when he stepps on the rubber, the ball is in his glove. then he reaches in and pulls the ball out. it's very subtle and probably unintentional, but it is a 'breaking of the hands' and technactly a balk. tough to make that call on a 10 year old
From this angle, it's difficult to tell how far that foot moved toward third. Regarding the 'double set' - the pitcher was not into the 'stretch' as defined in 8.01, so...I would argue that it's not really a double set. The ball was clearly in view in his hand at his side prior to getting to the actual 'stretch' position, then moved directly to the 'set' position and then threw. There was no obvious attempt to deceive the runner in that motion and we don't know if it's his natural motion.
I have to agree with many other of the people who posted replies to this video, this is a balk, the pitcher comes to the rubber, reaches into his glove while his pivot foot is on the rubber and removes the ball, every league defines this as a pitcher coming "set" when both hands are in contact with the glove. He then removes his pitching hand from the glove and places it back in the glove, therefore making this a double set.
The balk was called because he tok the ball out of the glove and back. If someone calls makes that call at that level, then they must have personal problems. In no way should an umpire make that call at that level.
No way it's a balk. As an umpire, the kid reaches into his glove to pick up the ball, but isn't coming set when he does this on the rubber, so the "breaking the hands" doesn't apply. He didn't lean or make any movements towards any base until he pitches to home.
Now im no expert, in fact i hardly understand the single most complicated rule in sports, (yes take that infield fly!)
but i think its at the very beggining, at 0:02, when he steps on the rubber with the ball in his glove.
he then takes the ball out of his glove while on the rubber and that is illegal. he should have kept it in his mitt, and then come to the set position. he could have then put his hand on the ball and pitch. so yes, it is deffintly a balk.
At this level? Ankle biter age? Not a balk. Kids at this age, have a little more body movement. All anyone should be looking for here is a BLATANT no-stop. Maybe if he feints to first and doesnt step off. But thats it. At this age, you can find balks the whole game. Age appropriate officiating.
When the pitcher gets on the rubber, he gets set(ball in glove). You have to step off the rubber if you're gonna take the ball out of the glove without throwing it. Even though it was for only a split-second, that is a balk, but it wasn't called right then, so maybe thats not what it was. His lead foot did make an obvious move toward 3rd base. Technically there were two balks, but I believe the balk was called because of the illegal move toward 3rd. Its pretty obvious.
i see what u mean by him moving his shoulders. but he wasn't balanced there so that wasn't the balk call. it had to have been when he connected his hands & then broke em' w/o stepping off the mound.
yeah, its a balk. u can't put ur hands together and then brake them without stepping off the mound. but, he shouldn't be called on it. don't they get at least a warning at this level?
If an umpire called a balk here, he should have his clicker removed and his head checked. There are always movements, but the balk must only be called if there is an intent to deceive the runner or gain an advantage. He didn't even take his eye off the plate - No deception or advantage from the motion, then no balk.
He immediately puts his pivot foot on the rubber, ball in throwing hand.
Then his strides forward with his non-pivot foot.
This motion is assosiate with a throw to home. As a pitch did not immediately follow, this is a very technical balk.
The actual balk was not on the pitch, per se, but preceded the pitch by several seconds. If that is indeed the call, why did the umpire allow him to continue with his stretch and pitch?
He had the ball in the glove when he got on the plate then takes it out. You are not allowed to take the ball out of the glove once you foot is on the plate unless the next move is the pitch.. The Balk call should have been called immediately after he took it out... Don't understand why he waited to call it after the pitch, though...
If a pitcher separates his hands while in the SET Position, then he must pitch, or it can be called a balk. You could argue whether the pitcher in this video was in the SET Position immediately when he came to the rubber. I don't think so. To be safe, I teach pitchers to engage with the rubber with hands separated to avoid ridiculous calls like this. Certainly there was no intent to deceive the runner here. -- Mark
I didn't either. The action the umpire called balk on was he puts his right foot on the rubber and takes the ball out of his glove at the same time. At this age, the call is nuts (there were >12 balks called against both teams in the game). I don't think the call fit either the spirit or the literal text of the rule.
Had the same ump again for a game a few weeks later and he didn't call a single balk even with some legit opportunities to call one...actually called a really nice game...
He wiggles his shoulders before he starts to the plate. He's committed to the plate when he moves his shoulders. Any movement of the head is legal, but nothing else.
That wasn't the call, but good try. There is a very slight motion of the shoulders as he starts the pitch as you mention, but that motion is "as he starts the pitch" and is consistent with every pitch he throws. The balk called was much earlier in the motion.
The fact that the umpire called that a balk on a kid that age is a joke!
wrnicoli 2 years ago 4
when he stepps on the rubber, the ball is in his glove. then he reaches in and pulls the ball out. it's very subtle and probably unintentional, but it is a 'breaking of the hands' and technactly a balk. tough to make that call on a 10 year old
55deck 3 years ago 2
From this angle, it's difficult to tell how far that foot moved toward third. Regarding the 'double set' - the pitcher was not into the 'stretch' as defined in 8.01, so...I would argue that it's not really a double set. The ball was clearly in view in his hand at his side prior to getting to the actual 'stretch' position, then moved directly to the 'set' position and then threw. There was no obvious attempt to deceive the runner in that motion and we don't know if it's his natural motion.
Furax02 3 years ago 6
Exactly.
krsnet 3 years ago
I have to agree with many other of the people who posted replies to this video, this is a balk, the pitcher comes to the rubber, reaches into his glove while his pivot foot is on the rubber and removes the ball, every league defines this as a pitcher coming "set" when both hands are in contact with the glove. He then removes his pitching hand from the glove and places it back in the glove, therefore making this a double set.
guitarplaya2007 3 years ago
The balk was called because he tok the ball out of the glove and back. If someone calls makes that call at that level, then they must have personal problems. In no way should an umpire make that call at that level.
umpire20 3 years ago
Movement in the head before pithcing and shoulders move When he first moved to the pitching rubber he had the ball in his glove and then releasesd
baseballwiz07 3 years ago
he never came set... his shoulders were all over the place. A little stringent though for some little leaguers.
mmacmu1 3 years ago
It's a balk. He broke his hands while on the rubber and didn't throw the ball. Nobody would have known any better if it wasn't called, though.
DennieLemeux 3 years ago 2
is because he has the ball in the glove as he steps on the rubber, and then he takes the ball out
knducay 3 years ago
I don't see a balk.
Doc418 3 years ago
Where was the balk? He took the ball from the glove, he was not set. IT IS NOT A BALK!
littleleagueump 3 years ago
No way it's a balk. As an umpire, the kid reaches into his glove to pick up the ball, but isn't coming set when he does this on the rubber, so the "breaking the hands" doesn't apply. He didn't lean or make any movements towards any base until he pitches to home.
CNordy 3 years ago
Now im no expert, in fact i hardly understand the single most complicated rule in sports, (yes take that infield fly!)
but i think its at the very beggining, at 0:02, when he steps on the rubber with the ball in his glove.
he then takes the ball out of his glove while on the rubber and that is illegal. he should have kept it in his mitt, and then come to the set position. he could have then put his hand on the ball and pitch. so yes, it is deffintly a balk.
GrahamAmbrose1 3 years ago
its a balk bc he came in contact with the rubber w/ ball in glove then moved it to his bare hand then came set while still in contact. rule 8.05
JJluvsbeer 3 years ago
At this level? Ankle biter age? Not a balk. Kids at this age, have a little more body movement. All anyone should be looking for here is a BLATANT no-stop. Maybe if he feints to first and doesnt step off. But thats it. At this age, you can find balks the whole game. Age appropriate officiating.
chuckfan1 3 years ago
When the pitcher gets on the rubber, he gets set(ball in glove). You have to step off the rubber if you're gonna take the ball out of the glove without throwing it. Even though it was for only a split-second, that is a balk, but it wasn't called right then, so maybe thats not what it was. His lead foot did make an obvious move toward 3rd base. Technically there were two balks, but I believe the balk was called because of the illegal move toward 3rd. Its pretty obvious.
lgradyl 3 years ago
i see what u mean by him moving his shoulders. but he wasn't balanced there so that wasn't the balk call. it had to have been when he connected his hands & then broke em' w/o stepping off the mound.
cubbiefan26 3 years ago
It doesn't matter if he wasn't balanced. If you move your shoulders not in association with a pitch or pickoff, it is a balk.
kmcnelly 3 years ago
yeah, its a balk. u can't put ur hands together and then brake them without stepping off the mound. but, he shouldn't be called on it. don't they get at least a warning at this level?
cubbiefan26 3 years ago 2
really depands on the level if this is baberuth no they dont get a waring or it depands on the umpire.
calripken it depands on the house rules.
critter2 3 years ago
he kind of turn like he was gonna throw to 3rd then he didnt
RBALLINF 3 years ago
If an umpire called a balk here, he should have his clicker removed and his head checked. There are always movements, but the balk must only be called if there is an intent to deceive the runner or gain an advantage. He didn't even take his eye off the plate - No deception or advantage from the motion, then no balk.
AmazingRaceMontreal 3 years ago
The was a blak call, he moved his foot foward when on the rubber then game set. Yes there was a blak.
TexasTechFan 3 years ago
I think it might be because the umpire confused his feet being together as coming set and then he broke his hands.
sprtn167 3 years ago
He immediately puts his pivot foot on the rubber, ball in throwing hand.
Then his strides forward with his non-pivot foot.
This motion is assosiate with a throw to home. As a pitch did not immediately follow, this is a very technical balk.
The actual balk was not on the pitch, per se, but preceded the pitch by several seconds. If that is indeed the call, why did the umpire allow him to continue with his stretch and pitch?
gmeister56 3 years ago
BALK! foot was on rubber, then his hands came together. when he seperated them again, that is a balk.
hokiehater1130 3 years ago
It's a balk. No question.
DennieLemeux 3 years ago
He had the ball in the glove when he got on the plate then takes it out. You are not allowed to take the ball out of the glove once you foot is on the plate unless the next move is the pitch.. The Balk call should have been called immediately after he took it out... Don't understand why he waited to call it after the pitch, though...
johnLSU 3 years ago
Yep, I see it. But I would have never called it if I was umping the game.
paulcdallas 4 years ago
If a pitcher separates his hands while in the SET Position, then he must pitch, or it can be called a balk. You could argue whether the pitcher in this video was in the SET Position immediately when he came to the rubber. I don't think so. To be safe, I teach pitchers to engage with the rubber with hands separated to avoid ridiculous calls like this. Certainly there was no intent to deceive the runner here. -- Mark
markthomasbusch 4 years ago
I do not see a balk at all..
YouWantMeYouCantPay 4 years ago 2
I didn't either. The action the umpire called balk on was he puts his right foot on the rubber and takes the ball out of his glove at the same time. At this age, the call is nuts (there were >12 balks called against both teams in the game). I don't think the call fit either the spirit or the literal text of the rule.
Had the same ump again for a game a few weeks later and he didn't call a single balk even with some legit opportunities to call one...actually called a really nice game...
krsnet 4 years ago
He wiggles his shoulders before he starts to the plate. He's committed to the plate when he moves his shoulders. Any movement of the head is legal, but nothing else.
kenrbuck 4 years ago
That wasn't the call, but good try. There is a very slight motion of the shoulders as he starts the pitch as you mention, but that motion is "as he starts the pitch" and is consistent with every pitch he throws. The balk called was much earlier in the motion.
krsnet 4 years ago
I wouldn't have called it at this age level, but I was taking a stab at the logic.
kenrbuck 4 years ago