Another Balk Question

[rainier]

Last night the BU I worked with called a balk because F1, from a stretch, raised his front foot up and slightly back while leaning toward 2B (runner on 2B). When F1 delivered home the BU called the balk.

The BU explained to the coach that it was because he paused when he raised his foot. Was this a legitimate balk?

It also led to the DC being ejected so it is being discussed among the league now.

[noumpere]

"Leaning" toward second could be interpreted as a commitment to throw (or feint) to second.

Both that and coming to a complete pause / stop could be interpreted as "failing to pitch in a continuous motion" (or whatever the specific words in the rule are) and a balk.

Even if it's a bad call, it's not cause for the coach to be ejected/

[catoblue]

Even if it's a bad call, it's not cause for the coach to be ejected/

If I had to venture a guess, the balk call wouldn't have been the reason the DC was EJ'd, it was most likely the DC going ballistic that sent him to the parking lot.

[Mr Umpire]

Even if it's a bad call, it's not cause for the coach to be ejected/

Actually, it is cause for the coach to be ejected if he is arguing about it. It is a judgment call. He is allowed to question why the balk was called and if the coach feels it is a rules violation, then he can protest the game or get the umpire to ask for help on the rule. But, he cannot argue about any judgment of it. Once the umpire says "In my judgment" and states a valid rule which applies, the coach has no argument.

Also, we do not eject coaches and players. They eject themselves. We just determine how long before they do.

[rainier]

Both that and coming to a complete pause / stop could be interpreted as "failing to pitch in a continuous motion" (or whatever the specific words in the rule are) and a balk.

Even if it's a bad call, it's not cause for the coach to be ejected/

The non-continuous motion is what I was thinking. It was a fairly unnatural delivery.

The coach being ejected part wasn't part of the discussion really. His actions did warrant the ejection. I only mentioned it because the ejection has led to league discussing why the balk was called.

[mstaylor]

I find that funny. Even it is the worse call in the world it, the coach has no business getting himself tossed. They are looking at he call for the wrong reason.

[blindumpire99]

Clearly a HTBT sitch, but if the pitcher froze his foot, even for a split second -balk.

I would also lean towards balking him if this particular move was a perceptible deviation from this pitcher's normal movements prior..

[Mr Umpire]

I would also lean towards balking him if this particular move was a perceptible deviation from this pitcher's normal movements prior..

I do not believe this would constitute a balk on a pickoff move. Everything about the move is different than the pitcher's normal delivery. Also, there are many different ways to do a pickoff. And, if you are referring to how his pitching looked, no 2 pitching motions have to be the same. The pitcher can lift his free foot high off the ground, then go to the slide step. Neither one looks the same as the prior one.

The main 2 things for calling this a balk is if he "leans" toward 2B or HP and throws to the opposite. If he paused momentarily but I believe it needs to be a little longer than a "split second". That just sounds too short b/c many pitchers pause momentarily even in the MLB.

[noumpere]

Actually, it is cause for the coach to be ejected if he is arguing about it.

What I meant was "even if it was a bad call, the coach shouldn't have gotten so worked up over it that he had to be ejected."

[Mr Umpire]

What I meant was "even if it was a bad call, the coach shouldn't have gotten so worked up over it that he had to be ejected."

After I posted it, I thought I may have read it wrong but wasn't sure.

[MCLEOD36]

I have balked guys for leaning and yes, it is judgment, if a guy wants to get tossed for that, well, I always think he is chapped about something else...