Call the balk or not

[edhern]

I guess you would have to have seen it, no one disputed the fact that it was a balk. He stepped backward off the pitcher's plate with his non-pivot foot without attempting a throw or feint. It was the type of thing like when the pitcher drop the ball on the rubber, s*** happens unintentionally. It was just the point of the game it was called if it happened any other time it probably would not have been an issue. Could I have said he wasn't ready to pitch yet, maybe. I delayed the call as long as I could, but when stuff happens in the center of the field with everyone watching it is tough to overlook. At a varsity level game the coach would have been screaming if I didn't call it. It was a no win situation call it, the tying run comes in, ignore it and the team at bat loses. You lose sight of the events leading up to it, three previous runs and bases loaded due to poor pitching.

Ed H