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

[Richardr10]

Questions from Richard

R2, R3, extra innings, The defense intentionally walks the batter to load
the bases. Manager now calls time (dead ball) and goes out to talk to his
pitcher. Then, F3 sneakily keeps the ball and the pitcher mounts the rubber
without the ball. The deceived plate umpire calls "play" and the deceived R1
leads off and is tagged out by F3. U1 calls a balk and the the winning run
scores from third; game over; Can this be Done? If yes why? and if No why?
or in other words can a BALK be called on a dead ball?
>
Hi Richard,

The ball could not become live on this play since the pitcher did not have
the ball. The ball can become live only when the pitcher has the ball on
the rubber AND the ball is put in play by the plate umpire (and no other
umpire is signaling "time"). In the above play, as soon as it is discovered
that the pitcher did not have the ball, the umpires would correct the
situation, putting the runners back on their bases and starting over. There
is no balk, and there cannot be a balk if the ball is dead.

Thanks for your questions!

World Umpires Association

[Edited by Richardr10 on Aug 7th, 2002 at 11:19 AM]