If you always come set for 1 second, you are meat to a base stealer.

5. If a runner breaks for the next base while you are in the set position, step off first before making a play. You have plenty of time.

6. If the pitcher in windup or set ever brings his hands together, he can not separate unless he steps off first.

That should be enough for an 11 year old to learn.

Gotta watch who you're listening to on this forum. ;)

Drop me an email at:

http://tinyurl.com/yobtd9

and I will send you back a phone number, we can talk you through this. Used to teach this sorta class all the time, coaches, parents, kids, lotta fun, lotta learning

Mind if I interject? knew you wouldn't. :rolleyes:

This going to the hand/fist had best be cleared by the PU at the home plate meeting.

Keeping all hand still

Excpt LHP to 1B get a hyooge break, they are allowed to come 45 degrees toward home = stepped to base. Rufus, careful with this, the ump interps vary widely.

The kids are 10 yos, jump turn can wait. The rest of the above can be wrong.

Any move to 1B by a RHP, if first started with a step off the rubber, can be a fake throw. Be careful withthis too. If your RHP pulls foot and spins quickly, umps at that level can call balks

"Near bag" at 10 yos on a 65 foot field is where most F3's play; point, F3 does not have to be "on bag"

Excuse the instruction by DeeGee :rolleyes: Most 10yos are going to take 2B from R1 regardless. Point: have your pitchers err on the side of stopping.

Not necesarily since you have to coordinate cover of the next base with Fx.

Then memorize the New Testament. Or the Old, take your pick. ;)

Umpires can't do thi, coaches had best not try.

I've never coached, but I have heard pitchers say that they will often decide whether to throw to a base or pitch before toeing the rubber. Knowing in advance what they're going to do, especially at age 11, might minimize improvisation, guessing, and accidents, any of which might cause a balk.

Some youth leagues don't call balks on 11U teams. You might check on that as well.

Thanks!
 

Thank you all for the advice and links, they are very much appreciated.

fitump56 - Yes, Forsyth has moved to USSSA from Dixie. Not sure why but, as is usual with youth league sports, I'm sure politics had something to do with it. I don't mind because we get an extra post-season tournament out of it so that means more baseball.

Welpe & fitump56 - thanks for the tip on USSSA operating under ORB. I referee HS basketball and thought there was an alphabet soup of governing bodies there. That's nothing compared to baseball. Once I verify with our league coordinator I will definitely get a copy of the rules.

mbryon - they will call balks in our league as my oldest boy played fall ball and got to lead off for the first time last fall. He pitches as well and is somewhat familiar with what to do/not to do but am trying to get him and the other kids as ready as possible (realizing that you can never prepare them for everything - as a couple folks have noted they're 11 years-old).

GarthB - once I figure out which rule set we are operating under you better believe I will be back here with questions!

The one thing I've been teaching my base runners is that they need to watch the pitcher's foot that is in contact with the plate. If that comes off the plate they turn into a fielder like anyone else. I realize now there are other things to teach the pitchers, and base runners as well. I've been teaching an aggressive lead (primary - pitcher is on the plate take 3 step walking lead, pitcher comes set take two shuffles; secondary - pitcher goes to the plate take 3 shuffles). I'm thinking we may dial that back a bit until they get more used to what a pitcher can/can't do in terms of picking off, especially since it appears both lefty/righty can pick off if their non-pivot leg goes to 1st without breaking contact with the plate first.

Thanks again and I hope to be a frequent lurker/poster here in the future. You folks have been great.

Rufus, although the Jim Evans Balk Video is directed toward Umpires. It is a great tool to use in understanding what a balk is or is not.

I would suggest getting a copy to help you coach, since we as umpires use this as a training tool in recognizing balks. It covers pirmarily OBR, however there are references to NFHS and NCAA that will help.

You can order a copy at http://www.umpireacademy.com/store/p...products_id=30

to be honest, teach them to throw strikes at that age...I really wouldn't worry much about balks...if they learn how to correctly pitch, you won't see many balks...I've watched a lot of ball at that age and there's not much picking off going on anyway...there's my .02...don't get so caught up in technical stuff as angles and stuff...teach them to pitch properly and to throw strikes...that's what they need to learn at this age.

My advice echo's JohnnyG's. Teach them to throw strikes, hit the glove on a consistant basis. Also, teach the 'jump turn' pickoff move to your righties. Forget about the step off and throw to first move, which is a very poor technique to use, IMHO.

Rufus,

First of all, as others have said, USSSA plays under rules based on OBR, not FED. From the USSSA 2008 rules published on their website:

You can find the complete text of the USSSA rules in a downloadable PDF at:

http://www.usssabaseball.org/documen...ulesMarch6.pdf

Now, it's still a good idea to check with your local association, because local associations have a proclivity to make all kinds of "local rules" without having any clue as to the unintended consequences of those local rules. And it wouldn't shock me if someone had added a local rule that said something like, "High School rules will govern any situation not addressed in these local rules..." or something like that.

I have a different take on JohnnyG's advice (and Bob P.'s "endorsement") to "not worry about it very much". It has been my experience that, at the age that players first start playing with lead-offs, "unrestricted" base stealing, and balks, a team that has a good understanding of how to legally "hold" runners and how to properly "read" pitchers has a HUGE advantage over a team that does not.

While I would agree with the point that it is MORE important to teach your pitchers to throw whatever passes for a "strike" in your league, it is also, in my opinion, very important to teach them how to properly hold runners, throw pick-offs, and, for your baserunners, teach them how to "read" the pitcher so they know when to start their steal attempts.

A couple of people have mentioned the Jim Evans "Balk Video" which is by far the best resource I have ever found for learning about balks and what is and is not legal for a pitcher to do. So I would also encourage you to get it.

Having said all of that, it is also my experience that balks tend to be very "leniently" enforced at levels where the players are first playing under balk rules, AND that the umpires who work these games tend to have less experience & inconsistent understandings of the proper enforcement of the balk rules.

This is a big adjustment for the players (regardless of the age when they start playing under these rules), so try to keep it as simple as you can and don't overwhelm them by trying to teach them everything at once. By the middle of the season, most of them should have it down pretty well.

A couple of other things. Bob P. says,

I completely agree with Bob on this point! This seems to be the most "common" move to 1B taught to young RHPs and it is very poor coaching, IMO. First, it is such a relatively "slow" move, that you're never going to get a runner out. Second, should the lad happen to throw the ball out of play, the runner will get TWO bases instead of ONE. (However, I have found that a "step off" and FEINT to 1B can be a VERY effective "setup" for a subsequent "jab step" move to 1B at this age.)

Bob also suggests that you teach RHPs the "jump spin" move to 1B. I have found that the youngsters do much better with the "jab step" than the "jump spin" - it is easier for them to learn to do properly AND it is easier for them to throw more accurately than the jump spin move.

The other thing you might want to spend some time teaching your players is the rules governing when a batter does and does not become a runner on a third strike not caught.

Best of luck.

JM

[QUOTE]I believe USSA is an OBR based organization, BUT depending upon one's area they have adopted SOME FED rules namely the FPSR and Malicious Contact rule.

Personally I do not know too many 11U leagues that use STRICTLY FED rules.

Also, I do not know how developed these young F1's ( you said 11U) are so I would not "go crazy" about the Balks.

I would simply go over the "no brainer" ones and then later on as the child develops and gets older is where I would work on the pick-off moves and the "other" type balks.

The no brainer ones would be: F1 starts his pitching motion and then stops as he sees a runner taking off for the next base.

You cannot fake a throw to first base while in contact with the pitcher's plate.

Whenever the young F1 does get flustered (until he gains experience) it's best to simply instruct him the proper way to disengage the pitcher's plate (step backwords with pivot foot) That way he is a fielder and can fake a throw etc. without being called for balk.

As far as the "other" balks as previously mentioned I would not worry about these at this young age. It's more important for an 11 yr. old to throw strikes and not walk the ball-park.

Pete Booth

Wow
 

You guys are really coming through! I did confirm with the league coordinator that they are using the USSSA rules and I've printed a copy of those off and will be reviewing them. I also spoke with the president of the official's association handling most of our games (fortunately we both officiated basketball this winter so I knew who to reach out to) and he reiterated most of what's been posted (keep it simple, throw strikes, don't do "obvious" balks).

Given this I'm definitely going to keep it simple at first (we've beened rained out of a bunch of practices - good for the drought, bad for developing skills), then I'll start introducing refinements as the season progresses. As weird as this sounds I'm hoping to play a team that does pick offs at a "higher" level so the kids can see, and experience, the difference. Sometimes that helps more than any coach-led demonstration can.

I guess we can split hairs over coaching philosophies until we're all blue in the face, but I think as umpires we wouild all appreciate a young pitcher knowing how to propery pitch and throw strikes first, then the intricacies of a balk...I don't think there's a wrong opinion on here...but you'll win more games than you'll lose if your pitchers throw strikes. Typically a balk or two isn't going to kill you and getting a balk or two called on you is usually how pitcher's learn best.

They had been talking about it, dissatisfied with PONY and others.

On 60-65 bases, getting an extra shuffle compared with being at ease about getting picked off - choose a shorter lead, concentrate on good "jumps" Voila!

:D

If you are out at Sharon Springs, tell Lance Reid Hi! from Donovan. I used to call his high school gamees, a born F1 with a moron for a Coach. :p

This is Atlanta.

Agreed, not a lot of pickoffs, but, if you don't teach them to hold runners including a throw over, you will get stolen on a lot.

As an Interested Ump/Coach/Fan we have been compiling statistics on Atlanta, Miami and Memphis competitive teams for quite some time now (20 years? ouch). This particular age group on this field size averages 12 SBs and .05 pick offs per game.

The determination is that the base lengths and speed of players are heavily in favor of the offense.The exchange rates (F1->F2->Fx) are such that the slowest of U12 players has a considerable opportunity to collect SBs over a season. Included in this equation are a high percentage of Es natural for this age group.

true, but typically at that level, they're stealing off of the catcher and not the pitcher, especially if they're coached to slide step...but your point is true too

[QUOTE=DG]Since I don't know what ruleset I will offer a few basics.

2. When on the rubber in set or windup position, if you want to step off step off with the non-pivot foot (ie same as pitching hand side foot).

DG - I've seen enough of your posts, but on this one you either kicked it or just mis-stated. (I'd like to think the latter) From either position, you can only step off with your pivot foot. Any movement of the non-pivot foot unless it is going into the "stretch", pitching to the plate, or stepping to a base for the purpose of picking off a runner is a balk.

[QUOTE=BigGuy]You got me. I don't know what I was thinking. Stepping off with the same foot as the pitching hand IS stepping off with the pivot foot, not the non-pivot. Stepping off with the non-pivot is a balk. Thanks.