SleptTilNoonLOL

I have a question about batter interference after watching what I thought was an obvious one which was not called in the top of the 2nd inning of Angels/Yankees on 6/18. I have MLBTV but dont know how to clip the video and post, sorry. It's more of a general question though. On a steal of second, are we pretty much calling it anytime a batter falls off balance after his swing and steps in front of the plate? I'm always surprised and impressed at how catchers get good throws off to second despite batters leaning/stepping into their throwing lane and the F2's never seem bothered by it. The rule is obviously to call it only if it interferes with the F2, but I am struggling with "rewarding" batters who are falling off balance and stepping in front of the plate after their swing or bunt attempts. I feel like the F2 should get the benefit of the doubt in those cases. Does anyone have any tips on how they judge "hinderance" on this play?

Thanks for the insightful replies guys. In my judgement as the play turned out F3 did not impact the outcome of the play at all so it seems like the consensus here was that I was correct to pass on the OBS. And yes, I'm aware that any OBS is an automatic base in NFHS but in my area the umpires take some minor liberties with that to use some common sense and judgement, as it seems most of you do as well.

NFHS rules, Varsity BB Bases loaded, outs dont matter. Batter hits ball into gap and is looking to go for extra bases, but F8 was positioned over into that gap and cuts the ball off. Batter is obstructed by F3 as he makes a big turn around 1st, but it is clear he isnt going to go to 2nd (and wouldnt have regardless of OBS) as the runner relaxes and starts to head back towards 1st. Then, the ball gets thrown in and gets away from the cutoff man. Batter-runner now takes off for second, and is thrown out on a very close play. I ruled no obstruction and the BR out at 2nd. Did I make the correct call?

Wouldnt this move be extremely effective in situations like a 3-2 count with 2 outs if you are leading by a few runs and the risk of a balk is well worth the chance that you will catch the runner? I was a fairly smart baserunner as a HS player and when stealing against a RHP I left 100% of the time when the pitcher lifted his front foot. I agree with what everyone is saying about it being legal in the rulebook, but why have I never seen this done by a pitcher in 40 years of watching and playing baseball from little league to MLB? Have others seen it?

OBR rules - man on 1st, F1 straddles rubber, looks in for sign from F2, starts to "come set" while off the rubber but then sidearms a pickoff throw to 1st without stepping. Offensive coach wants balk, but from what I remember reading this is illegal in FED but not a balk in OBR. Reading online it seems there are some split opinions on this in the umpire community. I want to balk it because if this move becomes commonplace it will slow down games and lead to SH*#shows. Do I have rulebook support to balk this in OBR for taking signs while off the rubber + simulating pitching motion?

This stuff will happen more as the tik tok generation becomes coaches. Put on a show with the goal of getting famous/going viral by acting like a clown as opposed to accomplishing something.

Wow really? I certainly work with quite a few guys who would not know to balk that, but they are the guys who are just weak umpires in general. I am surprised its to the point in your area where people would be surprised that was called. That might be the second most common balk I call, after the no-stop which is #1 by a mile. The move that fits your description in my area is the one where F1 does a jump turn feint to 1st with his back foot landing behind the rubber. If I called that a balk I would be looked at funny by almost everyone so I dont call it. Never been questioned yet.

After umpiring long enough we all know that sometimes the play looks like slow motion in our minds and we know we nailed it, even if its a razor thin call. Other times it "blows up" on us and we think we probably got it right but are not sure. I have improved so much on bang bang plays at 1b but still have not figured out the ideal distance to be away from the bag. Obviously the angle depends on where the throw is coming from and if the throw is pulling the 1b off the bag. But actual distance from the bag, is there a generally accepted rule for that?

So in a HS varsity or college game...R1 with a 3-2 count and 2 outs, F1 lifts front leg and steps towards 2nd to inevitably get the runner hung up between 1st and 2nd..we are not balking this?

Once the pitcher engages the rubber I dont take my eyes off him. I work only two man, sometimes with plate umpires who have no clue about balks. So I am very hesitant to take my eyes away from F1 to "check the runner." Is this a pre-pitch habit I should be in when I have a PU I can trust? Glance back at R2 with F1 engaged to make sure nothing funny is going on?

Interesting @The Man in Blue how did you see this in C position? I have wondered a few times while in C about something like that on a steal of 3rd (or even the SS intentionally tripping the runner) and how the hell I would see it to call anything when I am looking in towards the hitter and have my back to the play in 2-man

We've all been in situations where a fast runner reaches base against a team with a weak F2. Everyone in the ballpark knows the runner is going to steal 2nd on the first pitch, and there is absolutely no chance he will be thrown out. Or a 1st and 3rd situation where everyone knows the defensive team will let the runner go and not throw. My question is, why dont coaches in these situations have their pitcher lift leg and move towards second base? Worst case scenario (with only R1) the runner doesnt go, its a balk and the runner gets 2nd like he was going to anyway. I believe with a RHP on the mound they would get outs a substantial % of the time with the runner going as soon as the pitcher lifts his front leg. Am I missing something? I have literally never seen this attempted by a defensive team at any level.

I had a kid do this stuff from the stretch today and did not balk it because he never hesitated or stopped his delivery. But I feel like when he is shimmying back and forth and doing various nonsense, he technically is moving towards home plate during his delivery, then moving back towards second base, then towards home plate again. He never tried to shimmie and then throw to a base. I would have balked that for the reason above. Should I have balked it when he was wiggling around during delivery but eventually pitched? He was actually pretty good at it and it did not hinder his effectiveness, in contrast to every other kid I've seen try this stuff.

Another interesting thing about this play is that the HP plate umpire did NOT watch the player touch the plate with the winning run. There were several replays that showed he was just kinda standing there in a trance signaling dead ball, looking down towards where the ball went out of play. Then he quickly snaps out of it and quickly turns around to look at the plate, but the runner had already passed it by a couple steps. Made me feel good to see it because it shows sometimes even the best in the business make rookie mistakes.

Nobody on, outs dont matter. FED but I'm pretty sure its the same in all codes. 0-2 pitch in dirt batter fooled and swings and misses, his follow through comes back and hits F2 in the back as F2 was starting to come out of his crouch and coming forward to retrieve the ball. F2 did not react, and picked up the ball and threw to first for the easy out. I kinda froze on it because the definition of interference is "hindering a play" which F2 did not seem to be hindered by it at all. In retrospect I believe I should have killed it immediately and called the batter out for INT. Thoughts?