Properly disengaging plate

[VolUmp]

Summer Ball Tourney 16u

FED Rules w/Dad coaches (Dead period)

R1. 0 outs.  RH F1 "jump turns" toward 1B with his right foot coming down in a direct line toward 3B off the end of the plate, and his left foot coming down in a direct line toward 1B off the end of the plate.  So, envision if you can that he came down straddling the rubber side to side … not front to back. And … he never threw.  I called the balk from B.

Coach asked me to show him what he did wrong, and considering it's summer dead period daddy ball, I obliged. 

He asked, "Is it only because I didn't throw it?"

I answered:

1) You must throw it on a jump turn, but

2) You also may not gain distance toward 3B with your right foot.

He politely placed his right foot where it came down and said, "I've always been taught I can come off the plate here."

I showed him three ways he can place his right foot legally on a jump turn, and that he's been taught the one place that's illegal.

A) It can land right where he jumped from.

B It can land behind the plate.

C) It can land slightly in front of the plate.

In all three cases, his left foot must gain D&D toward 1B. He shook his head and said, "That's not what my Varsity Coach teaches."

i realize during Varsity season I would never have mimicked the motions for him, but I'm open to input on the explanation I provided. The Evans Balk video is my source.

[noumpere]

2 hours ago, VolUmp said:

I answered:

1) You must throw it on a jump turn, but

2) You also may not gain distance toward 3B with your right foot.

 

1 is true.  2 is not.

[scrounge]

A jump turn is a move from the plate. He has to gain distance to 1B with his left foot and throw the ball. What he does with his right foot is completely immaterial.

[maven]

Agree with noumpere and scrounge.

Regarding what coach was "taught" about where the pivot foot may land when disengaging: all codes define disengaging using the expression "directly behind" the rubber. Stepping off toward 3B does not satisfy this definition.

Further, if both feet are moving before the hands separate, no matter where the pivot foot lands—even directly behind the rubber—this will be a jump or jab step; if F1 is picking toward 1B with the move, he may not feint. (I think you expressed that adequately to the coach for your play; I'm making a slightly more general point.)

[catsbackr]

Even in summer, dead period, I would not demonstrate.  I would verbalize only.

 

 

[LittleBlue]

4 hours ago, catsbackr said:

Even in summer, dead period, I would not demonstrate.  I would verbalize only.

 

 

This. I did a sub varsity summer game where both pitchers had a lot of trouble with balks. Coaches kept asking me to show him what he did and I explained the best I could but I wouldn't get on the rubber and physically show him. Coach said his pitcher needed to see it done. Sorry coach. 

[catsbackr]

"Coach, if you can't show them, maybe they're past your ability to coach them?  What do ya' think?"

[noumpere]

"I'd be glad to come out to a practice and demonstrate.  My usual game fee that I would charge for this is $x"

[kstrunk]

I've called this balk several times as well, and warned a coach once as a result. @maven's description was, and is most helpful. But that doesn't mean the coaches will concede or even understand. 

Good call though!!

[zm1283]

On 7/2/2017 at 8:58 AM, scrounge said:

A jump turn is a move from the plate. He has to gain distance to 1B with his left foot and throw the ball. What he does with his right foot is completely immaterial.

Agree with this. What you told him about his right foot was not correct. It doesn't matter where it lands as long as he gains distance and direction. Even he didn't disengage and faked to first without a throw, it's a balk anyway.