Balk Help

[slingshot]

In the league where I ump we use OBR, as PU and BU what is the proper mechanic for signaling a balk. I have seen guys forever as PU throw both hands in air and step from behind the plate screaming balk and BU do the same throwing hands in air screaming balk. The problem as I see it is this is not a dead ball and as PU you still need to call the pitch if deliverd and as either PU or BU when you raise both hands you are confusing the defense as this is the mechanic for time or dead ball and we still have a live ball.

[Mr Umpire]

Proper mechanic is to just yell "Balk" from your ready position. Then, when play is stopped before the pitch, come out of ready position with hand(s) raised to signal play has stopped. Then, start moving the runners.

If after the pitch, wait to see what happens and move the runners accordingly if necessary.

This is for OBR so these are the mechanics since it is a DDB.

[Umpire in Chief]

A good thing to do is just call it loudly and forcefully enough that the players kill the play. It will keep you out of a lot of sticky situations.

[mstaylor]

As the PU, point and yell balk, then drop in for the pitch. As the BU, point and yell balk. Either way, never raise your hands because that is killing the ball.

[Tyennie]

Not to mention you look like a big pre-historic bird out on the field. :smachhead:

[BrianC14]

Here's a timely video that shows how to call 'em OBR style.

http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=4613391

Three for the price of one! :smachhead:

[Tyennie]

clarify for me, in the third balk what was wrong. I am not seeing it. :smachhead:

[okump96]

clarify for me, in the third balk what was wrong. I am not seeing it.

start and stop or not a continuous motion.

[Mr Umpire]

clarify for me, in the third balk what was wrong. I am not seeing it.

The third one is one most of us probably won't call for anything below D3 College. If you look, you will notice a slight hesitation from when he starts his back hand to when he puts it in his glove. It is minor but enough at that level.

[MCLEOD36]

He had his balk radar up......

[Dragon29]

. . . Either way, never raise your hands because that is killing the ball.

Gotta admit - I was guilty of that last night in a LL Jr game. Felt like almost as much of an idiot as the pitcher did. Doh!

Usually, I do it right. I don't know what happened.

[jjb]

I work both MLB rules and the Bizarro World (FED). One's a live ball, and I point with my left hand: the other is a dead ball. (I still point with my left hand, and take the Eval gig: I'd rather kill it later than kill it when I shouldn't). In both cases, I'll sell my best "That's a Balk" and try and stop the pitcher from delivering: it saves problems...

[BT_Blue]

had a fellow JuCo umpire (worked his first college post season game three weeks ago) kill a balk in a college preseason game this year. But it is excuseable, he is the HS association president... LOL