Balk

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by jdmara

By no means was the pitchers hands together longer than the ball being transferred from the glove to the pitching hand. My partner called a balk on it and I didn't quite believe it was. He was under the impression that in FED, there is no such term as "settling" like their are in other codes. I guess I haven't investigated the rules for that nuance.

He was way, way too literal on the FED wording "the pitching restrictions begin once the pitcher intentionally contacts the pitcher's plate with the pivot foot." He's correct that there is no wording like "settling" in FED (nor is there in other codes).

I hope he also balked the pitcher who stood at the side of the rubber, put his pivot foot on (in front of but touching) the rubber, and then moved the non-pivot foot to in front of the rubber. After all -- that was a "step" toward the plate, not followed by a pitch.

And, I hope he balked the pitcher who intentionally kicked the dirt off the rubber (or dug the little hole in front of the rubber) with his pivot foot -- that was an illegal disengagment.

etc.

[jdmara]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

He was way, way too literal on the FED wording "the pitching restrictions begin once the pitcher intentionally contacts the pitcher's plate with the pivot foot." He's correct that there is no wording like "settling" in FED (nor is there in other codes).

I hope he also balked the pitcher who stood at the side of the rubber, put his pivot foot on (in front of but touching) the rubber, and then moved the non-pivot foot to in front of the rubber. After all -- that was a "step" toward the plate, not followed by a pitch.

And, I hope he balked the pitcher who intentionally kicked the dirt off the rubber (or dug the little hole in front of the rubber) with his pivot foot -- that was an illegal disengagment.

etc.

We did have some awkward balk calls because of the early precedent set by this balk. It made for a "fun" evening

-Josh