Catcher's balk
 

What are the provisions of a homeplate umpire calling a catchers balk? I saw two of these during a high school game yesterday.

1-1-4. At TOP all fielders in fair territory and F2 in catcher's box. Penalty is IP.

A booger not usually picked.

That's two too many. Don't do it.

Only called one in my life, and it ended the game, and was obvious. Pitcher could have prevented it. The provisions are, that if you see an obvious one, call it, but it should be rare. Two in one game would be very, very rare.

What are the dimensions of the catchers box?

Under OBR, all you need is catcher interference with a runner from 3rd trying to score on a steal or squeeze.

43" in FED if they have been drawn right. Don't remember the depth but doubt it is of interest. Interestingly, there is no front line. The catcher is limited by other rules there. But why are you calling it a Catcher's Balk? It's a balk on the pitcher for starting to pitch with a fielder or catcher not in the proper position. Any catcher setting up for the outside pitch will probably have a foot outside the box. The catcher's technique of extending one leg straight out to get lower also violates this rule. It should not be something an umpire should look to call.

The front of the box is the point of the plate - and it's 8' back from there. See the diagram 2 and rule 2-9-3.

i'm guessing these umps also didn't let the pitcher throw any warmups because it was 63 seconds since the 3rd out of the last half-inning

Maybe we should hear from ONETIME1 on the circumstances that resulted in the two calls. The one I was thinking of is when the PITCHER is called for a balk when the catcher steps out of the catcher's box when an intentional walk is being done. Don't know why this would happen in FED game since you don't have to pitch to batter, just send him.

It is sometimes called a catcher's balk by some because he caused it, but it is a balk on the pitcher.

If they were playing under FED, why not use IBB?

Those who call that play a catcher's balk are just wrong. dash_riprock described it correctly--a 7.07 infraction. It's when a balk is called on the pitcher due to a violation committed by the catcher.

When F1 delivers with F2 out of his box, F1 committed the violation regardless of who "caused" it. I've never called that balk it in my life and (probably) never will.

The Fed rule is not the same as OBR. Any fielder or catcher that is not where they are supposed to be at TOP for any pitch will be in violation of this rule. (Fielders only have to have one foot fair). Fed actually is more lenient in the literal rule since the catcher can step out on any pitch including an IBB just after TOP. OBR is more restrictive in the rule on an IBB but less so in practice. So, we need ONETIMES explanation of what actually happened.
A catcher's or fielder's balk should be rarely called (on the pitcher) in FED. I would say never but maybe somebody can give me an example of why it would be called.

You talk about looking for trouble. You call this at any level and you'll never live it down. Talk about preventive officiating this is the classic case. Have the stop sign up and get the catcher back in the box. Pretty simple.

So is the rule one foot in the catchers box or must both feet be in the catchers box?