MLB umpire says that you can balk with a dead ball!

[Bfair]

Jim, you have make an assumption that the umpires know their rules and how to perform their jobs. The rules expect that. Few rules are written based on correcting umpire errors.

So, in the instance of the a hidden ball trick during a dead ball situation, the offense should be at ZERO liability of being putout. The defense has gained NO ADVANTAGE with their deception. The ball is dead!!!

Still, the defense deceives the PU into putting the ball in play.
Now, your knowledgeable officials realize the ball did not meet the requirement of being on the rubber with the pitcher to legally put the ball in play. Would you call a balk if the centerfielder threw the ball to F6 to retire R2 leading off? What if F9 had the ball and threw it to his mistress in rightfield? Where do you draw the line, Jim, on when you consider the ball in play and not in play merely because a PU calls "play?" The rule shows the limit---the pitcher must have the ball on while on the rubber. Don't add your new limitations beyond those provided by the rules.

This ball was never in play: the offense was never at risk.
While I will strongly side with you in not giving the offending team the benefit of the doubt, there is no doubt here. They could not retire a runner with a dead ball.

You are attempting to penalize for your dislike of a play no differently than you advocate to penalize for Type B obstruction---despite the rule's penalty that says the umpire should "nullify" the act of the obstruction. You want to penalize more than what the rules allow us to, Jim, because you don't like the act. That's not good umpiring---that's making up rules as you play to meet your own standards.


Just my opinion,

Freix