Frozen Leg Balk

[LMan]

Its a balk if ALL his body parts come to a halt. Its not as long as some limb is moving during the delivery.

Now, if he really froze like a statue, you have a balk.

[jdmara]

Balk...What a great argument from the coach HA!

-Josh

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

I really get a laugh from coaches who teach their players to do things illegally. My experience is with that is in basketball though. I remember watching the home team warm up before a preseason varsity scrimmage. Team H's center was being taught to knock the defender's arm out of the way so she could recieve the entry pass from the point guard. I told my partners I wanted to make the first call on H's center because I knew that H's head coach could be a real !@#$%^&*, . And boy was he when I made that first foul call against his center for knocking the defender's arm out of the way.

MTD, Sr.

[jicecone]

Fritz, continous motion is the key here. This is simlar to the hanging knee.

I once had a short stop throwing infield dirt at R2 and when I requested it to stop, the coach came out and said show me where this can't be done , it happens all the time in the PROS (??) and encouraged the player not to listen to me.

I told the coach that when his player got to the pros he could do whatever they allowed but if it happens again in the game both him and the player could discuss how legal it was in the rules , on their way home.

Some people like to learn the hard way.

[BigUmp56]

Originally Posted by jicecone

Fritz, continous motion is the key here. This is simlar to the hanging knee.

I once had a short stop throwing infield dirt at R2 and when I requested it to stop, the coach came out and said show me where this can't be done , it happens all the time in the PROS (??) and encouraged the player not to listen to me.

I told the coach that when his player got to the pros he could do whatever they allowed but if it happens again in the game both him and the player could discuss how legal it was in the rules , on their way home.

Some people like to learn the hard way.

Why doesn't it surprise me that a rat would try to defend such bush league bu11$hit.


Tim.

[mbyron]

Certainly the coach's rationale is BS: "it's not a balk because that's how I taught it." Ha.

However, you need to be cautious calling this one: if ANY body part is moving the least little bit while the leg is frozen, then it IS legal. The hands, the head, the foot waggling... you get the point.

When I call balks I announce the reason in 5 words or less before I place the runners: in this case "Balk! Time! Started and stopped! You, second base!"

[BigUmp56]

Originally Posted by mbyron

When I call balks I announce the reason in 5 words or less before I place the runners: in this case "Balk! Time! Started and stopped! You, second base!"

Great advice. There's no reason to put on a clinic at the mound. The less you say, the better.


Tim.

[Fritz]

Originally Posted by mbyron

However, you need to be cautious calling this one: if ANY body part is moving the least little bit while the leg is frozen, then it IS legal. The hands, the head, the foot waggling... you get the point.

Sorry for any confusion, frozen leg/hanging knee, that is what I am talking about. Pitcher came set, lifted his leg/knee and then stopped it in the air, no other body movement.

So, if he does this and then throws to the base, we don't have a balk because he hasn't delivered a pitch?

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by jicecone

I once had a short stop throwing infield dirt at R2 and when I requested it to stop, the coach came out and said show me where this can't be done , it happens all the time in the PROS (??) and encouraged the player not to listen to me.

I told the coach that when his player got to the pros he could do whatever they allowed but if it happens again in the game both him and the player could discuss how legal it was in the rules , on their way home.

While I haven't seen an infielder throw dirt at a runner, you do see them kick dirt at the runner, pound their gloves at them, etc. all the time in the majors. Maybe that was what the coach really saw, and was simply exaggerating like coaches are wont to do.