Has Anyone Had This Play?

[Jimology]

Originally Posted by cc6

Batter stepped out of the box, so it's not a balk, time is called. The balk should not have been called in the situation you described.

Not only is "Time" not called when a batter steps out, I have a strike on just about any pitch that is delivered. (Not the OP, I know.)

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Jimology

Not only is "Time" not called when a batter steps out, I have a strike on just about any pitch that is delivered. (Not the OP, I know.)

You must mean the pitches that are in the strike zone.

[UMP25]

I'm willing to bet that most here will call a strike on any pitch that is close.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by UMP25

I'm willing to bet that most here will call a strike on any pitch that is close.

Yeah, it is a bit difficult to judge what a strike is when the batter is out of the box! Makes it a bit bigger zone.

[LakeErieUmp]

25, I'm gonna have a strike if the pitch just leaves the pitcher's hand!

[rulesmaven]

I found video. Turns out -- as often happens -- the video was different from how I remember it. The batter wasn't really "bailing out" as I said -- he took a step back with his front foot, but then steps back toward the plate when he realizes time won't be granted. It's at about 1:00 of this video. (What the video doesn't show, interestingly, is that the 2B U called the balk too, a split second before the PU.) I don't think there's any question that the actions of the hitter caused the pitcher to hesitate, but seeing the replay, I'm not sure the crew had a choice.

Baseball Video Highlights & Clips | 06.29.09: Ethier, Dodgers walk off on the Rockies - Video | dodgers.com: Multimedia

[johnnyg08]

I think it's only an automatic strike in FED

[jicecone]

Yes this happened in a Legion game I was doing.

While the pitcher was in he set position, (R3 & R2), the batter took a step forward in the box and turned around and took a step back , then stepped out. The pitcher balked and all hell broke loose with yells of "thats a balk."

I called time and exercised the "Do Over Option." The HC argued that there is no such thing as a "Do Over" in baseball. I explained the other option I had was to eject his batter for attempting to cause the pitcher to balk. He insisted that I was wrong. I explained to him that the discussion was over and this is what were doing. I said I would be glad to point out the rule in the book after the game.

He spent the rest of the game reading the book and never asked the question again.

[mbyron]

It's a do-over. Here you go:

Originally Posted by OBR Rule 6.02(b)

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.”

I should note that this paragraph is prefaced by the comment that this ruling applies only to MLB. The Legion rule book probably has something similar, if not identical, in approximately the same place (the rule on the batter).

[bfoster]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

I think it's only an automatic strike in FED

It's an automatic strike (for stepping out) and then a second strike if the pitch was in the strike zone in FED, right?

[johnnyg08]

I think you can get away with it if he does it in an intentional attempt to get the pitcher to balk...I've never seen it called...but I think the FED rule does allow for a penalty strike and the pitch shall also be called a strike regardless of location.