LL Balk and leaving early questions

[Guest Brian Jefferson]

Two questions arose in a game I was coaching tonight, and I am looking for some clarification.  First, one of my base runners stepped off the base while the pitcher was in his delivery motion and the umpire stopped the game and called the runner out.  I had never heard of this interpretation of the rule before, but the umpire assured me that was the rule.  Can anyone shed any light on this one?

 

The second involves the pitchers motion.  The team we were playing had their pitchers stopping their motion when their "non-plant leg" was (left leg for RH pitchers) was at the top of their kick motion.  I did not think the pitcher could stop his motion during the pitch, but the coach for the other team pointed out the Japanese pitchers in the LLWS seem to stop for a couple of seconds.  Can you tell me why this move is legal and not a balk?

 

Thanks.

[grayhawk]

Are we talking about 60' bases for both questions?  Since there are no balks in majors and below, I will assume your second question pertains to Intermediate and above.

 

1.  The penalty for leaving early is never an out.  Rule 7.13 in the LL rule book covers it extensively.  If the runner steps off his base during the pitcher's delivery, then the umpire should drop his "leaving early" flag and allow the pitcher to continue.  There are multiple scenarios depending on if the any of the runners advance (passed ball, single, double, error, ball stays in the infield or is batted into the outfield, etc).  For example:

 

Runners on first (R1) and third (R3).  R1 leaves early, the batter hits a clean single into the outfield.  R3 scores and R1 ends up on third.  At the end of playing action, the umpire will bring R3 back to third, R1 to second and the batter stays at first.

 

Same scenario, but batter hits a clean double.  Both R3 and R1 score.  In this case, R3 would still score, but R1 would be brought back to third, with the batter keeping second base.

 

So you bring any and all runners back, if possible, based on the value of the batter's hit.  If one runner leaves early, then it's treated as if all runners left early.  Little League 7.13 is one of the most convoluted rules in all of baseball, but know that the penalty is never an out.

 

2.  Assuming this is for levels that recognize balks (Intermediate and above), the rule is the same in LL as it is for MLB.  The pitcher must deliver the pitch without alteration or interruption.  While pitchers from Japan often have a "hitch" during their delivery (not for a "couple of seconds"), it is generally judged that there is no actual interruption in the motion.  If a pitcher hangs his knee, and it's judged that this interrupts his motion, then a balk should be called.  Pitchers usually do this to hold runners as long as possible before committing to the pitch.

[BalkHawk]

In other words, the hitch is purely a judgment call.

[Jimurray]

LL also allows protests which is what you could have done prior to any succeeding play. Given your umpire's knowledge of the rules however, he would probably not know that either.

[Guest Brian Jefferson]

Thank you all for the feed back. 

 

grayhawk, we are talking 60' feet bases in both questions.  Even though I had never seen a balk called in LL, the way these kids were pitching was something I had not see before. I looked up several Japanese pitchers on YouTube, and I truthfully don't see how their motions are not interrupted.  They are coming to a clearly discernible stop.  But based on what you are telling me, there is no penalty for that.  It is not until they reach the higher levels that they must continue their motion. Is this correct?

 

Brian

[grayhawk]

Thank you all for the feed back. 

 

grayhawk, we are talking 60' feet bases in both questions.  Even though I had never seen a balk called in LL, the way these kids were pitching was something I had not see before. I looked up several Japanese pitchers on YouTube, and I truthfully don't see how their motions are not interrupted.  They are coming to a clearly discernible stop.  But based on what you are telling me, there is no penalty for that.  It is not until they reach the higher levels that they must continue their motion. Is this correct?

 

Brian

 

There are no balks in 60' LL games, only illegal pitches and this wouldn't be one.  I mean, why would it matter since there are no lead offs and runners can't leave their bases until the pitch reaches the batter?

[ALStripes17]

The way they were stopping their motion was having an affect on the timing of some of the hitters.

Thanks.

Balks don't exist when runners aren't allowed to lead off

[Rich Ives]

The way they were stopping their motion was having an affect on the timing of some of the hitters.

 

Thanks.

 

Teach them a better timing method.

[sdix00]

Most videos of the japanese hitch are in the windup, where it does not matter. 

 

 

If they are in the set, and clearly hitching (stopping 10000%), you  have a technical balk at that point, and then we are instructed to consider the pitcher's intent.

 

All that said, I would not call this an illegal pitch in LL.  ZERO advantage.  

 

And if the coach wants to argue that it is messing with the hitters, the balk rule exists to even things out for the runners, not batters.