Balk induced by the batter

[MadMax]

13 hours ago, Richvee said:

I’m not warning or penalizing a pitcher, I’m just not letting him start before the batter is looking at the pitcher and ready.

I’m in agreement with what your intent is; my opinion is derived from NCAA and pro (lower case) ball – it (the amount of time to get in the box and “alert” to the pitcher) has to mean something. Or, IOW, have a cost. There is no free lunch here. 
This is why it is such a pressing, searing-hot topic in NFHS baseball – should there be a pitch clock or shouldn’t there be? And, if you’re going to burden the pitcher to pitch within 20 seconds, then you must have a time burden on the batter. We can’t keep coddling them, and bailing them out by physically reminding them to get back in the box, and granting them time – or, more to the point, forbearance – while they ambiguously delay their alertness. 
It has to cost something. 

Since you’re paralleling NCAA, let me continue in that same vein… what the “pitch clock” (or Action clock, as NCAA calls it) has noticeably cleaned up is the interactions between PUs and Batters. As a PU, armed with a Time Violation Penalty, I don’t have to direct or order the batter back into the box. I can simply “simmer”, if a Batter dislikes a strike call, and has a lil’ hormone-squirt of huffing & puffing and dissenting in my general direction and “Time! Clock violation on the Batter! A strike added to the count!” 

See? Easy. 

[Richvee]

2 hours ago, MadMax said:

I’m in agreement with what your intent is; my opinion is derived from NCAA and pro (lower case) ball – it (the amount of time to get in the box and “alert” to the pitcher) has to mean something. Or, IOW, have a cost. There is no free lunch here. 
This is why it is such a pressing, searing-hot topic in NFHS baseball – should there be a pitch clock or shouldn’t there be? And, if you’re going to burden the pitcher to pitch within 20 seconds, then you must have a time burden on the batter. We can’t keep coddling them, and bailing them out by physically reminding them to get back in the box, and granting them time – or, more to the point, forbearance – while they ambiguously delay their alertness. 
It has to cost something. 

Since you’re paralleling NCAA, let me continue in that same vein… what the “pitch clock” (or Action clock, as NCAA calls it) has noticeably cleaned up is the interactions between PUs and Batters. As a PU, armed with a Time Violation Penalty, I don’t have to direct or order the batter back into the box. I can simply “simmer”, if a Batter dislikes a strike call, and has a lil’ hormone-squirt of huffing & puffing and dissenting in my general direction and “Time! Clock violation on the Batter! A strike added to the count!” 

See? Easy. 

We do, in high school have the option to be "that guy" and start calling strikes when the batter steps out with 2 feet and there was no exception. I don't want to go there, and I've never had to. When the batter sees your not letting a pitcher start prematurely,  99% of them will stop the shenanigans, get in the box and get ready to hit.  

[johnnyg08]

14 hours ago, The Man in Blue said:

"I/He called time, Blue!" attitude.  That gets you a quick and terse explanation as to who can actually call time and why.

I've had ejections over it. Non descript summer game...Sorry...not granting time...get in the box and let's hit. 

[johnnyg08]

39 minutes ago, Richvee said:

When the batter sees your not letting a pitcher start prematurely,  99% of them will stop the shenanigans, get in the box and get ready to hit.  

I will work with my F2 on these. "Don't give your sign until the batter is ready"

"I understand that you want to work at a certain tempo...which is totally legal, but we need to make sure the batter is ready and I'll do the exact same thing for your team" 

It works basically every time. 

[Replacematt]

24 minutes ago, johnnyg08 said:

It works basically every time. 

Ahh, the Sex Panther approach.

[Richvee]

55 minutes ago, johnnyg08 said:

I will work with my F2 on these. "Don't give your sign until the batter is ready"

"I understand that you want to work at a certain tempo...which is totally legal, but we need to make sure the batter is ready and I'll do the exact same thing for your team" 

It works basically every time. 

100%

[johnnyg08]

57 minutes ago, Replacematt said:

Ahh, the Sex Panther approach.

That's what my wife's boyfriend calls me. 

[SeeingEyeDog]

On 2/21/2025 at 10:41 PM, The Man in Blue said:

On the matter at hand, one of my quickest and biggest pet peeves is the kid or coach who wants to cop the "I/He called time, Blue!" attitude.  That gets you a quick and terse explanation as to who can actually call time and why.

No, Coach...you requested time...:)

~Dawg