Rangers O'Day--balk?

[Rita C]

Originally Posted by dash_riprock

Didn't see it, but was anything else moving during the first stop, like his free foot/leg coming back?

No, just two very distinct stops.

Rita

[Durham]

By rule it is a balk, but as stated earlier, everyone knows he does it and he does it every time, so it is a no call.

[stratref]

Being a Mariner fan (please be kind, we are going for 3 100+ loss seasons in 4 years) I watched the Mariner-Ranger series the last 3 days.
I would say when he pitched with no one on it was clearly two stops, but with no one on who cares. When he pitched with runner(s) on it was very close as his lower body was moving (barely).
In general it's not a balk that is likely to get called at a MLB game, and as close to borderline as you would like to get, but is legal as he has some slight movement in his lower body as he is in "set #1" and then does his actual pause of his entire body in "set #2".

This is not two very distinct stops, and not an obvious balk. It is very borderline but the guy has been pitching in the Major Leagues since 2007, has has never been called for a balk, I would guess in that time Bob Davidson has seen him at least once, and if he isn't calling it a balk, it is not a balk.

Jasper

[Rita C]

Originally Posted by stratref

Being a Mariner fan (please be kind, we are going for 3 100+ loss seasons in 4 years) I watched the Mariner-Ranger series the last 3 days.
I would say when he pitched with no one on it was clearly two stops, but with no one on who cares. When he pitched with runner(s) on it was very close as his lower body was moving (barely).
In general it's not a balk that is likely to get called at a MLB game, and as close to borderline as you would like to get, but is legal as he has some slight movement in his lower body as he is in "set #1" and then does his actual pause of his entire body in "set #2".

This is not two very distinct stops, and not an obvious balk. It is very borderline but the guy has been pitching in the Major Leagues since 2007, has has never been called for a balk, I would guess in that time Bob Davidson has seen him at least once, and if he isn't calling it a balk, it is not a balk.

Jasper

Thank you. Though he was doing it with a runner on when I saw. I'll look for it next time the Mariners play the Rangers.

Rita