The 2010 balk thread
 

So I called my first balk of the year the other day. Visitor was getting shellacked, probably 10-0 at that point (4th inning, so no mercy yet). Their 3rd underskilled pitcher of the day came in, and I could tell from his warm-up pitches that he was going to balk for not stopping.

Sure enough, his first batter, R2 and R3, and he blows right through the stop. "Time! That's a balk! No stop! You, score, ..." etc. Sheesh, I hate to call it at 10-0 when we're just trying to get the game over, but this is varsity baseball and the kid wasn't anywhere near to stopping.

After a couple more pitches, he had another borderline balk for not stopping. I called time and sent F2 out to make sure he stopped.

Ordinarily I wouldn't have done that, which I regard as coaching. But it was a game management choice. Comments?

I frequently do that -- and if I see it during the warmups, I send F2 out before we resume.

It's not coaching, and it's not "warning." It's preventive umpireing. (Warning would be when you send F2 out to say "if you do that again the umpire will call the balk.")

Exactly the scenario I experienced last night. Top of 5, 14-0 , team brings in 4th pitcher of the night. I am near the mound for the final warmups and notice that the pitcher has blown through every stop in the set position. I let him know he has two pitches remaining and that I recommend he make sure and come set when he starts pitching. It saved me from having to throw salt on an open wound and shortened our 2-15min, 5 inning mercy rule game by 1 min. I was also able to go back to sleep.

Final score 17-0.

I think I would call time to dust off the plate and while bent over tell the catcher to go out and tell his pitcher to come to stop, or ask the catcher to call time and then ask me a question, and whatever he asks I tell him to go out and tell his pitcher to come to a stop. Calling time and sending F2 seems so direct, and yes, coaching. It's a fine line between coaching and preventive umpiring.

Until this year, I wouldn't have either. However, after reading other more-experiences umpires say they do it, and talking to the senior umpires in my organization, I decided to try it this year.

Sure enough, at my second game, the starting pitcher was getting close to quick pitching. As the catcher was coming to the plate for the second inning, I said, "Tony, slow your pitcher down. He's very close to quick pitching." After warming him up, he went out and told him. No other problems the rest of the game.