Coach screaming balk.

[DJohnBishop]

I am in C with R3. Right handed pitcher on the mound. He steps towards third, feigns a throw while still on the rubber spins and throws to 1B. The pitcher never broke the rubber. An obvious balk for me. The problem is when the pitcher steps towards third the coach at third base starts yelling, that’s a balk. That’s a balk. At that time he had done nothing wrong. It’s when he spins and throws to first that the problem happens. I call the balk and make my base award. The HC on the other team comes out and says you just called it because the other coach did. It did look that way from the timing of it. But I had to let the play finish to be able to make the call. Should I have done anything differently? Should I have tried to scream overtop of the other coach. I did not. I waited until the play was done and made my call. Advise please.

[chuktownblue]

A balk was called because he didn't disengage the rubber before he turned and threw to first?

[loulou]

is this game fed? if yes,then there is no balk.check case book rule 6.2.4 sit c

[Radwaste50]

I am in C with R3.

Was there a runner at first??

[chuktownblue]

is this game fed? if yes,then there is no balk.check case book rule 6.2.4 sit c

I thought so too, but after reading the sitch again, it says he had to let the play finish, so it wouldn't be FED. I've heard this referred to more than once (the disengage part) as a balk, and always referred them to this case play. Never seen this case under OBR rules... would it be different?

[mstaylor]

The 3/1 move in OBR is different in the fact that the pitcher can't stay in contact when he goes back to first.
Now in the OP, after everything is done, go to the third base coach and totally ream him for yelling balk. Explain to him that balk is a word reserved for umpires. The next time he yells balk in the middle of a play, dump him.
Another possible outcome was to not call the balk and tell the coach that he caused the balk and so it is nullified. This is probably a stretch but a viable solution. If you go this route, follow it with the reaming mentioned above.

[robbyrudd455]

The HC on the other team comes out and says you just called it because the other coach did. It did look that way from the timing of it.

Normally a great line that coaches don't have a reply to when they say that:

"Coach, is the call right?"

Normally, they will nod, grumble, and go back to the dugout without furthering the argument (assuming your call was indeed correct).

[mstaylor]

The recomendation for not calling the balk probably won't work here but can be used in some other select situations. The reprimanding of the coach is a must.

[western_ump]

I'd no call it and give the coach a firm "Dont call balks out here!" As a reminder he's a coac and not an umpire. There's no place for that in the game.

[Richard_Siegel]

I am in C with R3. Right handed pitcher on the mound. He steps towards third, feigns a throw while still on the rubber spins and throws to 1B. The pitcher never broke the rubber. An obvious balk for me. The problem is when the pitcher steps towards third the coach at third base starts yelling, that’s a balk. That’s a balk. At that time he had done nothing wrong. It’s when he spins and throws to first that the problem happens. I call the balk and make my base award. The HC on the other team comes out and says you just called it because the other coach did. It did look that way from the timing of it. But I had to let the play finish to be able to make the call. Should I have done anything differently? Should I have tried to scream overtop of the other coach. I did not. I waited until the play was done and made my call. Advise please.

If this was a FED game (HS) then this was not a balk.

When a coach yells "That's a balk!" Whether the pitcher actually balked or not, when the play is over I will go over to him and inform him that when the umpires see a balk then we will call it. If he calls a balk before we do, then we will not call it. We do not want to appear that we are taking our direction from him about balks. If he were to do it again I would dump him. However, any time I have given that warning to a coach he has never repeated it. Just remember to go over to him and do it in a calm and professional way. If you yell at him or sound condescending then you will probably start a fight and cause an ejection.

[BrianC14]

Was there a runner at first??


Wondering the same thing...

[DJohnBishop]

Yes there was a runner on first, and yes it was a freshmen high school game, and yes from the sound of it I kicked this call. I am new to high school work this year. I have always called that in OBR. But I checked the case book for fed that the poster referenced and it appears I am wrong under FED. I did speak to the coach that yelled it and told him he cannot do that period. But it was too late. The timing of it made me look bad, then the really bad news is I think I made the wrong call. I hate making a bad call, and figuring it out later.
I had that crap call and a crap call at 1B in the same game. Not a good game for me.

[umpgent]

Dr John, if it makes you feel any better, FED is remiss for not following OBR on this rule as well a many other rules.

One of the many, many, many examples of FED "dumbing down" their rule book because since the committee in Indianapolis (largely made up of non-baseball experts) couldn't call high school ball, they assume many of us cannot either.

This was clearly the right call in any brand of real baseball, although I believe I would have nullified it for the reason of the coach calling it slightly before the balk happened. And yes, according to the blessed FED book, I would have been wrong to call it too.

I know that at one time the FED book stated that any member of the offense who induces a balk must be ejected. Has that changed? I've never heard or read that if it did.

[torquer]

I am in C with R3. Right handed pitcher on the mound. He steps towards third, feigns a throw while still on the rubber spins and throws to 1B. The pitcher never broke the rubber. An obvious balk for me. The problem is when the pitcher steps towards third the coach at third base starts yelling, that’s a balk. That’s a balk. At that time he had done nothing wrong. It’s when he spins and throws to first that the problem happens. I call the balk and make my base award. The HC on the other team comes out and says you just called it because the other coach did. It did look that way from the timing of it. But I had to let the play finish to be able to make the call. Should I have done anything differently? Should I have tried to scream overtop of the other coach. I did not. I waited until the play was done and made my call. Advise please.

Your call ultimately. Your going to get grief no matter what you do. I won't let a caoch get away with instigating a balk. Younger kids only hear the balk, not from who it came from. They react accordingly. Here's the OBR stance on it, 4.06 (a) (3) Call Time, or employ any other word or phrase or commit any act while the ball is alive and in play for the obvious purpose of trying to make the pitcher commit a balk. Now you can make up your own mind from this rule.

Jess