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Balk?


tempetoro
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High School Varsity game.  A new pitcher was warming up and in his stretch had the ball in hand and rested it on the front hip bone pelvic area while taking signs. My field partner apparently told him that would be a balk when the game resumes and that the ball had to be on his side or behind his back in his stretch.  When the game resumed, he balked the pitcher 3 times in the subsequent innings.  I know the rule book states in the stretch the ball must be on the side or behind but I have never seen this called a balk.  He was a senior guy in our association so I didn't question or bring it up after or during the game.  Is this a balk?  

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6 minutes ago, tempetoro said:

So now what should I have done on the game when I know its not a balk but my senior partner insists it is?  Nice guy just the stereotypical know it all who can't be bothered with anyone questioning his logic.

Depending on where his glove was your partner  may have had a point. If the ball and glove are close it can be difficult to see when they are together. FED allows us to judge a natural arm position such as hanging down as "at his side". If your partner didn't have that judgement and warned, the pitcher was butting his head against a wall.

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Could be . He has to present the hand or the ball by holding one or the other by his side or behind his back. The runner(s) must be able to see this. If you judge that they cannot, then call it.  I called this balk recently because the pitcher tucked the ball up tight against his abdomen while looking in for his sign. Here's the Fed Rule and BRD interp.

Pitcher hand by side.pdf

BTW. The reason I have this PDF handy is because certain people needed this balk explained after I called it.

 

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22 minutes ago, Forest Ump said:

Could be . He has to present the hand or the ball by holding one or the other by his side or behind his back. The runner(s) must be able to see this. If you judge that they cannot, then call it.  I called this balk recently because the pitcher tucked the ball up tight against his abdomen while looking in for his sign. Here's the BRD interp.

Pitcher hand by side.pdf

That's not the BRD interp but the BRD does have a Hopkins interp from 2010 that the OP is illegal. Your veteran might remember that. There is still a little judgement allowed as to whether you consider it at his side or not and whether you and the runner can discern him coming set.

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58 minutes ago, Jimurray said:

That's not the BRD interp but the BRD does have a Hopkins interp from 2010 that the OP is illegal. Your veteran might remember that. There is still a little judgement allowed as to whether you consider it at his side or not and whether you and the runner can discern him coming set.

You have to scroll down. I listed the Fed rule and then the BRD interp. I do agree that a warning should precede this balk call. I also believe that it's a no call with a runner at 2nd or 3rd because he can see a right handed pitchers hand. I also believe that a strong argument can be made that this move is more deceptive than a hybrid stance.

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3 hours ago, tempetoro said:

So now what should I have done on the game when I know its not a balk but my senior partner insists it is?  Nice guy just the stereotypical know it all who can't be bothered with anyone questioning his logic.

Not a lot you can do.  I worked a college game with my assigner and called a balk because the pitcher dipped his shoulder towards home after coming set and then picked the runner off first base.  Partner was adamant that the pitcher could make a move towards the plate and then throw to first.  The runner who got picked off coach came and discussed it with me since I called it and I told him to go talk to my partner, it wasn't going to happen.  When you work with somebody like that in that situation there isn't a lot you can do.

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2010 NFHS Baseball Rules Interpretations SITUATION 3: While in the set position, F1 has his pitching arm resting on his thigh and his pitching hand is at rest in his lower abdominal area. RULING: This is illegal. Having his pitching hand at rest in this area gives the offense little to no visibility of the baseball and action by the pitcher. (6-1-3)

2018 NFHS rule 6-1 ART. 3 . . . For the set position, the pitcher shall have the ball in either his gloved hand or his pitching hand. His pitching hand shall be down at his side or behind his back…

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