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Proper Balk call mechanic


Jordxn
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Hi all,

Having a debate with a fellow umpire on proper verbal mechanic for calling a balk -

I call a balk as 'That's a balk. TIME!' 

he calls it as 'TIME! That's a balk.' 

 

Wondering what you think is correct, thanks,

 

Jx

Edit: OBR Rules w/ Canadian Content

Edited by Jordxn
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If the game is under OBR, "That's a balk!" needs to proceed "Time!" since a balk is not a dead ball. In FED, you could call "Time!" first, because a balk is a dead ball.

I would suggest, however, to get in the habit of calling the balk first, just to keep yourself out of trouble when working under various rule sets.

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Hi all,

Having a debate with a fellow umpire on proper verbal mechanic for calling a balk -

I call a balk as 'That's a balk. TIME!' 

he calls it as 'TIME! That's a balk.' 

 

Wondering what you think is correct, thanks,

 

Jx

Edit: OBR Rules w/ Canadian Content

If your buddy understands when to call time in OBR when a balk is committed then he should, and you should call "that's a balk". You and your buddy should not then call time until some other things happen or do not happen.

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Never ever ever never ever nope ever call time first.

I am so tired of partners killing balks that should be played out. Your protest buddy.

If your playing under FED there is no reason to let the play run its course as the ball is dead immediately. No protest needed. OBR I would agree with your statement to let it play out as prematurely killing a play is wrong. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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With that said.............under OBR, with my big mouth (let's just say that my command presence and 12 years of voice projection practice), when I call a balk it usually gets the attention of everyone at the field and more times than not, stops the pitcher from his delivery.  Since nothing else will happen due to the pitcher NOT delivering the pitch (and the batter freezing), THEN I call time.

BY calling time first, your buddy may just be making a certain type of sammich that NOBODY likes to take a bite of.

 

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If the game is under OBR, "That's a balk!" needs to proceed "Time!" since a balk is not a dead ball. In FED, you could call "Time!" first, because a balk is a dead ball.

I would suggest, however, to get in the habit of calling the balk first, just to keep yourself out of trouble when working under various rule sets.

I thought this changed over the last year to where even if FED you stay down and call "Balk" then time

Umpires were getting hurt standing up during the pitch.

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I thought this changed over the last year to where even if FED you stay down and call "Balk" then time

Umpires were getting hurt standing up during the pitch.

this is what I remember.

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I thought this changed over the last year to where even if FED you stay down and call "Balk" then time

Umpires were getting hurt standing up during the pitch.

I said you could do it, but I recommended not to do it.

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With that said.............under OBR, with my big mouth (let's just say that my command presence and 12 years of voice projection practice), when I call a balk it usually gets the attention of everyone at the field and more times than not, stops the pitcher from his delivery.  Since nothing else will happen due to the pitcher NOT delivering the pitch (and the batter freezing), THEN I call time.

BY calling time first, your buddy may just be making a certain type of sammich that NOBODY likes to take a bite of.

 

My suggestion, either in the field or behind the plate, in FED or OBR,  is to remain HOK, point, call "that's a balk" and let the play play out.  After it plays out, kill it and award or ignore.

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My suggestion, either in the field or behind the plate, in FED or OBR,  is to remain HOK, point, call "that's a balk" and let the play play out.  After it plays out, kill it and award or ignore.

Disagree.  In FED, a balk kills the ball immediately.  There is absolutely no reason to "let the play play out," 

In OBR and NCAA rules codes, your suggestion is spot on.  

Now, if you work anything higher than HS, it might be a good idea to call, "That's a balk, TIME!" when you're working a HS game.  That way, your cadence for calling balks in collegiate games isn't altered by anything other than omitting the verbalization of "TIME!"  Heaven forbid you call, "TIME! That's a balk!" in an NCAA ballgame.

See Kevin_K's comment above...

Edited by UmpJeff
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Disagree.  In FED, a balk kills the ball immediately.  There is absolutely no reason to "let the play play out," 

In OBR and NCAA rules codes, your suggestion is spot on.  

Now, if you work anything higher than HS, it might be a good idea to call, "That's a balk, TIME!" when you're working a HS game.  That way, your cadence for calling balks in collegiate games isn't altered by anything other than omitting the verbalization of "TIME!"  Heaven forbid you call, "TIME! That's a balk!" in an NCAA ballgame.

See Kevin_K's comment above...

The FED manual actually changed to to be called that way. No more "Time" first.

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The FED manual actually changed to to be called that way. No more "Time" first.

Correct.  That's why I say, "That's a balk!  Time!" in that order.  I was disagreeing with catsbackr for letting the play play out in FED...

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If your playing under

FED

there is no reason to let the play run its course as the ball is dead immediately. No protest needed.

OBR

I would agree with your statement to let it play out as prematurely killing a play is wrong. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I didn't say let it play out in FED.

It is still a terrible idea to say time first in FED because it leads to bad habits and isn't even what is taught in FED anymore.

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If you let it play out, even in FED, you don't run the risk of everyone stopping except the pitcher and he continues, nails the batter in the face or the back of the head because he's looking at the PU, because he has relaxed and you get your butt sued.  If you let it continue until play is NATURALLY relaxed, no risks.

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If you let it play out, even in FED, you don't run the risk of everyone stopping except the pitcher and he continues, nails the batter in the face or the back of the head because he's looking at the PU, because he has relaxed and you get your butt sued.  If you let it continue until play is NATURALLY relaxed, no risks.

no umpire is going to get sued by calling a balk on the field, ...for god's sake ..... :no:

it seems you're talking about a specific situation where F1 is about to deliver a pitch (the balk is called 'in-motion')

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Jeff,

 

People get sued for stupid crap every day, so don't tell me it can't happen.

 

I'm not talking about a specific situation.  I'm talking about a more relaxed mechanic, instead of busting out, arms waving, during the pitch mechanic.  That's all.

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Jeff,

 

People get sued for stupid crap every day, so don't tell me it can't happen.

 

I'm not talking about a specific situation.  I'm talking about a more relaxed mechanic, instead of busting out, arms waving, during the pitch mechanic.  That's all.

they sure do, but not for saying "that's a balk!"

plus, ....litigation should be the absolute LAST thing on your mind when doing a game, IMHO

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People get sued for stupid crap every day, so don't tell me it can't happen.

Well, you *can* get sued for anything. You can get sued for advertising that women will like you because of your choice of beer. That doesn't mean the lawsuit will be successful. If you're living your entire life in fear of a lawsuit, stay home and watch TV - and that includes not driving to work. I'm not a lawyer, but I'm pretty sure that in order to be *successfully* sued, they would have to prove negligence - meaning that your motive was malicious and intending to hurt them. I don't see it happening.

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If you let it play out, even in FED, you don't run the risk of everyone stopping except the pitcher and he continues, nails the batter in the face or the back of the head because he's looking at the PU, because he has relaxed and you get your butt sued.  If you let it continue until play is NATURALLY relaxed, no risks.

In FED, it's an immediate dead ball.  You kill the play the second after you yell, "That's a balk! TIME!"  It's that simple...

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If you let it play out, even in FED, you don't run the risk of everyone stopping except the pitcher and he continues, nails the batter in the face or the back of the head because he's looking at the PU, because he has relaxed and you get your butt sued.  If you let it continue until play is NATURALLY relaxed, no risks.

Disagree.  You are more likely to get sued and more likely to lose that suit if you do not call time when the rules require you to do so.  The batter is just as likely to get hit, or ensuing action will result in an injury.  I can picture a plaintiff's lawyer telling a jury during closing argument "But for the failure of this defendant umpire to call time, as the rules required, my unfortunate client would not have been injured."

I recall a thread a couple or three years ago trying to find examples of lawsuits against umpires.  I think we found one or two, none of which led to liability.  As a practical matter, you need not umpire with lawsuits in mind.  Doing your job as best you can is the best defense.

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I do both OBR and Fed games, for my benefit I call "that's a balk" pause to see what happens (if OBR let it play out) then "time". In Fed it's Dead by rule so when I call time doesn't matter. I won't let the play keep going but I'm not in that big of a hurry either. For me it's a potential bad habit that will one day bite me in the "coach" at the wrong time if I call time prior to balk. Maybe I'm just not that smart. As for how I do it, if I'm PU I stay in my stance and call it. If I'm BU then I come up and point also.

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As far as the legal implications, being that's it dead by rule in Fed I don't see how I could get sued for them not knowing the rules, that's coaching. Then again I'm not a lawyer (but I did play one in a bar once......it didn't help).

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