Is This a Balk?

[Mudder]

The attached video has 2 deliveries of a pitcher.  Ignore the 2nd clip as he is throwing over to 1B.  

But on the first clip you will see the pitcher waggles his arms around a couple of times before finally stopping, and he did usually come to a complete stop, although this clip shows his stop is marginal.  

Anyway the concern I have is as he waggles his arms around his feet are stopped, then he raises his free foot (left) slightly (0.04 mark).  Is this a balk, as the raising of his foot like that could be considered starting his delivery to the plate?

20150814_224645_13529755638109.mp4

[Richvee]

that's a balk. No stop. He rolled right through it. On the second clip he looks like he stopped before he threw to 1st, though not necessary.

[Jimurray]

that's a balk. No stop. He rolled right through it. On the second clip he looks like he stopped before he threw to 1st, though not necessary.

I didn't watch the video but I'm sure @richvee is right.

[ElkOil]

The attached video has 2 deliveries of a pitcher.  Ignore the 2nd clip as he is throwing over to 1B.  

But on the first clip you will see the pitcher waggles his arms around a couple of times before finally stopping, and he did usually come to a complete stop, although this clip shows his stop is marginal.  

Anyway the concern I have is as he waggles his arms around his feet are stopped, then he raises his free foot (left) slightly (0.04 mark).  Is this a balk, as the raising of his foot like that could be considered starting his delivery to the plate?

20150814_224645_13529755638109.mp4

The balk occurs when he lifts his non-pivot foot and sets it down again.  He started and stopped his delivery.  Assuming there was a runner on, yes it's a balk.  Otherwise an illegal pitch and the batter is awarded a ball.

Edited August 15, 2015 by ElkOil

[Richvee]

I didn't watch the video but I'm sure @richvee is right.

He does a little free foot tapping as the arms are "waggling". I don't have a problem with the free foot tap, as the arms are still moving. However, he never stops waggling the arms and goes right into his delivery. I don't have a start/stop balk, I've got a no stop balk.

[Mudder]

He does a little free foot tapping as the arms are "waggling". I don't have a problem with the free foot tap, as the arms are still moving. However, he never stops waggling the arms and goes right into his delivery. I don't have a start/stop balk, I've got a no stop balk.

As I said in the OP, he does normally come to a complete stop, although he probably does not here, but the reason for the post is the free foot tap, as you put it... starting his delivery or not?, you say no cause his hands are still moving...@Elkoil says yes?

[Richvee]

As I said in the OP, he does normally come to a complete stop, although he probably does not here, but the reason for the post is the free foot tap, as you put it... starting his delivery or not?, you say no cause his hands are still moving...@Elkoil says yes?

Correct. I wouldn't balk it. 

[maven]

As I said in the OP, he does normally come to a complete stop, although he probably does not here, but the reason for the post is the free foot tap, as you put it... starting his delivery or not?, you say no cause his hands are still moving...@Elkoil says yes?

He can't legally start his delivery until he has come set. The "stretch," or motion to come set, is not constrained: it may involve arms, legs, toe tapping, eye rolling, wiggles, waggles, dodges, weaves, or anything else. If he can't legally start his motion, then he can't stop it either, so this cannot possibly be a start/stop balk.

I agree with Richvee: the balk is for failure to come set (no stop).

[stkjock]

there's a NY Yankee reliever that does something similar.  watching the other night my 11 yo ( who just played one season of 51/75 "real baseball") immediately said, "Dad he balked"  

 

when I watched more closely, I say after he waggles he comes set, then delivers, so I explained to him that the movement is fine as it happens before he comes set.

[Rich Ives]

And it would not be an illegal pitch - ball with no runners except in FED.

[maven]

there's a NY Yankee reliever that does something similar.  watching the other night my 11 yo ( who just played one season of 51/75 "real baseball") immediately said, "Dad he balked"  

 

when I watched more closely, I say after he waggles he comes set, then delivers, so I explained to him that the movement is fine as it happens before he comes set.

I seem to recall you saying in one thread that you're not an umpire, so you might not have seen this recommendation before. Do not assume that everything you see in MLB applies to baseball at lower levels. Certainly school baseball governed by National Federation rules is rather different, but even summer ball using pro rules will have significant differences (prohibiting collisions, for one).

Pro players and pro umpires do things that don't apply to lower levels. With no runners on, pro pitchers don't need to stop in the set, for instance.

[VAUmp]

BALK

[stkjock]

Thank you @Maven.  I do realize that rules vary depending on the level.   In this particular instance is the balk rule not the same in all levels as to the call, I know the workings after are different depending on level.  

[maven]

Thank you @Maven.  I do realize that rules vary depending on the level.   In this particular instance is the balk rule not the same in all levels as to the call, I know the workings after are different depending on level.  

Yes, with runners on, not coming set (in that position) is a balk at every level.

[noumpere]

I seem to recall you saying in one thread that you're not an umpire, so you might not have seen this recommendation before. Do not assume that everything you see in MLB applies to baseball at lower levels. Certainly school baseball governed by National Federation rules is rather different, but even summer ball using pro rules will have significant differences (prohibiting collisions, for one).

Pro players and pro umpires do things that don't apply to lower levels. With no runners on, pro pitchers don't need to stop in the set, for instance.

And, even when the rules are the same, and especially with balks, it's very hard to learn what should be called (or not) at the amateur level by watching MLB.

 

In the OP, however, the little toe-tapping is not even close to a balk at any level.