Balk?

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by dash_riprock

Dunno who Rick is, but he shouldn't be answering umpiring questions.

Why not? It was a quick pitch which is a balk. And his comment about putting up a do-not-pitch sign is in line with standard thought/management. Maybe the PU should have put up the sign but he didn't. Doesn't excuse the quick pitch.

[johnnyg08]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Why not? It was a quick pitch which is a balk. And his comment about putting up a do-not-pitch sign is in line with standard thought/management. Maybe the PU should have put up the sign but he didn't. Doesn't excuse the quick pitch.

While I agree w/ Rich. For me it depends on the level. Try to work with your catchers to make sure they're not giving the signs until the batter is set. At any level that I work if I let that happened, that's on me but I'm also going to balk it.

BUT, if I miss it and my partner gets the balk...by rule it's a balk. Plain and simple.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

While I agree w/ Rich. For me it depends on the level. Try to work with your catchers to make sure they're not giving the signs until the batter is set. At any level that I work if I let that happened, that's on me but I'm also going to balk it.

BUT, if I miss it and my partner gets the balk...by rule it's a balk. Plain and simple.

I am not one to put a hand up. If a batter isn't ready and the pitcher is either starting to pitch or is about to, I'll call time and have them reset.

I will tell batters who ask for time, "I won't let him throw till you're ready."

By rule? I guess it could be a balk. Never in a million years would I call it that way. I'd call time and have them reset.

[dash_riprock]

Originally Posted by Rich

I am not one to put a hand up. If a batter isn't ready and the pitcher is either starting to pitch or is about to, I'll call time and have them reset.

I will tell batters who ask for time, "I won't let him throw till you're ready."

By rule? I guess it could be a balk. Never in a million years would I call it that way. I'd call time and have them reset.

That's pretty much the way I handle it.

You can't have a balk for a quick pitch unless the pitcher delivers an actual (live ball) pitch, and that should never be allowed to happen.

If F1 tries to throw a quick-pitch, I will kill the ball and tell him: "don't start your motion/stretch until he's looking at you." If he continues to ignore this directive, he gets ejected (haven't had to do that yet), but I will never have to balk a quick-pitch because there will never be one.

[jicecone]

Originally Posted by dash_riprock

That's pretty much the way I handle it.

You can't have a balk for a quick pitch unless the pitcher delivers an actual (live ball) pitch, and that should never be allowed to happen.

If F1 tries to throw a quick-pitch, I will kill the ball and tell him: "don't start your motion/stretch until he's looking at you." If he continues to ignore this directive, he gets ejected (haven't had to do that yet), but I will never have to balk a quick-pitch because there will never be one.

Exactly!!!

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by dash_riprock

That's pretty much the way I handle it.

You can't have a balk for a quick pitch unless the pitcher delivers an actual (live ball) pitch, and that should never be allowed to happen.

If F1 tries to throw a quick-pitch, I will kill the ball and tell him: "don't start your motion/stretch until he's looking at you." If he continues to ignore this directive, he gets ejected (haven't had to do that yet), but I will never have to balk a quick-pitch because there will never be one.

THANK YOU! That was a great explanation!

[johnnyg08]

Originally Posted by Rich

I am not one to put a hand up. If a batter isn't ready and the pitcher is either starting to pitch or is about to, I'll call time and have them reset.

I will tell batters who ask for time, "I won't let him throw till you're ready."

By rule? I guess it could be a balk. Never in a million years would I call it that way. I'd call time and have them reset.

I don't put the hand up either.

[dash_riprock]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Why not? It was a quick pitch which is a balk. And his comment about putting up a do-not-pitch sign is in line with standard thought/management. Maybe the PU should have put up the sign but he didn't. Doesn't excuse the quick pitch.

It is implicit in Rick's answer that a quick pitch (balk) is the correct call even if the umpire's hand is up. That is wrong. Rick's last sentence would be correct if 'even' were changed to 'only'. Everything else (except the rule quote) is wrong.

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by dash_riprock

It is implicit in Rick's answer that a quick pitch (balk) is the correct call even if the umpire's hand is up. That is wrong. Rick's last sentence would be correct if 'even' were changed to 'only'. Everything else (except the rule quote) is wrong.

How should it be handled if the pitcher throws when the batter isn't looking but time is out? It's just as dangerous.

Rule 8.05(e) Comment: . . . . The quick pitch is dangerous and should not be permitted.

Can't give the pitcher a free shot can we?

Warn?

Warn after the trainer hauls the batter off on a stretcher?

Call it unsportsmanlike and eject (don't need a live ball here)?

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

How should it be handled if the pitcher throws when the batter isn't looking but time is out? It's just as dangerous.

If time is out, then there cannot be a balk, as has already been stated. Balks can only occur during a live ball.

I agree that it is dangerous, and it shouldn't happen if the PU is paying attention. But if it does happen, a warning to the pitcher is appropriate.

[dash_riprock]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

How should it be handled if the pitcher throws when the batter isn't looking but time is out? It's just as dangerous.

Rule 8.05(e) Comment: . . . . The quick pitch is dangerous and should not be permitted.

Can't give the pitcher a free shot can we?

Warn?

Warn after the trainer hauls the batter off on a stretcher?

Call it unsportsmanlike and eject (don't need a live ball here)?

Whatever you like, but unless the ball is live, it can't be an illegal pitch (balk).

[Rich Ives]

Manny and Dash.

And it can't be a HBP either.

But there will be one mightily pissed off offensive team.

What do you do after the mound charge is over?

[jicecone]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Manny and Dash.

And it can't be a HBP either.

But there will be one mightily pissed off offensive team.

What do you do after the mound charge is over?

Well at that point you put both hands up and start chasing people back to the dugout.

Rule 5.1.4 ....After a dead ball, the ball becomes live when (in summary) the pitcher, catcher and batter are in place and ready.........and the umpire calls "play" and gives the appropriate signal.

Control your game and this crap doesn't happen. Period.

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by jicecone

Well at that point you put both hands up and start chasing people back to the dugout.

Rule 5.1.4 ....After a dead ball, the ball becomes live when (in summary) the pitcher, catcher and batter are in place and ready.........and the umpire calls "play" and gives the appropriate signal.

Control your game and this crap doesn't happen. Period.

No sh!t.

That wasn't the question though.

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Manny and Dash.

And it can't be a HBP either.

But there will be one mightily pissed off offensive team.

What do you do after the mound charge is over?

Well, if the umpire feels the pitcher purposely threw at the batter, we know the remedy for that. But how are you going to prove it? It could be that all you had was a pitcher who jumped the gun on the pitch before the ball was put back into play, and it got away from him/her. Not all balls that hit the batter are headhunting shots.

I'm not sure what else you're looking for, Rich. We already established that it cannot be a balk, and as you point out, it cannot be a HBP. If there's a bench clearing incident, you treat it like any other bench clearing incident. If that didn't happen, you can certainly warn the pitcher to wait until the ball is put in play, and wait for the offensive coach to decide the batter is okay to continue, or bring in a sub.