Balk on this??

[Rich]

Originally Posted by David B

That's what I see also. Basically he kicks his leg which makes it look unusual, but his knee doesn't move toward home at all.

With two man never going to call it, and even if I'm U3, it looks like he stepped right toward third.

From looking at part 2, the umpires must have not done a very good job explaining it to the coach, but that's a game management thread.

Thanks
David

I guess I'm wondering how "the leg moving towards home plate" is a balk. If the leg doesn't go past the 45 degree line between home and third, how is this anything but a good pickoff move? The step was always "towards third" since that foot never crossed that line.

[David B]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

I guess I'm wondering how "the leg moving towards home plate" is a balk. If the leg doesn't go past the 45 degree line between home and third, how is this anything but a good pickoff move? The step was always "towards third" since that foot never crossed that line.

If an umpire did call a balk on my F1 that used that move, that would be the exact question I would ask the umpire.

As someone had already mentioned, this is basically the same move that we allow LHP to use all the time, and someone did a very good job of learning how to do that from the right side.

Obviously it fooled the offense, coach included which is why he complained.

Thanks
David

[BigUmp56]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

I guess I'm wondering how "the leg moving towards home plate" is a balk. If the leg doesn't go past the 45 degree line between home and third, how is this anything but a good pickoff move? The step was always "towards third" since that foot never crossed that line.

Here's why, Rich.

From the J/R:

It is a balk if a pitcher -

2 Commits to pitch but fails to do so.

Set Mode: The pitcher is committed to pitch when, after coming set*, he shows movement toward home plate. Such movement includes leaning his body toward home plate, and beginning or rotating his free leg toward home plate.


Tim.