Balk Questions

[buddywilshire]

First off, been awhile since I was on here. Just had a baby boy and been busy. First boy. A few of you said Congrats already, so I thank you for that.

Anyway now back to umpiring after take a few weeks off and a question came up which lead to another one, which lead to another one etc. Any help would be great.

I was PU. R1. F1 brings the first pitch home in slide step and it is a strike. On pitch two F1 doesn't slide step. He lefts his knee up much higher then the first pitch. BU balks him. Coach comes out and ask him and BU explains that he was deceving the runner by changing the level he lifted his leg is a balk. The coach argued for a minute but we played on. After game I asked him to explain the call. He said the samething he did before. I didn't have a rule book, is this a balk? Seems that I have seen the pros change the leg level, but maybe I'm wrong.

This lead us to another question. If the pitcher is in he stretch and after he starts to come from the plate and he brings the ball out of his glove, then puts it back in, is that a balk? I called it, to me it looks like he is deceving the runner, but I can't find it in the book.

Thanks Guys

[Umpire in Chief]

He can raise his leg as high or low as he chooses. It pecomes a problem when he doesn't deliver to the base he's stepping to or if he hangs his leg (stopping his motion)

Remember the pitcher is trying to deceive the runner, he just has to do it legally. Changing his delivery, timing, look is all fair game.

[yawetag]

First off, been awhile since I was on here. Just had a baby boy and been busy. First boy. A few of you said Congrats already, so I thank you for that.

Welcome back! I was just wondering today how things were.

[jnazz]

Good pitchers change their delivery, time of stop, etc. all the time. No balk.

In your situation, I see no balk as long as he delivers the ball.

[boyinr]

Congrats on your new family.

In the first example I do not have a balk. In the second example I do have one.

[Umpire in Chief]

This lead us to another question. If the pitcher is in he stretch and after he starts to come from the plate and he brings the ball out of his glove, then puts it back in, is that a balk? I called it, to me it looks like he is deceving the runner, but I can't find it in the book.

Thanks Guys

Sorry I didn't respond to this question. Assuming he was set initially as he was in the stretch, he can bring his back to the glove, as long as he is in constant motion. You see some of the guys from way back in the days of black and white, no replay etc doing it every so often. But I don't think I've ever seen this myself. It is a balk if he starts his motion, then resets.

[noumpere]

This lead us to another question. If the pitcher is in he stretch and after he starts to come from the plate and he brings the ball out of his glove, then puts it back in, is that a balk?

He puts it back in and ....

stops? Balk

continues the motion, eventually removing the ball and throwing / pitching? Legal.

I agree with the others that the first play was legal. BU must have been a volunteer LL ump.

(That's a joke, son.)

[spiritumpa]

neither one was a balk

[mstaylor]

He can have as many different motions as he likes as long as each seperate one is legal. This is an old myth that never seems to die. He can also move the ball in and out of the glove during his motion, he just can't bring it out and put it back befre he starts.