Balk stop / step out of box....

[UmpTTS43]

Batter is taking too long receiving signs ...ball is LIVE and he's NOT requested 'time', so , ...I'm letting it go, of course ....well the pitcher is taking signs, then looks towards second before he pitches ....

Batter is NOT in the box yet, ...F1 looks to home as his windup starts and then stops .......

In the original OP, the batter was getting signs. Taking awhile, but getting signs none the less. He is doing nothing illegal. Whether the pitcher pitches, or starts and stops, without the batter being ready. BALK.

If he is taking his "sweet time" he is still not violating any rules until the PU warns him and requests that he gets in the box. If a pitch is made while he is taking his "sweet time" before the PU's request, BALK. Once the PU addresses the batter, he should suspend time since his focus is away from the ball.

It is irrelevant whether or not he is in a legal batting position. Just because he is not in the box does not mean he is not the batter. He is the batter as soon as the previous batter is put out or reaches base.

It seems no one wants to put any fault on the F1 for not paying attention. F1 acted illegally. The batter has done nothing illegal. BALK.

Edited November 20, 2010 by UmpTTS43

[mstaylor]

It seems no one wants to put any fault on the F1 for not paying attention. F1 acted illegally. The batter has done nothing illegal. BALK.

Not only the pitcher acted illegally but in a dangerous manner. QPs are considered dangerous even at the pro level. Many youth pitchers get flipped out when they get runners and try all kind of stupid things including looking at the runner until he starts his motion thinking that they will be fooled which direction he is going. The problem is this is exactly what happens, he doesn't see the batter not ready and creates a balk.

[mazzamouth]

In the original OP, the batter was getting signs. Taking awhile, but getting signs none the less. He is doing nothing illegal. Whether the pitcher pitches, or starts and stops, without the batter being ready. BALK.

here is my question.. what if the pitcher threw the pitch. would you call it a ball or strike according to the pitch location?

[UmpTTS43]

here is my question.. what if the pitcher threw the pitch. would you call it a ball or strike according to the pitch location?

Since the pitcher quick pitched, the only relevant pitch would be when there is a 3 ball count with runners on 1st, 1st and 2nd, or bases loaded. If those senarios were in play, first I would call the balk as loudly as possible to try to stop the pitcher in his motion. If the ball was delivered then I would look for location, giving a very, very tight zone. If it was a ball, I would send the batter to first thereby advancing the runners.

[mazzamouth]

Since the pitcher quick pitched, the only relevant pitch would be when there is a 3 ball count with runners on 1st, 1st and 2nd, or bases loaded. If those senarios were in play, first I would call the balk as loudly as possible to try to stop the pitcher in his motion. If the ball was delivered then I would look for location, giving a very, very tight zone. If it was a ball, I would send the batter to first thereby advancing the runners.

OK.. a quick is a balk... By why do runners need to be on 1st, or 1st and 2nd, ? why not 3rd? and a 3 ball count.. I can't find anything in the rule that has plays with those scenarios in them?....

I still have to go back and say you can't have a pitch if the batter is not in the box, and in the OP the batter wasn't causing a delay.

[UmpTTS43]

OK.. a quick is a balk... By why do runners need to be on 1st, or 1st and 2nd, ? why not 3rd? and a 3 ball count.. I can't find anything in the rule that has plays with those scenarios in them?....

You asked if I would call the pitch. With the senarios I stated, those are the only times that the status of the pitch (ball/strike) is relevent. If the pitch results in ball four and the award forces all runners, the balk is disregarded. If it is ball four but not all runners advance or any other pitch, the pitch is disregarded and the balk is enforced.

Anytime there is a pitch when a balk is called, the pitch is not called unless it forces the situation where the balk is nullified. "Time" is the proper call when the catcher receives the pitch after a balk call, above senario is the exception.

Edited November 22, 2010 by UmpTTS43

[PeteBooth]

The batter has done nothing illegal. BALK.

The batter CERTAINLY has done "something" illegal

6.02

(a) The batter shall take his position in the batter’s box promptly when it is his time at

bat.

Also, if the league had adopted the batter's box rule, then B1 has violated that rule as well.

You have put F1 in a "no win scenario" and let B1 "off the hook" for delaying the game.

If F1 stops you balk him

If F1 pitches you call a QP and with men on base = balk.

Tell me what do you want F1 to do? Stand there "all day" and wait for B1 to get off his "cell phone' and finally come to bat.

This OP is a "do-over" at best.

As an offical when you see B1 take his "sweet time" you call TIME and tell B1 what the deal is. The next time start calling strikes.

In the OP AS PRESENTED (batter taking WAY too long) B1 is the guilty party.

Pete Booth

[mstaylor]

The batter CERTAINLY has done "something" illegal

Also, if the league had adopted the batter's box rule, then B1 has violated that rule as well.

You have put F1 in a "no win scenario" and let B1 "off the hook" for delaying the game.

If F1 stops you balk him

If F1 pitches you call a QP and with men on base = balk.

Tell me what do you want F1 to do? Stand there "all day" and wait for B1 to get off his "cell phone' and finally come to bat.

This OP is a "do-over" at best.

As an offical when you see B1 take his "sweet time" you call TIME and tell B1 what the deal is. The next time start calling strikes.

In the OP AS PRESENTED (batter taking WAY too long) B1 is the guilty party.

Pete Booth

I agree that you have to get the batter in the box if he is screwing around, I have said that from the getgo. Where things have gone south is the batter simply getting his signs, out of the box or one foot in, not delaying but just getting signs and the pitcher isn't paying attention to the plate and starts to pitch. This is a balk, either as a QP or as a stop. This happens often with a runner at second and the pitcher stays looking at R2 until after he starts to pitch, then turns his head. Here the batter has done nothing wrong but the pitcher has.

[PeteBooth]

I agree that you have to get the batter in the box if he is screwing around, I have said that from the getgo. Where things have gone south is the batter simply getting his signs, out of the box or one foot in, not delaying but just getting signs and the pitcher isn't paying attention to the plate and starts to pitch. This is a balk, either as a QP or as a stop. This happens often with a runner at second and the pitcher stays looking at R2 until after he starts to pitch, then turns his head. Here the batter has done nothing wrong but the pitcher has.

Michael I agree but IMO where things went South is when we 'got off the beaten trail" which sometimes happens.

Here is the premise of the OP

Batter is taking too long receiving signs ...ball is LIVE and he's NOT requested 'time', so , ...I'm letting it go, of course ....well the pitcher is taking signs, then looks towards second before he pitches ....

Batter is NOT in the box yet, ...F1 looks to home as his windup starts and then stops .......

The aforementioned is not a case where the batter is doing what he is supposed to meaning keeping one foot in the box, getting his signs and now is ready to hit and F1 is not giving him ample time to do this.

If that's the case then by all means balk F1, however, that is not what the poster presented and I plus some others were responding to the particulars in the OP.

Once one starts "twisting" the OP then anything is game and the original question or comment gets "lost in the shuffle".

Pete Booth

Edited November 23, 2010 by PeteBooth

[mstaylor]

That was where I was trying to get to. We agree in how to work but we were having two different conversations and I was trying to tie the two together. In the OP the batter was screwing around but the umpire tacitly allowed it. That is a seperate problem that needs to be dealt with. Game management, even in youth sports, is important and needs to be taught and discussed. The batter needs to not be allowed to do his Jeter imitation.