Speak up or let 'em play?

[RogersUmp]

I had a 19U game last night - Fed rules. I knew we may have problems during the pre-game when the VC asked for a warning before calling any balks. I kindly told him that I've seen that with the 10-year old house leagues during the 1st half of the season but not travel ball. Then he said they were still waiting for players to arrive at the field and the HC was very forgiving about starting a few minutes late. Two of three late-comers showed up to play in high-top basketball shoes. You could see this team was poorly coached.

I only called 2 balks on the VC's F1. One for feigning a pitching motion while not on the rubber and the other when his F2 puts his hand up to ask his pitcher to wait and he does in the middle of his windup.

Now in the top of the sixth the home team makes the second out and every one comes off the field like the half inning is over. I'm thinking there are only two outs. I check my indicator and yes I have two outs. I just sit back and watch both teams prepare for the bottom of the sixth. I walk over to the guy doing the book for the visitors and he gives me their run total. I then verify with the home book and he says I think there were only two outs, how many runs did they get? I verified the same run total and let things continue.

Have any of you ever seen this and what did you do? Do you help the team out that can't keep track of their outs? I was waiting for their runners to take off when the defense packed it in but saw they also packed it in.

[GA Umpire]

Switch 'em up. If no runners are on, I might say something. Usually, it gets corrected before I have to.

With runners on, keep your mouth shut. You don't know if the runners might take off. Also, as soon as the runners leave their base and show no effort to continue running, they are subject to being called out for abandonment. At that point, you have your 3 outs in this situation.

[ozzy6900]

Bwahahahahahahah!

Sorry! I stopped reading after I saw 19U and they want a warning on a balk......

O M G!

[BigUmp56]

Were there any runners on base when the defense left the field, and if so, did they stay on their base(s) or walk off of the field as well.................



Tim.

[RogersUmp]

They had R1 and R3.

[RogersUmp]

Ozzie,

The team was from Osseo/Maple Grove Athletic Association = OMGAA

How did you know?!!

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by RogersUmp

I had a 19U game last night - Fed rules. I knew we may have problems during the pre-game when the VC asked for a warning before calling any balks. I kindly told him that I've seen that with the 10-year old house leagues during the 1st half of the season but not travel ball. Then he said they were still waiting for players to arrive at the field and the HC was very forgiving about starting a few minutes late. Two of three late-comers showed up to play in high-top basketball shoes. You could see this team was poorly coached.

I only called 2 balks on the VC's F1. One for feigning a pitching motion while not on the rubber and the other when his F2 puts his hand up to ask his pitcher to wait and he does in the middle of his windup.

Now in the top of the sixth the home team makes the second out and every one comes off the field like the half inning is over. I'm thinking there are only two outs. I check my indicator and yes I have two outs. I just sit back and watch both teams prepare for the bottom of the sixth. I walk over to the guy doing the book for the visitors and he gives me their run total. I then verify with the home book and he says I think there were only two outs, how many runs did they get? I verified the same run total and let things continue.

Have any of you ever seen this and what did you do? Do you help the team out that can't keep track of their outs? I was waiting for their runners to take off when the defense packed it in but saw they also packed it in.

I have seen this, just not at this high an age bracket. This is typical of many Sr. Little Leagues where you are basically babysitting kids that really don't want to be there, much less play. They are often ragtag, poorly coached and the baseball is absolutely brutal.

19U travel ball here is top-notch baseball. College wood bat and other elite travel teams abound, and are usually well-funded and have the best of uniforms and gear. These are my favorite games to umpire.

[johnnyg08]

I had a balk last night in an adult league game...exhibition tournament game...very relaxed, but intense game...I called a failure to pause balk...pitcher pitched, batter didn't swing blah, blah, blah...between innings the manager came out and said that he thought a warning would've been more appropriate in that situation. While I will probably not see this team again, I simply stated to him that he has made his point and we both moved on with the game.

I have a hard time accepting that warning adult players on gaining a rather large pitching advantage when they know exactly what they're doing when they don't pause from the stretch...but I didn't get into it with him.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Adult players receive no balk warning. The only groups that should ever get a balk warning are the ones for kids transitioning to "real" baseball from Little League. Mustang League or Jr. Little League type leagues where it's the first time with leadoffs and pitching from the set position. After that time period when first balks are warnings, all bets are off and all balks are called.

[Ump153]

Originally Posted by RogersUmp

I had a 19U game last night - Fed rules. I knew we may have problems during the pre-game when the VC asked for a warning before calling any balks. .

"Sure, here's your warning...we're calling balks."

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

Adult players receive no balk warning. The only groups that should ever get a balk warning are the ones for kids transitioning to "real" baseball from Little League. Mustang League or Jr. Little League type leagues where it's the first time with leadoffs and pitching from the set position. After that time period when first balks are warnings, all bets are off and all balks are called.

I gave one today. College pitcher playing 18-U. He had two leadasses on when he came in to relieve in the late innings. He wasn't deceiving anyone, he was just all amped up and champing at the bit to get the ball and pitch and he was rushing. He threw his first pitch with a borderline pause--no pause, really--and I just told him (from C position) that I needed a better pause, without anybody even noticing. He gave his quick nod, and paused on the rest of his deliveries.

Goal achieved: Another game completed without having to call a balk.

[realistic]

What's the big deal, really??? When i was in the minors, I would call a balk if it happened but if a pitcher was getting close and I could let him know that he was close, I would do it. No one ever got upset or said a word. It is preventive umpiring. Saved me arguments later. Why be so excited to call a balk??

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by realistic

What's the big deal, really??? When i was in the minors, I would call a balk if it happened but if a pitcher was getting close and I could let him know that he was close, I would do it. No one ever got upset or said a word. It is preventive umpiring. Saved me arguments later. Why be so excited to call a balk??

We aren't talking about letting the pitcher know that he is close to balking. I think everyone does that. We are talking about issuing warnings after a balk is committed, and not punishing the balk. Personally, I was only speaking of "official" warnings put in by local rule for kid leagues. Of course I will tell the pitcher to give me a better stop, or other such things.