Had to accept my own challenge about sideways pitchers

[jimurrayalterego]

Nobody has replied to my challenge to show me a sideways pitcher who you could not tell if he was going to windup or pitch from set. I found one. Mahle. But it's not a pretty story. 

SG - CR Saturday 7/11, T3, R3. Mahle F1 is the pitcher who even I can't tell if he is going to windup or set but his windup is a miniscule free foot stutter step to HP. He delivers like that for a swinging strike and 3B coach asks why wasn't that a balk, he didn't declare. Umps get together and balk it. Looks like a crew I don't recognize except for PU but you gotta focus on the little things a pitcher does. Calling the balk after the 3B coach asks does not look good. 3B coaches are looking for tells to send R3s and umps should be looking for those also. So score the run and let everybody know that was a no pitch. Didn't happen. PU called a second strike which had two fingers and called batter out after third strike. Somebody asked and batter went back with 2 strikes. Ejection followed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[dumbdumb]

since it is that former dirt ball D1 coach to the D1 guys every year and that was a PITA to the D1 guys, i think requesting a crew review for a balk and getting one (just like a, did the ball hit his hands or foot on a pitch, or did the ball off the bat hit off the player's foot crew review situation) was a neat idea. he got his answer and then used his cheap shot on an umpire walking away (and where does that line always come in - umpire walking away, just like player walking away). ejection could not happen to a nicer dirt ball guy. 

[Velho]

Play in question. I read this is "Yeah, I saw him do it. Don't want to call it since it's ticky tack but now that the Offense called it out I have to call it." Like a slight F1 shoulder turn after set in a 12U game.

That the pitch then got counted (as a strike) and not wiped off, only to then have it turn into an a K, and have to be unwound is where the real issue and EJ came from.

 

[jimurrayalterego]

1 hour ago, Velho said:

Play in question. I read this is "Yeah, I saw him do it. Don't want to call it since it's ticky tack but now that the Offense called it out I have to call it." Like a slight F1 shoulder turn after set in a 12U game.

That the pitch then got counted (as a strike) and not wiped off, only to then have it turn into an a K, and have to be unwound is where the real issue and EJ came from.

 

Balk Undclared Coach Called it out SF vs Colorado 2026.07.11.mov

I don't think they didn't want to call it. They obviously agreed there was a stutter step when they got together. They just weren't focused on the sit and a pitcher's delivery which has you pay close attention to.

[Velho]

25 minutes ago, jimurrayalterego said:

I don't think they didn't want to call it. They obviously agreed there was a stutter step when they got together.

Maybe.

I see Barksdale saying "oh, you're doing windup? Ok. Cool. Next pitch." from behind plate. Then 3B coach making noise that interrupted the game which prompts the crew to get together and subsequently declare a balk.

[Velho]

Separately, is there an issue that from windup with runners on his step was forward*?

(1) The Windup Position

The pitcher shall stand facing the batter, his pivot foot in contact with the pitcher’s plate and the other foot free. From this position any natural movement associated with his delivery of the ball to the batter commits him to the pitch without interruption or alteration. He shall not raise either foot from the ground, except that in his actual delivery of the ball to the batter, he may take one step backward, and one step forward with his free foot.

 

* This is his norm with no runners on. This was the first time all year he pitched from the windup with R3 only or bases loaded.