Some balks from the last week or so ....

[Thunderheads]

first .......Angel Hernandez at his best ....

Here's a subtle start/stop, but none the less....balk ..........

starts home.......comes to first ...........

ANOTHER start/stop ....more subtle, but still..............

Here's an odd move ...............

Another lefty going home, and throwing to first ........

And ....how about a 'no-stop' ..............

[Tksjewelry]

Balks are my weak spot but I saw all of them but I don't understand the first one. Can someone explain that to me please? 

[maven]

Balks are my weak spot but I saw all of them but I don't understand the first one. Can someone explain that to me please? 

​MLB treats the knee buckle as the start of the pitch. When Cueto steps and throws, it's a start/stop balk.

It's subtle and inconsistently enforced, even in pro ball. I discourage calling it in amateur ball: Cueto got no advantage from that.

[johnnyg08]

​MLB treats the knee buckle as the start of the pitch. When Cueto steps and throws, it's a start/stop balk.

It's subtle and inconsistently enforced, even in pro ball. I discourage calling it in amateur ball: Cueto got no advantage from that.

​It depends, I've seen some F1's use the buckle to pick guys off.  If you see a knee buckle from HS Varsity baseball and up, I suggest calling it.  If F1 throws over on a knee buckle, it is a tremendous defensive advantage.  

[johnnyg08]

I will also add, that these are very difficult to get the first time through unless you have some inside information regarding the fact that F1 uses the move.  

It's easier to get in three man or four man, but you can get it in two man...it's likely going to be the plate umpire.

[Tksjewelry]

@maven @johnnyg08 Probably something I'm never going to have to enforce then as I don't plan on ever doing varsity ball. Thanks for explaining that, it helps. 

[MidAmUmp]

The balk on Hamels was for breaking the back plane of the rubber, not for stepping home.

[MikeSafari]

The balk on Hamels was for breaking the back plane of the rubber, not for stepping home.

​We don't get a great camera angle on it but I don't see him breaking the plane in the attached screen grab.

 

[grayhawk]

U1 has a perfect angle on it, and remember that in OBR, if any part of the foot breaks the back edge, it's a balk if he throws to first (or third).

[MidAmUmp]

​We don't get a great camera angle on it but I don't see him breaking the plane in the attached screen grab.

 

​His back foot is in contact with the rubber, you don't see his front foot at all, which means it's past his back leg. Looks pretty easy to me. 

[MikeSafari]

​His back foot is in contact with the rubber, you don't see his front foot at all, which means it's past his back leg. Looks pretty easy to me. 

@MidAmUmp, doesn't he have to break the rear plane of the rubber?

Rule 8.05(a) Comment: If a lefthanded or righthanded pitcher swings his free foot past the back edge of the pitcher’s rubber, he is required to pitch to the batter except to throw to second base on a pick-off play.

(Emphasis mine there, obviously.) The screengrab would be better if it were in line with first base and the rubber, but it's off to the side. I could see him being in a position where his free foot wasn't further rearward than his pivot foot, but it definitely looks like he's not breaking the rear edge to me.

 

EDIT: Ah, just saw @grayhawk's comment about the difference in OBR. It's a balk if any part of the foot breaks that rear plane, so I could see that happening.

Edited April 30, 2015 by MikeSafari