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  #1 (permalink)  
Old Wed Jan 14, 2009, 11:58am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by justanotherblue View Post
... a good rule of thumb to go by. ... don't call it.
I call only the balks that are unavoidable.
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Old Wed Jan 14, 2009, 12:10pm
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Cool
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty View Post
I call only the balks that are unavoidable.
Kevin,

Since all balks are "avoidable" - I know this because I regularly see pitchers pitch and make pick-offs without balking - I have no idea what you are trying to convey by this statement.

Nonetheless, I believe I disagree with your assertion.

Would you care to clarify?

JM
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Old Wed Jan 14, 2009, 12:23pm
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He means he only calls the extremely obvious balks if I am not mistaken.
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Old Wed Jan 14, 2009, 12:27pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Durham View Post
He means he only calls the extremely obvious balks if I am not mistaken.
Thanks, Durham

(I answered before I read your post)
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Old Wed Jan 14, 2009, 12:26pm
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Originally Posted by UmpJM (nee CoachJM) View Post
Kevin,

Since all balks are "avoidable" - I know this because I regularly see pitchers pitch and make pick-offs without balking - I have no idea what you are trying to convey by this statement.

Nonetheless, I believe I disagree with your assertion.

Would you care to clarify?

JM
Balks that are so obvious that they must be called. Calling the balk is unavoidable.

I hate calling balks and I hate it when a game turns on a borderline balk call.
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Old Wed Jan 14, 2009, 01:15pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty View Post
Balks that are so obvious that they must be called. Calling the balk is unavoidable.

I hate calling balks and I hate it when a game turns on a borderline balk call.
What about calling a borderline strike 3 that changes the game? Don't do that either?
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Old Wed Jan 14, 2009, 01:45pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TussAgee11 View Post
What about calling a borderline strike 3 that changes the game? Don't do that either?
How are you making this leap in logic? There is no correlation, and it's an unfair comparison. I think Mr. Finnerty is saying to not go looking for ticky-tac balk calls, especially when the call could have game-changing ramifications.
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Old Wed Jan 14, 2009, 01:53pm
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Originally Posted by TussAgee11 View Post
What about calling a borderline strike 3 that changes the game? Don't do that either?
That is as specious a comparison as one can make and still be related to baseball.
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Old Wed Jan 14, 2009, 02:44pm
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A balk is a balk. Just like a strike is a strike.

Its not going looking for boogers. Lets say JV or higher...

If I got a balk, I got a balk. I am always going to be 100% sure of it, but if I'm 100% sure on what you may deem to be "ticky-tack," I'm still calling it. 1st inning, 7th inning. I don't care. How could I and still think of myself as an umpire with integrity?

Sometimes, you just gotta let 'em hang. Shying away from the tough call, when I'm 100% sure of it, will not move me up in this profession. Justly making it will.
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Old Wed Jan 14, 2009, 03:01pm
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Oh, okay, I'm shying away from a tough call.

Yeah, I have a toughness problem. And a poor grasp of justice.

Anything else you can draw from your gross oversimplification?

A balk is not a balk like a strike is a strike. For every balk, there are at least 1000 strikes. Sometimes 2000. Or more.

Try another equation.
Last edited by Kevin Finnerty; Wed Jan 14, 2009 at 04:05pm.
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