Balk or not

[UmpJM]

Tim and Michael,

I characterized the "philosophy" as "dogmatist", and the argument "specious and semantic" because:

1. The pitcher in the video clearly and unequivocally balked while attempting to make a pick-off move on the R2. (I say it this way because I expect that neither of you would disagree with this way of characterizing it.)

2. The pitcher's initial movement did NOT commit him exclusively to delivering a pitch. It committed him to either delivering a pitch OR making a pick-off move to 2B. Had there been an R3 - or had the R2 been advancing - he would have also had the legal option of making a move to 3B.

3. And, to be honest about it, I was intentionally being "provocative". Hey, sometimes I just can't help it.

In my experience (which I stipulate is significantly less than either of yours), I have never seen a "phantom balk" called on a pitcher making a move towards 2B - though, to be fair, I have seen a number of coaches who wanted such a call, typically because the move was "awkward".

Balks are the hardest calls for newer umpires to make. I can't help wondering if the practical effect of teaching the IITBTSB philosophy is that it makes umpires hesitant to call balks that ARE committed rather than reducing phantom calls.

JM