Balk or not

[justanotherblue]

Originally Posted by UmpJM (nee CoachJM)

Tim and Michael,

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.

JM

J.M.

I respectively disagree, he most clearly commited himself to the pitch. He did not step directly toward second base. This balk is/was taught at at the college level. It's an effective balk move that a pitcher can get away with and often do. Just as the jump turn is more times than not a balk, that rarely gets called. This picher clearly brings his leg up then half to three quarters down before he changes direction toward 2B. Absouletly a balk. I was one of those that would argue you could balk to 2B. In reality you can't. I agree with the others, the balk had nothing to do with 2B.