Balk?
 

Came across this Question/Answer about a balk on the web. Shouldn't the umpire have called a balk on himself?



Jordan asked: I was recently umpiring a baseball game and I was the field umpire.

My partner that was behind the plate called a balk that basically ended the game because it put a runner in scoring position.

What happened was the pitcher threw the pitch; but the batter was not set yet and was still bringing his foot into the box from getting his signs.

My partner called a balk on the pitcher for not waiting for the batter to be "reasonable set".

I always thought this was just a no pitch, but I just want to make sure he made the right call.

Thanks
JP


Rick answered: Jordan, thank you for your question.

The rule covering this particular situation is Rule 6 Sec 1 Pitching Art 1...The pitcher shall pitch while facing the batter from either a windup position or a set position. The position of his feet determine whether he will pitch from the windup or set position. He shall take his sign from the catcher with his pivot foot in contact with the pitcher's plate.

The pitching regulations begin when he intentionally contacts the pitcher's plate. Turning the shoulders to check the runners while in contact with the pitcher's plate in the set position is legal. Turning the shoulders after bringing the hands together during or after the stretch is a balk.

He shall not make a quick-return pitch in an attempt to catch the batter off balance.

Plate umpires almost always will have a hand extended towards the pitcher until the batter gets himself completely in the box, at which time he will signal the pitcher he can go.

The pitcher must have just gone ahead, whether looking for an advantage, or just lost his focus.

Sounds like a costly error on his part, moving the runner into scoring position.

Plate umpire's call was correct, even if he hadn't extended a hold on the pitcher.

Yours in baseball,

Rick

If the hand was up, time was out, and there can be no balk.

Without the hand up, then it sounds like a quick pitch, and the call was correct (but some preventive umpiring could have been taken -- and maybe it had been taken earlier, so now it was time to enforce the rule)

You, as the plate umpire should control the game whether it is the first or last inning, batter or pitch of the game. Although I don't know all the details that led up to this call, but something like this is totally preventable.

On the surface, it seems as though the official did not do his job and as a result, had to make an unnecessary call. If the batter was not ready I would be calling time and make sure there was no pitch.

Technically a balk can be called but, professionally as an official it may have not been necessary.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Exactly!!!

THANK YOU! That was a great explanation!

I don't put the hand up either.

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)?

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.

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