Balk

[Guest Bob S]

Pitcher # 71, Ryan Sherriff of the Tampa Bay Rays. moves both feet in twitches (when his right foot is on the rubber) when he is pitching from the stretch. with men on base, why is that not a balk?

[noumpere]

1) Because MLB doesn't want it to be a balk.

2) Because the balk rule is designed to protect the runners, and no runners are (illegally) fooled by this move.

3) (I haven't seen the move, so all of this is speculation) Because he moves the feet while he is coming set, and the movement is not any kind of feint or motion to pitch and, thus, does not violate any of the balk regulation in 6.02

 

So, I guess the question goes back to you -- why do you think it is a balk?  (and, to be clear, it *might* be a balk at lower levels, even if it's not called at the MLB level)

[Velho]

 

2 hours ago, noumpere said:

Because he moves the feet while he is coming set, and the movement is not any kind of feint or motion to pitch and, thus, does not violate any of the balk regulation in 6.02

It's #3 as @noumphere stated.

I say this looking specifically at todays game, bottom of the 4th, no outs, Kepler on base. Sherrif starts in the stretch, comes upright sideways with various movements including rocking his feet before coming set.

[Tog Gee]

On 8/15/2021 at 6:36 PM, Velho said:

various movements including rocking his feet before coming set.

Yeah is this called settling in?

[Velho]

3 minutes ago, Tog Gee said:

On 8/15/2021 at 4:36 PM, Velho said:

various movements including rocking his feet before coming set.

Yeah is this called settling in?

Yes

[834k3r]

One of our resident vultures (was it @Richvee? @MadMax? Can't find the post.) once said don't look to the MLB for examples of what is and isn't a balk. Seems to be the case here.