House rules balk issue

[maxs]

OBR - 12u 50/70 travel league, I'm PU. Ripken rules, but they also add their own modifications - the one that matters here is that they say that each pitcher at this age gets one warning before a balk penalty is enforced.

The situation: R1, R3, 1 out. RHP tries a 3rd to 1st move, but just swings his leg around to first, without stepping toward 3rd ("That's a balk") but his throw gets away from F3 and both runners advance.

I go to the pitcher, tell him that's his warning, go back towards the plate and look to the dugout to tell the HC that his pitcher has a balk warning, but he wants to come talk to me -- I'm thinking he wants to know why it was a balk but when he comes out, he says that all season their umpires have called the ball dead on a warning and no one can advance. I call out the other HC to make sure I have the house rule right, and he stands there quietly (I think their games had been called the same way) but he had the house rules in his pocket to show the complaining coach, and the whole balk rule was "it's a warning..." nothing about the ball being dead. (I allowed the runners to advance on the principle that they were advancing on a wild throw to bases beyond what they would have been awarded)

So I stuck with the call (my partner didn't get involved, but also didn't really back me up as much as I would have liked - mostly because he was convinced the ball was dead on ANY balk - and no he doesn't do FED), and the team played the game under protest - and lost 12-0 anyway.

Do you think I should have stuck to the rules (which I'm pretty sure means calling it like I did)? Or should I have gone with what the coaches would have accepted, and sent the runners back?

[txump81]

If you looked at a copy of the house rules and there was nothing in it saying the ball was dead, play on, you're right. Another problem with house rules...

[semper_fi_72]

You got it right.

OBR Balk the ball is still live.

The only change to the rule that your "House Rule" is making is to give a warning to the pitcher on the first occurrence, instead of enforcing the penalty.

[Aging_Arbiter]

Post starts OBR.......next sentence starts "Ripken Rules". I guess there is a starting point......

[Rich Ives]

Post starts OBR.......next sentence starts "Ripken Rules". I guess there is a starting point......

Ripken uses OBR-based rules (as do almost all youth orgs).

[JaxRolo]

I agree Ripken is OBR and ball is live on a balk.

You got the call correct. Good Job. Just because others have called it different it doesnt make them right.

[Aging_Arbiter]

Ripken uses OBR-based rules (as do almost all youth orgs).

Understood..........but a balk is a balk. "House rules" are whats wrong with today's youth. You don't like this..........make an exception to the rule. Afterall, it's only been America's favorite past time for HOW LONG?

[calablue]

OBR - 12u 50/70 travel league, I'm PU. Ripken rules, but they also add their own modifications - the one that matters here is that they say that each pitcher at this age gets one warning before a balk penalty is enforced.

The situation: R1, R3, 1 out. RHP tries a 3rd to 1st move, but just swings his leg around to first, without stepping toward 3rd ("That's a balk") but his throw gets away from F3 and both runners advance.

I go to the pitcher, tell him that's his warning, go back towards the plate and look to the dugout to tell the HC that his pitcher has a balk warning, but he wants to come talk to me -- I'm thinking he wants to know why it was a balk but when he comes out, he says that all season their umpires have called the ball dead on a warning and no one can advance. I call out the other HC to make sure I have the house rule right, and he stands there quietly (I think their games had been called the same way) but he had the house rules in his pocket to show the complaining coach, and the whole balk rule was "it's a warning..." nothing about the ball being dead. (I allowed the runners to advance on the principle that they were advancing on a wild throw to bases beyond what they would have been awarded)

So I stuck with the call (my partner didn't get involved, but also didn't really back me up as much as I would have liked - mostly because he was convinced the ball was dead on ANY balk - and no he doesn't do FED), and the team played the game under protest - and lost 12-0 anyway.

Do you think I should have stuck to the rules (which I'm pretty sure means calling it like I did)? Or should I have gone with what the coaches would have accepted, and sent the runners back?

Imagine the crap that would have been flying had the batter popped one over the fence for 3 run homer if it had been a " never came set balk" and the pitch had taken place. Wouldn't have wanted to be in your shoes in that sitch. Especially with a partner who thinks it should be a dead ball as soon as a balk is called!!!:wave:

[maxs]

Thanks guys, what made it worse was that my assigner for this league called me after the game and said I should have killed it, so that really made me second guess myself.

(As you can tell, this association isn't exactly the best, but this is my first year in the area, so I take what I can get, and the HS association only assigns HS games.)

[BlueKen]

We have the same rule in our league. I've been told by the head over the umpires that it should be a dead ball on a balk warning. But it's not in the rule book that way so I've asked that they add that language.

I had a game where I was BU and the batter had a 3-2 count. F1 balked and followed through with the pitch. I called it a balk but PU didn't recognize it and called Ball 4. I explained the balk and the batter went back to bat with a 3-2 count and struck out looking. So the balk actually benefited the defense.

Strange. I think we should just call and enforce the balks under OBR without warnings. If they want the umpires to be more lenient with younger players, they can just say that. For instance, I don't call balks against 4th graders in league play if he moves his legs a little while set as long as he doesn't pick either foot off the ground. Or I'd be calling balks all day long.

[mstaylor]

I'm not going to rant about local rules or balk warnings, both of which are stupid, but even if you warn you shouldn't kill the play.