Thats a Balk - by the numbers

[UmpJM]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

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

[Durham]

He means he only calls the extremely obvious balks if I am not mistaken.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by Durham

He means he only calls the extremely obvious balks if I am not mistaken.

Thanks, Durham

(I answered before I read your post)

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by UmpJM (nee CoachJM)

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.

[TussAgee11]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

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?

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

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.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

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.

[TussAgee11]

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.

[Kevin Finnerty]

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.

[Durham]

Umpires learn balks in stages. By this I mean we all go through phases and as we grow as officials our understanding of the game, our role, and what a balk is changes. I don't know everything about umpiring, but I do believe that balks are one of the last things that we master in this trade. I think the reason is we don't see them often enough, and our focus and game awareness grows as we do.

Where I am at now with my officiating I see almost ever balk that happens in a game, but I don't call everyone. I often use some preventative officiating, and I might mention it to a member of the defense that he is getting close, or I might mention it to the pitcher if he is close enough after a play or something. And like a football official giving the coach a chance to take care of an issue with one of his players before the flag flies on a similar event, I will use this approach when I can. If a coach makes mention of it, I will let him know that i will look for it, or ask him to tell me what he saw, if he says, watch the front knee, then the defense will often tell the pitcher to clean it up and the game moves on.

On the other hand, if the pitcher flexes that front knee or closes the front shoulder and freezes R1 for even a split second, I'll bang that thing right away.

There is no right or wrong answer to balks, there is only, what does the guy that signs your checks want you to call. Know that, and know your role in the game, and everything else will work out.

[TussAgee11]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

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.

Does the rules say one is lesser than the other?

Better to prioritize your responsibilities, and if you end up seeing a balk, call a balk. I don't care if anyone else did. Its my JOB that if I see it, I call it.

An umpire's job is, at its basic element, to enforce the rules throughout the game. Nowhere in the book does it talk about "if the game is close." To me, this issue is similar to the issue at the end of basketball games in terms of the supposed "letting them play," which has become an official faux pas.

I rarely draw comparisons from the pro-game to amatuer ball, particularly because balk problems are much more widespread at the amatuer level. But through the grape vine, I have heard that it is better in the eyes of those who evaluate to have the balls to make a tough, non popular call that is correct in a tough spot than pass on it for whatever reason.

Frankly, other than prioritizing my responsibilities on any given play for mechanical purposes, each rule is just as important as the one that precedes it in the book. Some may come up more often, but they are all to be enforced.