Umpire Not Coach I Know But..

[SAZBA]

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.

[bob jenkins]

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.

[MD Longhorn]

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.

[umpjim]

Originally Posted by SAZBA

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.

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

[jicecone]

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.

[DG]

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.

[umpjim]

Originally Posted by DG

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.

[MD Longhorn]

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.