Catcher's balk

[jicecone]

Originally Posted by UMP25

What's next, a "fielder's balk"?

Some have tried to interpret a fielder not being in the field of play at the time of pitch, as being one.

[UMP25]

Originally Posted by jicecone

Some have tried to interpret a fielder not being in the field of play at the time of pitch, as being one.

I've experienced that--years ago when I had a partner who was so balk happy that I think that's how he conceived his 3 kids--he yelled "Balk!" in bed and...well...the rest was history.

He used to call a balk everytime the first baseman had a foot in foul territory when the pitcher pitched, except that it wasn't a balk; it was just "nothing," literally. The pitcher's not supposed to pitch unless, with the exception of the catcher, all fielders are in fair territory. If he does, nothing happens.

PLAY (NCAA & OBR): We begin the top of the 4th inning when the visiting team's batter comes to the plate. Pitcher throws the first pitch for a strike. Suddenly, a player from the home team runs out to right field. It is then that everyone realizes the right fielder hadn't been out there. RULING: Nullify the pitch and begin again. Because the home team did not have their required number of players on the field to comprise a legally constituted team (9 players in NCAA & OBR), no action could legally take place.