Is whining & *****ing more prevalent this year?

[yawetag]

Originally Posted by UMP25

Regardless, one can and surely has called a balk because of an illegal act that ended up surprising the heck out of the umpire.

Yes, but it's not the surprise factor that made it a balk; it was the illegal act that did.

I think you and Dave are on the same side. Dave was simply saying that if the only basis of a balk is "I was surprised by the move he made," it's not always a balk. Obviously, it takes some illegal act to make it a balk.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by yawetag

Dave was simply saying that if the only basis of a balk is "I was surprised by the move he made," it's not always a balk.

I believe Dave would go so far as to say if that's the ONLY basis, it's NEVER a balk.

[KJUmp]

Dave....thanks for hijacking what started out as an excellent thread by Ump25 about the bit****ng and moaning that we're all subjected to by idiot coaches.

It never ceases to amaze me how when a the OP is a good thread about apples, and oranges get mentioned in passing, someone feels the need to shift the discussion to oranges. Dave, if you want to talk about angles and how they should be applied in determining balks....start a new thread.

BTW, I think it's safe to assume that Ump25 knows a thing or two about balks at the college level, wether the game is being played under NCAA or OBR rules.

[billken]

Until Honigs starts selling protractors, we are faced with a judgment call.

I've had a coach come out on me and argue that he had 45 degrees as he pointed to the divot that the pitcher's front foot made when he picked the kid off at 3rd. I told him that I didn't have a protractor to determine if it was 44 degrees or 46 degrees, so he was just going to have to live with my call.

The bottom line is that the 45 degrees is a thumb rule, but the actual rule says "directly". If a kid is "fudging" the line, he puts it in my hands and he might not like the outcome. If he will not try and get away with the maximum allowable and step at 35 degrees (a point that is clearly more toward the base than the plate), then he takes me and my judgment out of the equation.

We have all been driving down the freeway at 59 in a 55 mph zone and not been pulled over. But if you get pulled over and the radar says 59, you are subject to whatever penalty the officer decides to give you. He may pull you over and tell you to slow down, he may write you a warning or he could give you a citation. If you don't want to be paying tickets, adjusting your cruise control to 54 mph will save you the hassle.

[UMP25]

Originally Posted by billken

Until Honigs starts selling protractors, we are faced with a judgment call.

Don't give them any ideas! It may be a matter of time before they come out with MLB protractors. Of course, amateur umpires will then rush out to get the same thing.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by UMP25

Don't give them any ideas! It may be a matter of time before they come out with MLB protractors. Of course, amateur umpires will then rush out to get the same thing.

Or they'll draw a line on the field, which will be just as accurate as the running lane.

[Dave Reed]

KJUmp,
If you want to talk about apples, oranges and thread hijackings, don't hijack this thread. Start a new one.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by billken

We have all been driving down the freeway at 59 in a 55 mph zone and not been pulled over. But if you get pulled over and the radar says 59, you are subject to whatever penalty the officer decides to give you. He may pull you over and tell you to slow down, he may write you a warning or he could give you a citation. If you don't want to be paying tickets, adjusting your cruise control to 54 mph will save you the hassle.

Fifty-nine?? You go down a freeway at anything under 70 around here and you'll get rear-ended.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

Fifty-nine?? You go down a freeway at anything under 70 around here and you'll get rear-ended.

Yeah, I was going to ask where the speed limit is still 55. I thought they got rid of that stupid law. I'm with Sammy Hagar on that one...I can't drive 55.

We change tires at 55 out here!

Oh, just to make TheShadowKnows and KJUmphappy... b*tching coaches suck!

[MrUmpire]

Originally Posted by billken

Until Honigs starts selling protractors, we are faced with a judgment call.

I've had a coach come out on me and argue that he had 45 degrees as he pointed to the divot that the pitcher's front foot made when he picked the kid off at 3rd. I told him that I didn't have a protractor to determine if it was 44 degrees or 46 degrees, so he was just going to have to live with my call.

The bottom line is that the 45 degrees is a thumb rule, but the actual rule says "directly".

1. When a coach starts pointing at spots I advise him not to demonstrate on the field. If he continues, he's done for the day.

2. 45 degrees is not, for professionally trained umpires, and should not for other umpires, be a "thumb rule". Did the pitcher step more towards home than first? Then he better pitch.

[UMP25]

Originally Posted by MrUmpire

2. ...Did the pitcher step more towards home than first? Then he better pitch.

Which is exactly what I told this head coach and why I called the balk. Of course, for doing my job and explaining this, he calls my assignor, my assignor removes me from a $200 doubleheader road game involving this same team on some weekday in May, end of story.

[billken]

After last night, I'd have to say yes to the OP's question!

I balked a kid twice in the first inning for not coming set...flapping his mit during the stop which was not discernible. The second time the coach came out for an explanation and told me that I must be really great because I was the only umpire in this kid's 4 year career that had ever called it. I couldn't resist..."I don't know about everyone else coach, but I am pretty good!"

Funny thing, the kid quit doing it after the second balk call!!!

[TheShadowKnows]

Originally Posted by KJUmp

Dave....thanks for hijacking what started out as an excellent thread by Ump25 about the bit****ng and moaning that we're all subjected to by idiot coaches.

It never ceases to amaze me how when a the OP is a good thread about apples, and oranges get mentioned in passing, someone feels the need to shift the discussion to oranges. Dave, if you want to talk about angles and how they should be applied in determining balks....start a new thread.

BTW, I think it's safe to assume that Ump25 knows a thing or two about balks at the college level, wether the game is being played under NCAA or OBR rules.

Thanks...I thought this thread was about the beetching coaches,then when I read it all, it had turned into umpires going at each other about Balk calls....let's stick with the idiot coaches and start new thread for Balks.

[UMP25]

Originally Posted by TheShadowKnows

Thanks...I thought this thread was about the beetching coaches,then when I read it all, it had turned into umpires going at each other about Balk calls....let's stick with the idiot coaches and start new thread for Balks.

That's because there's always an anal umpire who feels the need to start nitpicking and be overly and unnecessarily analytical. These are the guys who think that they can find fault in anything everyone here says.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by UMP25

That's because there's always an anal umpire who feels the need to start nitpicking and be overly and unnecessarily analytical. These are the guys who think that they can find fault in anything everyone here says.

I'm having a problem with the phrasing of this one part.