Little League Balk

[victory]

Hello,
I'm looking at LL RB 7.07 in which during a squeeze attempt and the catcher moves in front of or on the plate or contacts the batter or bat. The umpire is supposed to rule a balk on the pitcher and award first to the batter on the interference. Why not just call interference and give home and first due to that? Why the balk call - is that simply to justify the award of home?

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by victory

Hello,
I'm looking at LL RB 7.07 in which during a squeeze attempt and the catcher moves in front of or on the plate or contacts the batter or bat. The umpire is supposed to rule a balk on the pitcher and award first to the batter on the interference. Why not just call interference and give home and first due to that? Why the balk call - is that simply to justify the award of home?

What if there's a runner on second (with no runner on first) who isn't advancing on the squeeze play?

[UmpJM]

victory,

It's adopted from the OBR (aka MLB) rules, on which LL rules are based. It's a "double penalty" because the OBR rule makers wanted to REALLY discourage this particular infraction.

Since, during a true "squeeze play", the R3 is attempting to advance "on the pitch", he would score on the catcher's interference whether a balk was part of the penalty or not.

The only time the 7.07 balk provision makes any difference at all is when there is a squeeze play with an R3 & R2 only, AND the R2 is not attempting to advance on the play. Otherwise, the catcher's interference penalty will produce the same result.

JM

[victory]

Thanks. But is this pitcher (really catcher interference) balk in any other rule book or just little league? I don't think anyone would argue awarding bases on catcher interference but I can just hear the screaming when you call a balk on the pitcher in this case.

I was watching one of those Jim Evans You Make The Call videos and there was this exact case described and the multiple choice videos had balk or interference. The answer was interference.

The rule makes no mention of a R2 only a R3. Why would the rule maker want to award R2 a base since you are really just trying to plug via rule any easy way for the defense to block a squeeze.

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by victory

Thanks. But is this pitcher (really catcher interference) balk in any other rule book or just little league?

LL 7.07: If, with a runner on third base and trying to score by means of a squeeze play or steal, the catcher or any other fielder steps on, or in front of home base without possession of the ball, or touches the batter or the bat, the pitcher shall be charged with a balk, the batter shall be awarded first on the interference and the ball is dead.

OBR 7.07: If, with a runner on third base and trying to score by means of a squeeze play or a steal, the catcher or any other fielder steps on, or in front of home base without possession of the ball, or touches the batter or his bat, the pitcher shall be charged with a balk, the batter shall be awarded first base on the interference and the ball is dead.

NCAA 8-3-p: If, on an attempted squeeze play or steal of home plate, the catcher steps on or in front of home plate without possession of the ball or touches the batter or the bat, the pitcher shall be charged with a balk and the catcher with interference.
PENALTY—The ball becomes dead, the batter shall be awarded first base on the interference, the run scores and all other runners advance one base.

[victory]

Thanks Rich that about sums it up I guess.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

OBR 7.07: If, with a runner on third base and trying to score by means of a squeeze play or a steal, the catcher or any other fielder steps on, or in front of home base without possession of the ball, or touches the batter or his bat, the pitcher shall be charged with a balk, the batter shall be awarded first base on the interference and the ball is dead.

This served as a great refresher course for me as it came in handy in my game yesterday. With 1 out and a 3/2 count, R3 tried to steal home as the pitcher went into his windup. the pitcher was alerted to the theft, sped up his delivery slightly, delivered strike 3 called as the catcher came out of his crouch, caught the pitch, and then easily tagged out a standing R3 for the 3rd out.

The defense wanted to argue interference, to which I stated, "No, he didn't step on or in front of home plate without the ball, or touch the batter, so no interference." End of argument, end of inning.

I'm glad I had this fresh in my mind and made me sound like I knew what I was talking about!

[RPatrino]

It's always nice to sound like we know what we are talking about!! That is really what this forum is about, to keep things on the top of the bubbling cesspool of thoughts that is my brain!!

[bsaucer]

Originally Posted by victory

Hello,
I'm looking at LL RB 7.07 in which during a squeeze attempt and the catcher moves in front of or on the plate or contacts the batter or bat. The umpire is supposed to rule a balk on the pitcher and award first to the batter on the interference. Why not just call interference and give home and first due to that? Why the balk call - is that simply to justify the award of home?

What started out as a pitching motion ended up as a throw to the plate... Balk! They'll call a balk if the catcher leaves the box before the ball leaves the pitcher's hand.

[Ump153]

Originally Posted by bsaucer

What started out as a pitching motion ended up as a throw to the plate... Balk! They'll call a balk if the catcher leaves the box before the ball leaves the pitcher's hand.

As long as the pitcher continued to a make legal pitching delivery, it is still a pitch and not a throw.

A pitcher may disengage and throw to home.

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by bsaucer

What started out as a pitching motion ended up as a throw to the plate... Balk! They'll call a balk if the catcher leaves the box before the ball leaves the pitcher's hand.

What started out as a pitching motion ended up as a throw to the plate... Balk!

Nope. It's still a pitch.

They'll call a balk if the catcher leaves the box before the ball leaves the pitcher's hand

The interpretation in use is that the catcher cannot move from the box until the time of the pitch - which is when the motion commits the pitcher to pitch.

[dash_riprock]

Originally Posted by bsaucer

They'll call a balk if the catcher leaves the box before the ball leaves the pitcher's hand.

That's the rule (on an IBB), but I've never seen it called and I hope I never do.