Question on Balks

[lawump]

Originally Posted by DG

I have noticed that ML umpires allow strange looking stuff, if, the pitcher does it every time. I would put this in that category.

And they (umpires) do so on purpose. Joe Brinkman, at his school, specifically talked about Luis Tiant's (Red Sox pitcher in the 1970's) motion when he came set. Brinkman flat-out said that MLB did not want a balk called as long as the pitcher used the same "unusual" mechanics each time he came set.