Time! That's a balk!
 

I'm on the plate for a FED game a couple of years ago. R1, no outs.

Batter is in the box and F1, pitching from the stretch, brings his hands together and comes set. He then steps and throws to first base as R1 is breaking for second.

My partner immediately calls "Time! That's a balk!"

By this time F3 was already throwing to second base to make a play on R1. All play stops. The runner stops running. F6 catches and just holds the ball. Everyone is looking to the BU and waiting for him to say something.

Now the fun begins. The BU decides that there was no balk on the play and decides he's going to send R1 back to first base.

Of course, sh*t storm follows.

What would you do?

I'm going to let him enjoy said storm from the defensive coach. It's necessary to rectify any situation placing either team at a disadvantage caused by the umpire's actions, so essentially declaring a "no play - do over" type situation is the only reasonable course of action.

The temptation here is to call R1 out since, as described in the OP, sounds as if F6 is waiting on him with the ball. However, there is nothing to support such a call, and calling the runner out when he stopped due to the umpire's actions wouldn't be proper - who's to say the ball doesn't come loose when R1 slides into second?

Place the runner back on first and admit that you're human.

-Josh

Grab popcorn from stands.

Watch said shizzlestorm.

Drop popcorn and move to corral ejected manager if it gets to that point.:D

From your description, it sounds like R1 was going to be out anyway (another tempting way to call it). Either way you call it, someone is going to be screwed. R1 should be out and putting him back at 1st could cost a run.

So let your partner get defecated upon and stay within an earshot to monitor the situation. There were times I knew the coach and after a minute, I just said "What do you think, Joe, shall we get on with the game now?". Then I usually turn to my partner and tell him to "shake it off, we've still got a lot of game left." making sure that the coach hears this. This let's the coach know that I still have my partner's back. I also will not allow a "shark attack" on every call that my partner makes after that.

Since BU killed the ball, R1 returns, no balk. Shizzle storm commences. Both teams say, "huh?"

Balk is immediate dead ball, so nobody can be put out after a balk call, right or wrong call.

You can calmy discuss the error with whichever coach needs it without having to eject anyone and put R1 back on 1B.

If I'm the plate umpire, I will echo my partner's call. Sh1tstorm won't be nearly as bad for my partner if it looks like we are on the same page.

The situation basically went down as everyone stated. We returned R1 to first base and resumed the game. The BU did take his share of the heat and some if it turned on me, too. I casually know one of the assistant coaches from the defensive team. His question was "A do-over?"

I explained that the ball was dead when time was declared. No out had been recorded and the runner had not yet gained his advance base.

I like this advice, Ozzy. I don't remember my exact words but I can only hope I handled it nearly this well.

Are you suggesting you'd have agreed with your partner's balk call?

Echoing a call is great if you can explain the balk. If you can't explain what happened, stay silent. To call a balk you have to see a balk. The only page you will be on when you cant explain it is the comics page.

You would echo your partner's call even if you don't see it? hmm....If action continues after he calls a balk just proclaim the ball as dead. There are few reasons to echo any call your partner makes and I don't believe this is one of such call.

-Josh

"A do-over?!?"

"No, [insert name]; it's a do-nothing."

That would be my answer. No balk, no base, no out, no pitch ... nothing.

You forgot no crying :p

-Josh

If you don't echo it, then you've put your partner in an even worse situation. If I echo a call and the coach comes to me, I'll tell him my partner saw a balk, I didn't, but part of my job is to make the call concurrently with my partner.

Echoing calls is wrong. If you're partner is incorrect and you echo his call, then you're both wrong. And why would you need two calls on any given play?