Has Anyone Had This Play?

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by rulesmaven

Interesting play last night in Dodgers/Rockies. 1st and 2d, 2 out. Visting pitcher comes set. Just before pitcher starts toward the plate, batter asks for time then starts to wave his hands as pitcher begins his motion, and starts to back out of the box. PU does not grant time, but pitcher stops his delivery.

Balk. Naturally, the batter then hits a single, scoring two runs and tying the game and the team later wins in extras.

Baseball is not my sport. I thought this was an interesting play. Is there any option for the PU here? Or are pitchers to be taught always to complete their delivery once they begin?

I think the key here is what I put in bold type. Once the batter starts to back out of the box, it distracts the pitcher enough to cause him to stop his delivery. At this point, I am invoking Rule 6.02(b), and using, of course, the Major League comment (not N.A. comment), paragraph 2, which reads:

If after the pitcher starts his windup or comes to a “set position” with a runner on, he does not go through with his pitch because the batter has stepped out of the box, it shall not be called a balk. Both the pitcher and batter have violated a rule and the umpire shall call time and both the batter and pitcher start over from “scratch.”

The actions of the batter can't cause the pitcher to balk, bottom line
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