Anything wrong?
 

At a game last night. NFHS rules. Score/inning irrelavent.
Runners on 2nd and 3rd, 1 out. Coach calls for intentional walk. Catcher steps to the right with both feet. He then puts arm out for the IW, pitcher throws it to him.

Batting coach begins to yell at top of his lungs, "BALK... That is a CATCHERS BALK. He is outside the catchers box and thats a balk!!!" Both umpires did their both to look at him, ignored him. He continued for the next 2 balls thrown. Coach then throws his arms up in the air, turns abruptly towards the outfield fence huffs (heard in stands) and that was the end of his show- went back to coaching his team.

I have looked through my books and can not see anything wring with this. Not have I found anything called a catchers balk.

Thanks for the help here.

If it is NFHS rules, then no pitches need be thrown. The ball is dead once the IBB is requested. 2-4.

So how did the whole scenario happen?

F2 must be in his box until the time of the pitch. NFHS 1-1-4

Under OBR, F2 must be in his box until the ball leaves the pitcher's hand. OBR 4.03a

Yes, in FED, as soon as soon as coach calls for IW the PU should tell the batter to go to 1b.

Regardless of rule set, catcher balk calls are about as rare as triple crown winners or 400 hitters.

As Paul Harvey would say "now for the rest of the story"

Penalty is 2.18, Ball with no runners, Balk with runners.

That's a rule that doesn't get enforced and it really shouldn't be enforced. The rule is obsolete.

2-4-3 says the defensive team may request the umpire to award the batter 1st, but they are not required to do so. If they want to throw 4 pitches out of the strike zone, let them. If the pitcher or catcher commit an infraction, enforce it.

Nothing good can come from that. Call time, ask the coach if he wants to walk him, send him down.

Half the coaches in summer ball don't know that rule.

Many leagues I have worked in the summer use NFHS rules with some modifications using OBR....

Most of the time when I ask "are we throwing four or just sending him down" when discussing IWs, I just get a blank stare......

+1

I called a catcher's balk in a tournament one time. :eek: Never again.

Somebody found a rule the night before.

Or he was in the game where the ump learned this lesson the hard way.

OBR is enforced the same as FED - catcher can move at TOP.

preventative measures
 

I've been taught:
A) it is a balk, but don't ever call it! :eek:
B) try to prevent it from happening. When you see the catcher setting up outside the catcher's box (if you even have one), tell him to "stay put until the pitcher tosses you the ball". ;)

I agree with the comment that some coach read a rule, took a course or had something happen to him once upon a time, to be complaining about it. :D

You're generous :D

JJ