Fielder's balk?

[drumsub]

I have no idea how far back I'm going for the MLB rule, I just know our rule book derived from NFHS (word for word in many sections), which derived from MLB, and it simply states "The catcher shall position himself directly back of the plate. He may leave his position at any time to catch a pitch or make a play". No reference to the intentional walk. So the penalty was not limited to an intentional walk, and it would be hard to argue that in our league games to this day. Additionally, the penalty statement is not indented with subsection A so the argument can be made that it applies to everything above it and not just subsection A.

I think the biggest reason this is still misunderstood by many is because youth leagues that have their own rule books don't keep up with the yearly changes in MLB/NFHS/etc. I have a laundry list of differences we either haven't kept up with, or haven't adopted for one reason or another, that lead to confusion with coaches, players, and umps participating in multiple leagues.

All that aside, I still think it could easily be put to rest with a simple comment in that section as is done in so many other places in the rules. Look at the lengthy comment for 5.03 regarding base coaches. MLB felt that one needed an explanation, yet this commonly misapplied and much debated rule doesn't get the same treatment. Obviously it isn't debated or misapplied at that level so it doesn't get any attention.