Call the balk or not

[edhern]

It was a JV game, all was going quite well until the bottom of the 7th. Bases loaded, 2 outs, tying run on third, one ball, 2 strikes on the batter, this guy is most likely the third out. The pitcher starts stepping in on the rubber and proceeds to fall backwards over the rubber and obviously balks. I don't want to call it since the little things have been let go until now. The opposing team yells balk, so not seeing it isn't an option. I think for a minute on how I don't have to call it and then I do. Tying run scores, batter gets out as expected. Instead of visitors winning the home teams wins it in the bottom of the 8th. The coach who got the call against him asks for a warning (doesn't happen), says he wasn't on the rubber yet (that's how he fell over it), I let other balks go (this one was right in the middle of the field with everyone watching), there was no deception (yes, but it was a balk anyhow according to the rules), he knows it was a balk. I didn't want to call it, but technically it was. Did I do the right thing? I hate to have a game be decided on a technical call, but I don't choose the rules I want to enforce.

Ed H

[bob jenkins]

Originally posted by edhern
It was a JV game, all was going quite well until the bottom of the 7th. Bases loaded, 2 outs, tying run on third, one ball, 2 strikes on the batter, this guy is most likely the third out. The pitcher starts stepping in on the rubber and proceeds to fall backwards over the rubber and obviously balks. I don't want to call it since the little things have been let go until now. The opposing team yells balk, so not seeing it isn't an option. I think for a minute on how I don't have to call it and then I do. Tying run scores, batter gets out as expected. Instead of visitors winning the home teams wins it in the bottom of the 8th. The coach who got the call against him asks for a warning (doesn't happen), says he wasn't on the rubber yet (that's how he fell over it), I let other balks go (this one was right in the middle of the field with everyone watching), there was no deception (yes, but it was a balk anyhow according to the rules), he knows it was a balk. I didn't want to call it, but technically it was. Did I do the right thing? I hate to have a game be decided on a technical call, but I don't choose the rules I want to enforce.

Ed H

If he just "started stepping on the rubber" then I don't have a balk if he trips over it as part of this act. I read the rule stating pithching regulations start as soon as the pitcher contats the rubber as meaning "as soon as the pitcher completes the act of contacting the rubber" -- that is, I wait until the pitcher is "comfortable" (my words) there.

Heck, if he fell over backwards, I might have even seen his pivot foot hit the ground behind the rubber first -- thus making it a legal step off.

[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