Umpire Not Coach I Know But..
 

I stopped umpiring FED HS games about 8 years ago. Now getting back into the game. Re-found this website and am LOVING it. At my boy's junior high game and something I wanted to bring up.

Opposing team's pitcher balked at every pitch (w/runners on). He would stand next to the pitcher's plate and get the sign. Then he would step onto the pitcher's plate and continue with the pitch in one motion.

I'm wondering if that happens, would you call a balk and explain to the kid or coach why. Not call anything because its a jr high game or what? Neither umpire said or did anything the whole game. Neither coach was the wiser either.

I'm thinking if you called it once or twice, both the kid and coach would learn something new. I know you're not there to coach but I guess what I'm asking is do you feel any sense of obligation to teach these young kids the rules?

I'm waiting for my rule book to come in the mail so I'm not sure what the call is with no one on base.

In FED, it's an illegal pitch and a ball with no runners.

It's been a long, long time since I've done a JH game, so, while I'm sure I'd address it, I'm not sure how.

Junior high - if it was messing up the batters AT ALL, I would call it (hopefully with no one on base) and tell the coach why, and hopefully he can fix it.

If it was not messing with the batters, I'd let it lie until the inning ends, and then address it with the coach between innings, and hopefully he can fix it.

I would first do what I would do in an OBR game. "Time, don't do that."

Your right, we are not there to coach or teach however, we are there to umpire. If you call it and another umpire does not, then guess who everyone thinks is the bad ump. YOU

I agree the manner in which you handle this may be a little different at a JV level but, cover this at the plate conference before the game and it can help the situation. Preventive umpiring goes a long way.

Balk it first time you see it, with runner on of course. If coach wants an explanation give it to him and let him do the coaching. How is he going to learn how to do it correctly if we don't balk him and let the coach straighten it out? Coach may not know how either, so explanation will be good for him.

I think we need to revisit the OP description. I don't know exactly what the pitcher did. Did he look at the catcher while he was standing off to the side of the rubber to get his sign. Then did he step foward to take the rubber, come set and pitch?
If he did this,
"Opposing team's pitcher balked at every pitch (w/runners on). He would stand next to the pitcher's plate and get the sign. Then he would step onto the pitcher's plate and continue with the pitch in one motion."

It could be a no stop or nothing.

It's clearly a no-stop balk. But at the JV level, while I agree we aren't there to coach - letting a balk like this go in cases where it's really not affecting anyone is the prudent action. But you DO need to let the coach know so he can fix it.

I rarely do JH any more, but I'm not sure I'd be able to keep "That's a balk!" from coming out of my mouth.

Speaking OBR, not sure about NFHS.
I agree balk.
One oddity is that if I am picturing OP situation correctly pitcher is using the windup even with runners on base.
So I'm not getting him for not stopping.
I've got him for a quick pitch and thus illegal ..... so results in a balk if runners are on base. It's not exactly the situation described in the comment 8.01 but I believe the coment applies. ("Pitchers ... may not step quickly onto the rubber and pitch.")

don't need to wait until there is a runner on and things mught be a little tense either. It is a ball on hitter 1, pitch 1 (unless he puts it in play & reaches) so the problem is addressed early, with a minor penalty.

I'd have to go look up FED but in OBR the pitcher has to start from a position standing on the rubber.

This was NOT happening here.

If you let someone pitch without 1st coming to a stop on the plate, what's to prevent him from taking a running start as in cricket?

I'd like to understand what balk the OP was observing.

If the pitcher is stepping on and quick pitching or not stopping, then agree this is a balk and should be delt with. For me at the JH level this will be a discussion with the coach between innings if offense is not being hurt (quick pitch affecting batter).

If the OP is identifying taking the sign while off the rubber as the balk, then probably have nothing. The only way I'm balking taking a sign off the rubber is if the pitcher is clearly trying to fake the runners that he is on the rubber. Since in this case, he then steps on and continues with pitching, then nothing.

Technically, in FED, the pitcher must take signs from the rubber, not doing so is a balk, with runners on (in OBR it is a don't do that from the umpire). More importantly, what is described is a quick pitch... balk.

In NFHS, there is no penalty for taking a sign while off of the rubber. The rule book is clear about the only 3 ways a pitcher can balk while they are not on the rubber:

NFHS 6-2-5: ... It is also a balk if a runner or runners are on base and the pitcher, while not touching the pitcher's plate makes any movement naturally associated with his pitch, or he places his feet on or astride the pitcher's plate, or positions himself within approximately five feet of the pitcher's plate without the ball.

Pitchers are required to take a sign while on the rubber, but there is nothing prohibiting him from taking a sign while not on the rubber. Until he contacts the pitcher's plate he is just an infielder and, unless violates Rule 6-2-5, he cannot be balked.