All I see is his head in 2nd video. In first he had not come set before he stepped off. I still looking for the balk.

Watch the entire second video. His front knee clearly buckles before he disengages the rubber.

You're kidding right? He started his leg motion to pitch, and then stopped and stepped off.

An elephant play is something that the whole world sees - something so blatant that you can't NOT call it. Picture holding in football on my side, during a sweep to the other side. I'm not supposed to call that (unless I'm NFL). But when the holding involves wrapping the guy up, lifting him off the ground and throwing him 3 yards - it's an elephant hold. EVERYONE saw it... so I must flag it.

Besides ... the issue here is not whether it was a balk or not (it was). The issue is a MLB umpire first turning his back on the play and looking into the outfield during a live ball (heck ... with the pointing and yelling there could EASILY have been a throw to third here had there not been a balk). Then (to me) worse - echoing a partner's call when he couldn't possibly have seen the call in question.

It was not that obvious from the video I saw, but if it happened like that you're right, it's a no brainer.

I agree it's a no-brainer balk. Watch the front leg prior to stepping off with the pivot foot.

As for Davidson ... is he echoing the call, or is he pointing that the runner is awarded home? It doesn't quite look like he's pointing at the mound.

So if your partner calls a balk in a game and you don't see it, you're not going to echo it?

Some places / mechanics teach to echo, some don't.

And, I think either way, there's a difference between "I was watching but didn't see what my partner saw" and "I had my head up my *** and the only balk I could have seen was a colon spasm caused by the burrito I had at lunch."

Yes there is a difference in WHY the balk wasn't seen, but in professional baseball (at least in the minors, anyway) we were taught to echo the balk call, regardless.

And only Bob knows what Bob was doing, but if any of you out there are telling yourselves that you've never looked away momentarily during a live ball situation, you're flat out lying. Everyone has done it. Bob got lucky that this didn't blow up in his face (even though it still looks to me like his head is turned towards the infield)

Who cares? *Every*one looks away from the pitcher for a second. They have 4 umpires, for crying out loud and it only takes one. Hell, in 2-man I'd be hard pressed to say I am looking at the pitcher every split second that he has the ball.

It also looks to me like Bob is merely directing the runner home, not echoing the balk. Of course, that isn't a good enough explanation for those who dislike Balk-a-Day Bob or are looking for any reason to rag on MLB umpires.

Well said Rich.

No. And if I saw it but someone else called it first ... still no.

So if the coach comes out to you because you're closer, you're going to tell him what? I didn't see it? Go ask my partner, he's the one who called it? In other words, "Either I wasn;t paying attention or my partner saw a non-existant balk"

Can't see that going over too well...

Are you an umpire?

If my partner makes a call and the coach comes out to me, YES, I'm telling him to go ask my partner. Because that's what umpires are supposed to do. No way in HELLO am I going to discuss my partner's call with the coach. My PARTNER can come discuss it with me. Coach sure as heck can't.

That's true at every level. I see you imply above that you've umpired "professional" ball. If you have, then you already know this. If you discuss your partner's calls with coaches, you have no business doing 8U, much less pro ball.

If I echo a balk call that I didn't see, and the coach comes to me to explain, what will I tell him?
If I see the balk but my partner beats me to the call, I echo it. If I don't see it, I don't echo it.

JJ