To Balk, or not to balk......

[chris s]

Tonites elimination round 2 of PONY inter-city tourney. Second game I am on sacks, 1st inning takes almost 45 minutes....Home is up 10-1 after 1. Visitors got some game, though. They scrap back and tie it top 7, hold Home off in bottom 7 with R2 and R3, 1 out. Visitors strand R2 with 1 out top 8. Bottom 8, home gets lead-off batter on and eventually has the sacks loaded with no outs. Infield pulls in, I am in C. F1 engages in wind-up. F6 is yelling, "STEP OFF, Step off!!" Well, f1 does so, with his left foot(yup, he's a righty) I see it, pause a moment and NOBODY says anything! I determine to myself that there was no intent to decieve, I say nada. F6 looks at me(he's right by me, and pitched 5 tonite) I just give a little smile. He walks up casually and sez, " He balked" I sez "yup, tell him to watch it, I don't wanna be a sh*thead tonite". Next pitch is slammed to F6, he short-hops and makes the play at home. Next batter hits towering shallow fly to F7, R3 tags and scores via a way bad throw, game over...12-11.

So now, how many of you would have nailed this kid for a balk???

On a side note, my pard for the DH was my assignors nephew. 20 year old I have umped for years. He went to Evans 3 day camp thing and came back with an exceptional amount of mechanic knowledge....better than most all of my FED pards, kid has it going on!!!!(More on his "Uncle Assignor" later) Time to eat dinner, 11:40 PST, we started at 5:10(2 games).....

[GarthB]

I see it, pause a moment and NOBODY says anything! I determine to myself that there was no intent to decieve, I say nada.

Interesting.

Was this Pony level PONY, or Bronco? (Our Pony is just two weeks underway and city tournament time is weeks from now.)

But to other matters.

For those who believe the only reason the balk rules exist is to punish illegal deception, you made the right call.

For those who understand that there are other types of balks and the rulesmakers decided it was the proper punishment for incorrect pitching "behaivor" or mechanics, you might have missed the call.

However, even some in the second group won't call a mechanical or penal balk that will decide a game. I think it might even be listed in Carl's 51 Ways to Ruin a Game.

In short, you may have made the right call for the wrong reason.

[Bfair]

Good choice.......


Freix

[David B]

If everyone in the park knew he was stepping off, I dont' have a problem with not calling this technical balk.

However, if a coach, would have called time and complained, then what would you have done?

He balked" I sez "yup, tell him to watch it, I don't wanna be a sh*thead tonite".

Also, you didn't mention the age, but I don't think I would be talking like that to a minor.

Thanks
David

[chris s]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by David B


However, if a coach, would have called time and complained, then what would you have done?

To be honest, I would have lied and said I did not see it. I have called a game ending balk before, I was Bu and F1 quick pitched, although he was in a hurry and it was 11-12's all-star, I would not want to do it again on a techno balk. PU could have held up the F1 in the quickie instance, but........

[chris s]

[

Was this Pony level PONY, or Bronco? (Our Pony is just two weeks underway and city tournament time is weeks from now.)

PONY, sectionals in about 3 weeks or so, no District for PONY here, Bronco does run a district starting this season.



For those who believe the only reason the balk rules exist is to punish illegal deception, you made the right call.

Evereybody knew he was steppin off, runners woulda got a cheap freebie....

For those who understand that there are other types of balks and the rulesmakers decided it was the proper punishment for incorrect pitching "behaivor" or mechanics, you might have missed the call.

I did not miss it, I just did not call it

However, even some in the second group won't call a mechanical or penal balk that will decide a game. I think it might even be listed in Carl's 51 Ways to Ruin a Game.
I dunno bout not calling a fake to first on the rubber in this case, I'd nail em

In short, you may have made the right call for the wrong reason.

Well, I did not want the crap to fly and there was no deception, thought I did well, ....lets ask Peter Osborne....LOL


Have a great dad's day, garth.....

[GarthB]

Chris:

Our PONY regular season runs until July 17. The city tournament follows, then regionals and zone.

We are the host of the Colt Northwest Regionals again. I will assist assigning and will be UIC on the final crew that works both semi-finals and the championship games.

One of these days I'll get down to your neck of the woods.

[Gee]

Chris,

If the pitcher was told to step off in order to make a valid appeal would you have banged him? G.

[chris s]

Originally posted by Gee
Chris,

If the pitcher was told to step off in order to make a valid appeal would you have banged him? G.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~`
Good question, George. Probabaly, you???

[jicecone]

"To be honest, I would have lied and said I did not see it."

Why? Why wouldn't you have told him the same thing you just told us? He may not of understood it or cared what you said, but at least you would have been explaining what many of us feel is the interpretation or definition of a "Balk". It is times like this that you can show your knowledge of the rules. This also establishes credibility.

Good non call.

[Gee]

If the pitcher was told to step off in order to make a valid appeal would you have banged him? G. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~`
Good question, George. Probabaly, you???
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I don't do that level but if I did I'd do all possible to avoid such a situation in the coaches conference, i.e. I just call deceptive balks. Chances are that they don't know the difference in a deceptive balk vs a penal or technical balk so when it comes up you can tell them "Hey we said deceptive" home free.

Good seeing you on line. G.

[soonerfan]

in my opinion...

you had better call a balk, or be ready to convince a coach, player, parent, tournament director that you had the "best intentions" when you didn't follow the rules. my point being that I don't want any coaches, players, and fans beating me to a balk call and then have me call it.

were you ready to call a balk IF someone muttered the word? i would assume be a sh*thead for ending a gam that way rather then be a sh*thead that, to onlookers, doesn't know the rules...or would have it appear that way because of better intentions.

tread lightly, my friend.