LL Balk or Ball?

[jetman]

Big League game; pitcher standing just behind rubber w/o ball. R3 steps of as third baseman tags him. First, is play legal in little league and if not, is it a balk or a ball?

[ukce1861]

Big League game; pitcher standing just behind rubber w/o ball. R3 steps of as third baseman tags him. First, is play legal in little league and if not, is it a balk or a ball?

What's there to be illegal? The pitcher is not standing on, or straddling, the rubber. As long as he's not feinting a pitch, I've got neither ball nor balk.

Before I say I've got an out at 3rd, is the ball legally in play? If this is after some stoppage in play (when time was called or required) the ball cannot be legally be put back in play since the pitcher doesn't have the ball and he's not on the rubber. However, provided the ball is still alive, than yeah, I've got an out.

[txump81]

Exactly one of the reasons I try to keep the ball live unless absolutely needed(Foul, visit, or legitimate request). Baseball is baseball, pay attention.

Worked with a guy last night that would call TIME after every hit. To each his own, just not my style.

[Astrosdawg07]

In FED you might have a balk if he is extremely close to the rubber.

[calablue]

In FED you might have a balk if he is extremely close to the rubber.

I'm pretty sure that in FED he can't be within 3 or 4 feet of the rubber, something like that or it would be a balk. In NCAA rules, I'm SURE that the pitcher is not allowed to have even one foot within the 18 ft diameter circle of the pitchers mound or it is a balk. And I know that Babe Ruth rules are the same as OBR, which says that it is a balk if the pitcher stands on or astride the rubber without the ball. All the above situations are only true if the ball is in play already.

[calablue]

In Fed it is a balk if the pitcher is within 5 feet of the rubber without the ball. (again...only if the ball is already in play). Rule 6-2-5. and of course this post and my previous post assume there is at least one base occupied.

[calablue]

To answer the question regarding little league.... if they are using OBR than it is a legal play.

[catoblue]

LL Big League is OBR with almost no modifications. If the ball is legally in play, you have an out at 3B - it's a kinda bush play, but the hidden ball trick is perfectly legal in LL Big League

In most circumstances when teams try this, the ball is not in play and it's nothing.