Balk vs Pick off
 

Go to MLB.com and search "balk" and watch the Baseball Tonight (Leiter and H. Reynolds) guys talk about the balk rule. "There's a rule that says you get 45 degrees to make your move to 1B..." There's more.

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Please offer your comments

Do you think Mr. Leiter could tell me exactly which rule that is because I'm not finding it?

FTVMartin,

It's rule 8.05(c). What's your interpretation? 30 degrees, 52 degrees, ... something else?

From the JEA discussion:

While the 45 degrees is geometrically incorrect since the rubber is not located at the geometric center of the rule-defined "infield", it is the accepted interpretation for the proper application of 8.05(c).

JM

My understanding of the "45" is that it is a guideline, not a rule. Mr. Leiter specifically said that "it is a rule" if I remember correctly. Is that the correct understanding? Ultimately I'm understanding this as a "step balk" which can't be argued anyway. If the umpire judges an illegal step, then it's a balk. I think that's what Evans says in his balk video as well.

In the NCAA rule book, this actually was a rule. It specifically stated that a pitcher must step within this 45* angle. That specific geometric wording was later removed from that section altogether. Perhaps it was because, as explained above, the position of the rubber precludes this 45* from actually existing.

I think the guideline provides a good starting place for umpires to enforce the rule and for coaches to coach to the rule. After that, that's why we umpire.

It's not a "rule" as Leiter said. It may be an accepted interp but it is not a rule as he says in this video. That is what I was refering to in my reply.

My comments are simple. I do not listen to nor do I try to interpret baseball announcers when they attempt to explain the rules of baseball.

I thought he said it was a rule...I misheard him

Why is everyone having trouble writing "45º?" :confused::)

Because it's too much of a pain in the @ss to get that little circle to show. :D

Alt + 0 on a PC, Option + 0 on the Mac (my PC of choice).

See, too much of a pain in the @ss! :D

And no, Alt + 0 doesn't do it on my PC. Nothing happens. Had that worked, I would've used it. ;)

Maybe it's Control + 0 or some other combo. Bill Gates always does things the hard way.:)

Trust me. I've tried every combo I can think of. None of them worked.