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

[mikesears]

Originally posted by GarthB
Mike:

According to the JEA this provision was added in 1897 to avoid the hidden ball trick and to stop the practed of alluring the baserunner into running thinking the pitcher has committed to the plate.

All historical notes and examples of its application given are during a live ball situation. Nothing in the rule violates the conditions of a deadball ball as set forth in Rule 5

Thanks Garth!

Sounds more and more to me like a "don't do that" type of thing.