Rockies @ Giants, Apr.29, 2008 - NO BALK!!!

[kangaroobaby7]

that WAS a balk!!!!

[se7envii7]

Correct call he balked before the catcher called time because his pitcher balked. Then as the call goes the umpire calls time and indicated the balk. TIMMY that was a balk.

[dumbannana]

hahahahaha! im a rockies fan!

[elite0830]

NOBODY HAS GIVEN THE CORRECT ANSWER, SO I WILL!!

Lincecum is NOT at fault!!! @ 0:03 he stepped off ready to deliver his pitch, then all of this commotion happened at home plate @ 0:04, which is why he stopped.

The person who is at fault is the person who called time. If it was the batter, there is no balk. However, If it was the catcher who called time, then it is deemed a 'catcher's balk', and the call is correct.

Regardless, the ump shouldn't have called time first, THEN the balk. Sketchy!!

[loleyeduntcare]

it was definately a balk, he stepped off with his glove side first then backed away with his throwing side. he should have stepped back with his throwing side FIRST.

[CousinItt001]

It looks to me like the catcher (not the batter) asked for time, and before the umpire called time the pitcher stopped his motion there for a balk.

[gntluvr]

gary darling is the worst umpire in the league not even a close second

[Garensonic]

@gntluvr He is not. That was the right call in this case for a balk and the manager got tossed for arguing the call.

[FreeAppMaster]

Definitely a balk

[keydetpiper]

That is a balk. The pitcher stepped off with his non-pivot foot, which is clearly defined as a balk. It looks to me like the catcher tried to call time to prevent the balk call, but the umpire didn't buy it.

[bjlewis101]

MLB has live balks does it not? Meaning you don't call time then a balk. When there's time you can do jump-n-jacks on the mound. However, it seems once the pitcher did balk, the catcher called time and the ump's first instinct was to call time. Unfortunately, he called balk afterward. Poor mechanics!

[keydetpiper]

@bjlewis101 According to Official Baseball Rules, the ball is dead as soon as the balk is called. Rule 8.05

[bjlewis101]

@keydetpiper You are right, unless the batter reaches first base on a hit, error, BB or otherwise than play proceeds without reference to the Balk. Seems to be a little grey area there! In any case, the runners advance one base without being in jeopardy!

[chesalinko54]

Was NO BALK, the umpire called "time out" first, watch the video

[gntluvr]

Gary Darling is the worst umpire in the entire league hands down

[thebayareapimp]

SF GIANTS WORLD CHAMPS

[3018276800]

in that situation, the umpire called time to make the balk call. A classic start and stop. I know balks are a live ball in MLB, unlike HS rules,but in this situation, no play or pitch was occuring to keep the play a live ball. Consequently, the umpire called time then the balk. It might be suspect umpire mechanics ... he should have pointed with his left hand first and called the balk, but he made the correct call.

[KOHF34]

Even though he's certainly not one of the best Umps in the league, you have to admit Gary Darling probably has the longest temper/ejection in the league (The manager here argued with him for two minutes). Angel Hernandez or CB Bucknor would've thrown him out by then.

[dano217]

@KOHF34 Gary Darling is one of the genuine good guys in Major League Baseball. I can't say I feel the same about the likes of C.B. Bucknor, Angel Hernandez, Joe West, and umpires of that nature. Granted, there are "magic words" that will get you INSTANTLY thrown out, but these guys seem to have a quick trigger on every ejection. At least Gary Darling listens to an argument, and tries to explain his call and make peace. An ejection for him is the last resort, jus the way it should be.

[lsbbaseball]

yes balk

[lsbbaseball]

its a balk. he stepped off with his glove foot and that is his throwing foot so it looked like he was going to pitch, then stepped off. BALK!

[midwestechnine]

no blk

[21hockeyfreak]

how do you get free seats?

[GotHeat55]

I replayed this game on MLB.TV. This is what happenend and you can see it here. Lincecum is ready to wind up. He does not flinch. Molina (the catcher) raises his hands and calls time out. The ump raises his hands to calls time out at the same time Tim starts his motion. Then the ump calls balk. YOU CAN'T CALL BOTH. THE UMP SCREWED UP. If he did not grant time out, then he just should have called BALK. But he called time out first. The MLB.TV commentators agreed.

[dano217]

@GotHeat55 The timeout came BECAUSE OF the impending balk call. I wouldn't expect you or the folks at MLB.TV to get this right though, not knowing proper umpire mechanics. Hands in the air for time, THEN a signal of balk. Good call, good mechanics, epic fail on your comment.

[almostfm]

@dano217 No, bad call, bad mechanics. Lincecum stopped when the umpire called time. GotHeat has the order correct--I just looked at the clip on MLB.tv. If stopping the motion wasn't the reason for the balk call, then what was?

[dano217]

@almostfm No no no, that's not true. The mechanics were fine. It's not unusual for an umpire to call time out after a balk. I've seen it go both ways, time and then point to the pitcher, or point and then call time. Besides, it was already decided before ANY signal was given that this was a balk. The pitcher stopped the motion, umpire saw the balk. Umpire called time so that the pitcher didn't pitch, then called the balk. Great call, great mechanics, no question about it.

[rayameel]

@dano217 ...The mechanics were not fine.....in fact they were terrible, and a balk is not a reason for the Umpire to call time out. The question here is, what happened first, The Balk, or the Umpire calling Time ???

[dano217]

@rayameel Not being an umpire for fifteen years as I have, I can understand why you are stating falsehoods. Poster 3018276800 has this one correct. Although time is not AUTOMATICALLY out on a balk call, since no pitch was taking place, the mechanic is correct in calling time to avoid a sticky situation, and then charge the balk. An umpire has the discretion to either call time first OR to point to the pitcher first. No issue here, great call. The balk came before the catcher called time.

[plusEV]

@dano217

I umped for 17 years and at no level have I ever seen time called before a balk. He granted time but looked up and saw Lincecum posture up with while still on the rubber. Nevermind that Tim was reacting to what was going on behind the dish.. Darling has a history with the Giants. It's amazing how some of theses guys get away with what they do.

[dano217]

@plusEV This is my sixteenth season, and I've never known it to be unusual to call time and then award a base. It depends on the situation. In a "continuous action" situation, obviously you don't call time. However, if the pitch isn't being delivered, preventative umpiring makes calling time and then charging the balk (albeit almost in one motion practically) a logical thing to do.

[mae2759]

i like the people yelling and don't even know what a balk is...

[300Z31]

Pretty clearly a balk. Pitcher stepped backwards, THEN stepped off the rubber. Pretty easy call for the majors.

[russ10x]

In major league rules, the ump calls "Balk" then "Time" at the same time. The ball is dead. This was a balk.

[russ10x]

Notice he stepped back with his non pivot foot first. This is the first step to a wind up. The pitcher deffinatly balked. If he wanted to step off first, he needed to do it with is pivot foot first.

[jcarey1983]

sorry, balk

[SirCuckooPepprmuddle]

I agree with jamarntz. I was going to say what he said.

[francbloom18]

If Umpire called time out is not a baulk no matter what pitcher does after time out called but if pitcher stepped out before time out called that is a baulk or if he wa not ready to throw to home plate he has to step out with rigth foot before even if time out was'n called.

[stuckon1111]

balk

[jamarntz]

It was a balk. He lifted his back leg right BEFORE time was called.

[dbow10allday]

that was a bull-shit call

i was at this game

...get on your knees blue cuz you blew that game

dumbass

[guitarplaya2007]

absolutely accurate comment dano, right on the money. I had to watch the video closely to see this, but i noticed the leg twitch while the pitcher was set when teh catcher called time, the umpire put his arms up to call balk BEFORE he awarded time, and then awarded time out to the catcher.

[DennieLemeux]

Where was this video shot from, the space shuttle?

[jmateobaker]

Free seats, dude. I get a lot of them.

[DennieLemeux]

Sweet. I just mean you can't see much as far as calling a balk.

[himynameisjustind]

@jmateobaker they're not bad seats

[MeSmashThings14]

rofl

[eletaone]

my god this game is so boring

[dano217]

hey eletaone...no one cares what you think

[dano217]

Too hard to tell from this video, but here's what happened. Lincecum flinched. The balk wasn't when he started and stopped, he flinched while taking signs. The catcher tried to call time-out to cover up the balk. The umpire called time, as he should have, to make sure Lincecum didn't pitch. Then he charged the balk. A bit confusing, because everyone thought the balk call came after the time out. The time out came BECAUSE OF the impending balk call. Great umpiring, and a great call!!

[tacosy2k]

you didnt even see the play, your just quoting what the umpire said to cover his ass, ima find a better video to show you, cuz it was obvious that lincecum stopped pitching after gary called time for bengie. gary really does have something againts the giants or tim cuz he blew another call today in the dodger game taking a complete game win away from tim and then gives timmy the lose in this game. so dont quote the paper when you didnt even see it, thats just gary trying to cover him self up

[dano217]

Wow, okay, how about fuck you?? You're goddamn crazy. I'm not just "saying what the umpire said". I don't need to cover anyone's ass. It was an obvious call to anyone that knows what the hell they're talking about. Umpires don't carry personal vendettas against teams or players, but even if they did, can you blame him? Bruce Bochy is an asshole, and Tim Lincecum is a young yuppie prick that needs to get a haircut. So fuck Bochy, fuck Lincecum, and fuck you, because the umpire was RIGHT!!

[haikuluke]

No, the BATTER called time out. I was watching the game. The batter called time out, the ump heard him and signaled time out, and THEN called a balk on Lincecum. If we had the tv footage you could see...

[alasjajo]

@haikuluke the batter can call time all day...the ump gives it...when Linc. stepped with the wrong foot time had not been given. Therefore, clearly this IS A BALK!