Balk Off win

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by ManInBlue

Actually he balked on the previous pitch by turning his shoulders to 1B in the set position after bringing his hands together (I'm not sure why b/c there wasn't a runner there). I let that one slide. ...

Balk in FED. Probably not in OBR.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Balk in FED. Probably not in OBR.

Although I agree that this might be ignored in MLB, I think it's an illegal pitch or balk under OBR, too. I don't think I'd allow it in amateur ball.

8.01(a): "... He shall not raise either foot from the ground, except that in his actual delivery of the ball to the batter, he may take one step backward, and one step forward with his free foot."

I've seen guys rock without stepping, and that's legal. But as described in the OP, I've got a balk here.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Although I agree that this might be ignored in MLB, I think it's an illegal pitch or balk under OBR, too. I don't think I'd allow it in amateur ball.

8.01(a): "... He shall not raise either foot from the ground, except that in his actual delivery of the ball to the batter, he may take one step backward, and one step forward with his free foot."

I've seen guys rock without stepping, and that's legal. But as described in the OP, I've got a balk here.

I can see it not being a balk. F1 is allowed two "pumps" and *maybe* that's what was happening.

[JR12]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

I can see it not being a balk. F1 is allowed two "pumps" and *maybe* that's what was happening.

Doesnt the pumps, refer to his hands and arms?

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by JR12

Doesnt the pumps, refer to his hands and arms?

Yes.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Yes.

He asked that because the OP seems to be about multiple steps before the pitch, and you commented that it wasn't a balk because F1 was just "pumping."

Frankly, I too wondered where you were going with that.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by mbyron

He asked that because the OP seems to be about multiple steps before the pitch, and you commented that it wasn't a balk because F1 was just "pumping."

Frankly, I too wondered where you were going with that.

Ah --

A pump includes (or can include) "rocking back and forth" from free foot to pivot foot. If that was the extent of the "stutter steps back and forth" (and I'm not saying it was -- only that I can envision it), then I probably don't have a balk.

[ManInBlue]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Although I agree that this might be ignored in MLB, I think it's an illegal pitch or balk under OBR, too. I don't think I'd allow it in amateur ball.

8.01(a): "... He shall not raise either foot from the ground, except that in his actual delivery of the ball to the batter, he may take one step backward, and one step forward with his free foot."

I've seen guys rock without stepping, and that's legal. But as described in the OP, I've got a balk here.

That's the way I saw it. I even told my wife that I could give a list of MLB pitchers that "get away with it" but this kid isn't in the Majors yet.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Balk in FED. Probably not in OBR.

Balk in OBR for feinting to an unoccupied base (I'm assuming the move was such that it would have been called a balk if there had been R1).

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Balk in OBR for feinting to an unoccupied base (I'm assuming the move was such that it would have been called a balk if there had been R1).

Why would you judge it a feint if there's no one at the base? There's no one to fake out.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Why would you judge it a feint if there's no one at the base? There's no one to fake out.

He made a move to the base (assumption) and didn't throw the ball -- that's the definition of a feint. Whether there's anyone to "fake out" is immaterial.

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

He made a move to the base (assumption) and didn't throw the ball -- that's the definition of a feint. Whether there's anyone to "fake out" is immaterial.

Why assume?

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Why assume?

Because it just follows what I had in the previous post -- IF the "shoulder turn" was such that it would be a balk with R1, then it's a balk without R1. I get that from the fact that the OP indicated that he passed on the balk.

[ManInBlue]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Because it just follows what I had in the previous post -- IF the "shoulder turn" was such that it would be a balk with R1, then it's a balk without R1. I get that from the fact that the OP indicated that he passed on the balk.

He turned his shoulders and not a little bit. It was an obvious balk had there been an R1. I probably should have call that one, regardless of where the runners were.

Originally Posted by David B

I'm guessing this is HS ball.

Thanks
David

Just below HS - 13/14's

I'm learning a few things with these comments. I didn't call the balk on the shoulder turn b/c I too had the "there was no one to 'fake out'" philosophy. I never thought about rocking as legal - as the rule quoted above states, one step...to clarify - he did pick his foot up, it was more than just rocking back and forth - it was NOT as obvious as the video however.