NJ middle school umpire yelling while pitcher is beginning his windup

[peter_15]

Are home plate umpires allowed to talk/yell besides calling timeout while the pitcher is beginning his windup?

During this situation, the batter was asking for time verbally and raising his hand, and beginning to back out of the box. At the same time, the pitcher begins his windup. As this occurs, the umpire responds that he is not granting time by physically pointing to the batter and verbally yelling, “no no stay in the box!”

the pitcher strides towards home but did not release the pitch, as he was confused by the umpire yelling and making hand gestures to the batter. He thought the umpire was granting time. Resulting in a called balk by the umpire. 
Is the umpire allowed to make these gestures and comments while the pitcher is in his process of delivering a pitch?

[SeeingEyeDog]

I have no file on the rule set for (and I'm not quoting) "middle school baseball in the Garden State"...

It is a judgement call. The offense cannot by rule benefit from a balk if the offense was the cause of the balk. As this situation is described, I personally am killing this play and resetting everyone with no balk adjudicated on the pitcher. And I am then quietly telling the batter "let's not do that again, please" and briefly telling them how they can only request time, time must be granted by an umpire in order for the play to actually be dead.

Keep in mind, OP...in some codes, a batter requesting time and stepping out of the box without time being granted...is by rule a strike, regardless of where the pitch is located.

~Dawg

[JonnyCat]

There is a rule against the batter causing the pitcher to balk. OBR 5.04(b)(2) comment, and NFHS 6-2-4(d)(1). Not sure which rule-set you are playing under, but I believe all rule-sets have similar wording.

In certain situations in NFHS, you can call a strike on the batter.

It is just a do over. Apply this rule if this situation happens, regardless if it was the batter or the umpire that caused the pitcher to balk.

The umpire should not have balked the pitcher in this situation, especially at the middle school level.

[Richvee]

As mentioned. A batter’s actions cannot cause a pitcher to balk. If a batter requests time late, as a HP umpire, I may say “nope” or “too late”. But certainly not point or making any hand gestures. For the record, NJ middle school is played under FED rules. Also consider this….on any given day on NJ there’s hundreds of varsity and sub varsity high school baseball games.

Then add in middle school contests. The pool of real good, well trained FED umpires thins out quickly after the varsity games are filled. (Actually, well before that, but I digress )……You get where I’m going here……

[The Man in Blue]

23 hours ago, SeeingEyeDog said:

Keep in mind, OP...in some codes, a batter requesting time and stepping out of the box without time being granted...is by rule a strike, regardless of where the pitch is located.

~Dawg

 

22 hours ago, JonnyCat said:

In certain situations in NFHS, you can call a strike on the batter.

 

 

Not just A strike.

The legendary 2-strikes-1-pitch call. 

One on the pitch (if it is a strike) and one on the penalty.

[SeeingEyeDog]

@The Man in Blue, sadly I've stopped dreaming...but, I'll never stop growing as an umpire. Good citation here, brothers. NFHS indeed outlines TWO STRIKES if the above conditions are met.

~Dawg

[jimurrayalterego]

38 minutes ago, SeeingEyeDog said:

@The Man in Blue, sadly I've stopped dreaming...but, I'll never stop growing as an umpire. Good citation here, brothers. NFHS indeed outlines TWO STRIKES if the above conditions are met.

~Dawg

does "and delays the game" ring a bell?

[The Man in Blue]

Yes and no?

If the batter steps out with both feet, NFHS states the criteria has been met.  It does not use "and delays the game" in this instruction, but it does cite the rule that includes that.

[beerguy55]

Isn't yelling a sign of endearment in New Jersey?

[Richvee]

3 hours ago, beerguy55 said:

Isn't yelling a sign of endearment in New Jersey?

It's just the way we talk

[JonnyCat]

16 hours ago, The Man in Blue said:

Not just A strike.

The legendary 2-strikes-1-pitch call. 

One on the pitch (if it is a strike) and one on the penalty.

2 strikes only if the batter leaves the box with both feet and the pitcher delivers a pitch. Hence the certain situations clause in my answer. 

[Kevin_K]

On 5/14/2025 at 9:40 AM, beerguy55 said:

Isn't yelling a sign of endearment in New Jersey?

fuhgeddaboudit!