DET @ CLE No Balk call two ejections

[jwwashburn]

Baseball Video Highlights & Clips | DET@CLE: Leyland, Brookens ejected arguing for a balk - Video | MLB.com: Multimedia

Looks like a balk to me.

[Rita C]

Originally Posted by jwwashburn

Baseball Video Highlights & Clips | DET@CLE: Leyland, Brookens ejected arguing for a balk - Video | MLB.com: Multimedia

Looks like a balk to me.

More so from the view from above than the view from second base.

Rita

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by jwwashburn

Baseball Video Highlights & Clips | DET@CLE: Leyland, Brookens ejected arguing for a balk - Video | MLB.com: Multimedia

Looks like a balk to me.

You think MLB umpires screwed up? I'm shocked, shocked!

Leyland was trying to light a fire under his offense to avoid a sweep. Didn't work.

[ozzy6900]

Definite balk in HS and youth. MLB, on the other hand, gets away with a lot. There was a minor stop which may be okay for MLB.

[REFANDUMP]

That was a definite balk. Trying to defend that makes us all look bad as umpires.

[starman]

If you look at the first replay, it also appeared that he went to his mouth while on the rubber.

[Rita C]

Originally Posted by starman

If you look at the first replay, it also appeared that he went to his mouth while on the rubber.

Which isn't a balk. (Unless he separated his hands to do so after coming set.)

Rita

[starman]

I realize that going to his mouth is not a balk. But shouldn't he have been charged a ball?


8.02 The pitcher shall not—
(a) (1) Bring his pitching hand in contact with his mouth or lips while in the 18 foot circle surrounding the pitching rubber. EXCEPTION: Provided it is agreed to by both managers, the umpire prior to the start of a game played in cold weather, may permit the pitcher to blow on his hand.
PENALTY: For violation of this part of this rule the umpires shall immediately call a ball. However, if the pitch is made and a batter reaches first base on a hit, an error, a hit batsman or otherwise, and no other runner is put out before advancing at least one base, the play shall proceed without reference to the violation. Repeated offenders shall be subject to a fine by the league president.

[TwoBits]

Originally Posted by ozzy6900

Definite balk in HS and youth. MLB, on the other hand, gets away with a lot. There was a minor stop which may be okay for MLB.

Agreed. I see a few veteran pitchers who get away with what would be considered illegal in youth ball, particularly coming to a complete stop at the chest, then stopping again at the belt.

[jwwashburn]

I have wondered when this changed....I do not think the rule has changed(at least not much) but, the enforcement sure has changed.

Saw some World Series game from the Late 60's and from 1975 not too long ago on ESPN Classic and many of those pitchers did not even pretend to stop...My guess is it changed right around when Lou Brock broke the Stolen Base record?

There is no way anyone was stealing 100+ bases with the way those guys were quick pitching.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by jwwashburn

I have wondered when this changed....I do not think the rule has changed(at least not much) but, the enforcement sure has changed.

Saw some World Series game from the Late 60's and from 1975 not too long ago on ESPN Classic and many of those pitchers did not even pretend to stop...My guess is it changed right around when Lou Brock broke the Stolen Base record?

There is no way anyone was stealing 100+ bases with the way those guys were quick pitching.

It changed in the 80s when they added the word "discernible" for one season and the umpires called a TON of balks. The players union, I believe, never approved the word discernible and it was removed the next season.

No More 'Discernible' Stop, So Balks Will Be Balks Again - Los Angeles Times

Once the word discernible disappeared, the pitchers still seemed to stop a lot better than they did prior to this change.

[JR12]

Originally Posted by jwwashburn

I have wondered when this changed....I do not think the rule has changed(at least not much) but, the enforcement sure has changed.

Saw some World Series game from the Late 60's and from 1975 not too long ago on ESPN Classic and many of those pitchers did not even pretend to stop...My guess is it changed right around when Lou Brock broke the Stolen Base record?

There is no way anyone was stealing 100+ bases with the way those guys were quick pitching.

Not to change the subject, but anothe major differnce I notice watching games from 30-40 yrs ago is check swings. You could damn near do a helicopter swing before a base umpire would call a strike on an appeal.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by TwoBits

Agreed. I see a few veteran pitchers who get away with what would be considered illegal in youth ball, particularly coming to a complete stop at the chest, then stopping again at the belt.

When those pitchers act legally, there's often something else moving during the first pause of the hands — legs wiggling, knee moving, that kind of thing. Not in fact a double stop and not illegal at any level.

It can be effective against overeager runners.

[jwwashburn]

Originally Posted by mbyron

You think MLB umpires screwed up? I'm shocked, shocked!

Leyland was trying to light a fire under his offense to avoid a sweep. Didn't work.

You do not think they screwed up?

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by jwwashburn

You do not think they screwed up?

The point of my post was to wonder what on earth we would all do without you around to point out the "errors" you perceive committed by your superiors.