JC Romero-Balk-o-matic

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by jwwashburn

The pitcher is deceiving the runner when he jerks his glove around like that and sometimes pitches and sometimes makes a pickoff attempt.

Deceiving the runner is perfrectly legal if you don't violate 8.05 while doing it.

[jwwashburn]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Deceiving the runner is perfrectly legal if you don't violate 8.05 while doing it.

Right, of course. Like I said, his glove jerks deceive the runner...and his glove jerks are balks.

[johnnyg08]

On another note...sorry to hijack...just a little bit.

Does anybody have a clip of the Braves/Phillies last night (Monday) Prado bobbled a ball that was thrown to him for a force out at 2B and the runner was correctly called safe by the 2BU...I wanted to send this to our umpires to show how good his timing was in order to get that call correct. Please PM me if you find it.

[Rich]

I am a Phillies fan, so I see Romero pitch a lot.

He does the same thing before every pitch or pickoff. In MLB this is never going to be called a balk and to nobody involved is it a balk.

[asdf]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

In MLB this is never going to be called a balk and to nobody involved is it a balk.

Which is further supported by the fact nobody wearing a Dodger uniform said a word.

[yawetag]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

On another note...sorry to hijack...just a little bit.

Does anybody have a clip of the Braves/Phillies last night (Monday) Prado bobbled a ball that was thrown to him for a force out at 2B and the runner was correctly called safe by the 2BU...I wanted to send this to our umpires to show how good his timing was in order to get that call correct. Please PM me if you find it.

This one: Baseball Video Highlights & Clips | ATL@PHI: Dobbs safe at second on Braves' error - Video | MLB.com: Multimedia

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by jwwashburn

Right, of course. Like I said, his glove jerks deceive the runner...and his glove jerks are balks.

Which provision of 8.05 prohibits "glove jerks"? As Rich correctly points out, deception as such is not illegal. Only certain deceptive acts are illegal, and then only because they are specifically prohibited by rule. So which rule prohibits "glove jerks"?

In the link you post, he comes set, and then his glove moves. Without pausing again he turns, steps, and throws to 2B. Perfectly legal at all levels.

Even the announcers knew this was not a balk.

[SAump]

Iitbtsb!

There was a better balk call on the classic feint to 3B, then feint to 1B. Not sure now if it was on FOX or TBS or the teams.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Even the announcers knew this was not a balk.

Case closed!