Is this a Balk???

[IHSAUmp08]

Did a 11 y/o travel game today. 1 balk warning. It was the 3rd inning, we had runners on 1st and 2nd nobody out. Lefthander on the mound. He comes set with the left foot on the rubber when the kid at 2nd takes off for 3rd. Everyone screams out "HE'S GOING, HE'S GOING". Kid twirls around and throws him out by a country mile. The coach blows up saying he has to step off because it's an unoccupied base. I tell him he did nothing wrong because he can step toward the base if he's attempting a putout. That's the way I interpureted the rule. I need confirmation guys, I stuck to my call like a fly on sh**. Final score was 2-1 against the offensive team. Coach said I blew it for his kids, it's always my fault. He kept churping after the game as I was walking towards my car. Nevermind that that they had 3 or 4 innings where they left runners in scoring position. Thanks guys!

[Tyennie]

This is one of the tougher balks to call, it becomes your judgment: Was the runner making a legitimate attempt to steal 3rd or was it a feint? If it was a legit. attempt OUT. if it was a feint and R2 didn't get but 3 or 4 steps off 2B, coach might have a good case for a balk call. I generally go with the "halfway rule" (my own judgment criteria, before some of you start throwing crap at me) : ) if the baserunner has committed halfway to the next base it sure as heck ain't no feint.

[IHSAUmp08]

This is one of the tougher balks to call, it becomes your judgment: Was the runner making a legitimate attempt to steal 3rd or was it a feint? If it was a legit. attempt OUT. if it was a feint and R2 didn't get but 3 or 4 steps off 2B, coach might have a good case for a balk call. I generally go with the "halfway rule" (my own judgment criteria, before some of you start throwing crap at me) : ) if the baserunner has committed halfway to the next base it sure as heck ain't no feint.

He was all systems go into 3rd. The instant the pitcher came set, It all happend in an instant. There was no feint, he was going, I'm 100%.

[Tyennie]

The only other question becomes which way did he twirl? Right foot going back behind the rubber, which would cause him to disengage (eventually) or did he step toward third with his free foot, depending on the foot motion & swing of the leg, that could be construed as not delivering to home. (not the argument of the OP)

[kwiggie]

Check out this thread "Legal pick-off?" under the Rules catagory

I had the same question several months ago and got great info from the guys here. My question was proposed as a fed ruled game, not sure if yours is?

[th3]

you can throw to an unoccupied base if making a play on a runner right?

[Tyennie]

yes. And also for the intent of making an appeal. (missed base, runner leaving early, etc.....

[calablue]

Did a 11 y/o travel game today. 1 balk warning. It was the 3rd inning, we had runners on 1st and 2nd nobody out. Lefthander on the mound. He comes set with the left foot on the rubber when the kid at 2nd takes off for 3rd. Everyone screams out "HE'S GOING, HE'S GOING". Kid twirls around and throws him out by a country mile. The coach blows up saying he has to step off because it's an unoccupied base. I tell him he did nothing wrong because he can step toward the base if he's attempting a putout. That's the way I interpureted the rule. I need confirmation guys, I stuck to my call like a fly on sh**. Final score was 2-1 against the offensive team. Coach said I blew it for his kids, it's always my fault. He kept churping after the game as I was walking towards my car. Nevermind that that they had 3 or 4 innings where they left runners in scoring position. Thanks guys!

I got nothing here. Sounds like he made a good play and you made the right call. It's always my fault too. That one bang bang play that didn't go their way or that called 3rd strike they didn't like is always what caused them to lose the game 19 - 3.:GL:

[DirtyDawg]

I got nothing here. Sounds like he made a good play and you made the right call. It's always my fault too. That one bang bang play that didn't go their way or that called 3rd strike they didn't like is always what caused them to lose the game 19 - 3.

Well, there was a few called 3rd strikes!!

[Mr Umpire]

He was all systems go into 3rd. The instant the pitcher came set, It all happend in an instant. There was no feint, he was going, I'm 100%.

No balk. Unless he balked some other way, such as he started to deliver a pitch but didn't or whatever else one could apply, he didn't balk by making a play on R2 going to 3B.

No coach seems to read the "except to make a play" part of the rule. You got it right for all codes. In OBR, it has to be a legitimate attempt. In FED, a bluff is good enough from my understanding to drive the runner back. Don't know for NCAA.

[noumpere]

Did a 11 y/o travel game today.

(snip)

Coach said I blew it for his kids, it's always my fault. He kept churping after the game as I was walking towards my car.

It's travel, so it might not mean much, but consider a post-game ejection.

[mstaylor]

I used to do USSSA with one group that tracked ejections. An ejection in the semi, you are out of the final. If ejected in eithr semi or final and you were out the next tournament that team entered.

This was the same group that for one year passed a rule on CRs. If you didn't CR for the catcher or pitcher with two outs the manager was ejected on the first occurance. Each infraction after that lost you another coach until you were out of coaches.

[Umpire in Chief]

I used to do USSSA with one group that tracked ejections. An ejection in the semi, you are out of the final. If ejected in eithr semi or final and you were out the next tournament that team entered.

This was the same group that for one year passed a rule on CRs. If you didn't CR for the catcher or pitcher with two outs the manager was ejected on the first occurance. Each infraction after that lost you another coach until you were out of coaches.

Me like

[mstaylor]

PIAA worked for the same group. They were serious about CRs and ejections. I had to eject a kid for an illegal bat in a semi. Cost him the final and another tournament.

[yawetag]

This was the same group that for one year passed a rule on CRs. If you didn't CR for the catcher or pitcher with two outs the manager was ejected on the first occurance. Each infraction after that lost you another coach until you were out of coaches.

This is stupid, IMO. What if your pitcher is one of the fastest players on the team? You're effectively forcing the team to hamper itself, simply to save a few seconds.

Instead, they should do the following: If a CR isn't used for the pitcher or catcher, another fielder should bring the pitcher's glove out, and another fielder should be ready to warm-up the pitcher.

[tommy]

I hate to be the voice of dispare here guys but I guess I dont understant the meaning of " twirl " did the lefty lift his right leg and do a spin move toward second base then stop and throw to third. that is no balk. did he disengage the rubber and throw to third in front of a play, also no balk. however if he did not disingage the rubber spun to his right ( clockwise ) while in the set possition to throw to third there is no way possible that he could have done this with out making forward progress towards home plate. he gained ground towards the batter and threw to a base, thats a balk if thats the way it happened. also if that is the way it happened when the lefty threw to third while twirling clockwise his left foot had to come off the rubber towards home plate. balk.

I hope I interpeted what you explained correctly.

[Thunderheads]

I hate to be the voice of dispare here guys but I guess I dont understant the meaning of " twirl " did the lefty lift his right leg and do a spin move toward second base then stop and throw to third. that is no balk. did he disengage the rubber and throw to third in front of a play, also no balk. however if he did not disingage the rubber spun to his right ( clockwise ) while in the set possition to throw to third there is no way possible that he could have done this with out making forward progress towards home plate. he gained ground towards the batter and threw to a base, thats a balk if thats the way it happened. also if that is the way it happened when the lefty threw to third while twirling clockwise his left foot had to come off the rubber towards home plate. balk.

I hope I interpeted what you explained correctly.

That's how I'm invisioning this too ...........can we get a clarification? please?

[noumpere]

however if he did not disingage the rubber spun to his right ( clockwise ) while in the set possition to throw to third there is no way possible that he could have done this with out making forward progress towards home plate. he gained ground towards the batter and threw to a base, thats a balk if thats the way it happened. also if that is the way it happened when the lefty threw to third while twirling clockwise his left foot had to come off the rubber towards home plate. balk.

I hope I interpeted what you explained correctly.

I envisioned it the same as a RH move to first from the rubber. It's legal, as long as F1 hasn't first lifted his free foot toward the balance position.

[tommy]

i think we need a video for this one:) i think we are all right and all wrong. in my head I can see it as a balk if he did one thing and not as a balk if he did something else........ oh brother. the call was made, the game finished and everyone went home safely. sounds good to me.