Calling a step balk from the B position?

[Replacematt]

26 minutes ago, Cato the Younger said:

If you guys want to be "balk evangelists" enforcing this one knock yourselves out. You have rule support, but I am not going to be balking this anytime soon if smoothly executed unless a whole lot more of your colleagues actually start calling it.

There's  a huge difference between what's preached at association meetings and what's actually called in games by many umpires.

I've never not seen this called, to include MLB. This isn't a technical balk or a booger...this is an elephant.

[Cato the Younger]

21 hours ago, Matt said:

A spin on the free foot? This is a balk in every game, even t-ball.

Pitcher picking off in tee-ball?????? That is a pretty interesting tee-ball league you work in.  

Don't worry I understand your point even though technically it didn't make any sense.

There's also a big difference between spinning off the free foot and stepping but not gaining ground.

It looks a lot different. The spin I would call. But stepping and not gaining ground? No way.

I'm fascinated by how much conviction there is. Obviously, in pro baseball, this is enforced, and I've posted about that.

But funny how we think that this is a regular balk call in Federation and NCAA. This is a pretty common move and not balked is much as posters would lead you to believe here.

I can remember when we would tell all the new guys breaking into NCAA baseball that there were only two real balks they needed to worry about. Faking home and faking the first. 

Back then. They never stopped. A change of direction was considered a stop back then. The only way that a pitcher ever got called for a balk was if they had no idea what they were doing. I had many college seasons with less than a handful of balks. I think things are a little more rigid today but not as much as you think by reading the posting here.

[maven]

I don't know where CTY works, but I do believe there are areas of the country where expectations are different. After watching football game film from other parts of the country, I can assure you that if those coaches came to my area and tried to coach their whole game standing 3-5 yards on the field of play, they wouldn't last 2 downs. Around here, crews who fail to enforce the restricted area are sanctioned. Different areas, different enforcements.

OTOH, it could be just CTY who doesn't enforce this rule. I can't imagine any reputable clinic, at any level, in any part of the country, teaching umpires to let this one slide.

[Kevin_K]

"Who's that trip trapping over my bridge?" asked the Troll.

"Why, it's us, umpires who try to enforce the rules, even the ones we may not agree with!" said @Maven to his fellow travelers.

"I'm coming to gobble up your time and effort in all too many debates!" roared the Troll.

Be wary of the Troll! It will consume you!

 

[noumpere]

I might agree with CTY that it's not called as much at levels less-than-pro.  But, I don't think it's because anyone doesn't want to call it or is afraid to call it.  Rather, I think it's because many of the umpires don't see it because of lack of training, or lack of focus, or PU moving his eyes from F1 toward first, ...

[Cato the Younger]

3 hours ago, Kevin_K said:

"Who's that trip trapping over my bridge?" asked the Troll.

"Why, it's us, umpires who try to enforce the rules, even the ones we may not agree with!" said @Maven to his fellow travelers.

"I'm coming to gobble up your time and effort in all too many debates!" roared the Troll.

Be wary of the Troll! It will consume you!

 

An alternative point and point of view and pointing out reality is far from trolling.

Especially when this is a situation that is far from universally enforced. 

For example, if OP comes on and says the pitcher turns the first and fails to release the ball is that a balk???? That's one that everybody pretty much will be on the same page and should be. 

I've seen guys turn, step and not gain ground on a pick-off many times in baseball games. No-one says boo. No coaches, no fans, no players, no umpires. Try and get away with that pitcher turns the first and fails to release the ball.

Umpires pass maybe because they don't know the rule, maybe the guy is checking out the hot mom in the stands, or maybe they are like me realizing that this is not a universally enforced balk, and we pass on calling it because we don't want to be conducting a pitching clinic on the field and get labeled as one of those umpires that "always has something every game."

Regardless you're fooling yourself if you think this is enforced as universally as the posting here would imply. I'm just pointing that out.

[Cato the Younger]

2 hours ago, noumpere said:

I might agree with CTY that it's not called as much at levels less-than-pro.  But, I don't think it's because anyone doesn't want to call it or is afraid to call it.  Rather, I think it's because many of the umpires don't see it because of lack of training, or lack of focus, or PU moving his eyes from F1 toward first, ...

 Agreed. I think you hit on one of the big reasons.

 I'm not saying I would never call this situation a balk, but certainly things would need to change than the current status quo for me to be throwing up my arms in Federation, and pointing at the pitcher in NCAA at the pitcher......... yelling "balk" when this happens.

 I just want to point out that there are a number of rules in the book that I deliberately pass on every game with an awareness that there is some sort of a violation of that rule. This is just one of them.

I think the other issue is guys that spend time enforcing rules like to enforce rules. I'm probably more unique in the fact that just because I know a rule doesn't mean I'm going to enforce it in every situation.

[grayhawk]

A spin on the free foot? This is a balk in every game, even t-ball.

Yup, and that's exactly what he did.

[Cato the Younger]

1 hour ago, grayhawk said:

Yup, and that's exactly what he did.

If he didn't pick up the non-pivot and just spun, I agree it's a balk, and I have posted that more than once in this thread.

Others in this thread including me have been also discussing when the pitcher steps but does not gain ground.  

This is not enforced as universally as a balk the posting here would imply and I pass on balking this.

[Out&UglyToo]

Cato - I agree that "illegal deception" is better wording than "intentional deception". Thank you for that.

[ALStripes17]

 Agreed. I think you hit on one of the big reasons.

 I'm not saying I would never call this situation a balk, but certainly things would need to change than the current status quo for me to be throwing up my arms in Federation, and pointing at the pitcher in NCAA at the pitcher......... yelling "balk" when this happens.

 I just want to point out that there are a number of rules in the book that I deliberately pass on every game with an awareness that there is some sort of a violation of that rule. This is just one of them.

I think the other issue is guys that spend time enforcing rules like to enforce rules. I'm probably more unique in the fact that just because I know a rule doesn't mean I'm going to enforce it in every situation.

Two points:

NCAA wants this called. IIRC, this was a POE or a midseason bulletin within the last few years.

Second, your word is very difficult to read, believe, and take seriously after your plagiarism faux pas recently. Gain the trust back before falling on your sword as the lonely martyr.

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