quote:Originally posted by NeilKelty:
I think I'll print this out and show it to the ump when he calls a balk on me for trying this Thursday. hehe. I've already done the strikeout thing.
Dropped 3rd strike i jogged back to the dugout but DID NOT GO IN! Then I went out to 1st base. Thank goodness for my rule book.
I STRONGLY recommend not "going rulebook" on an umpire unless you really want to be ejected from the game. Any attempt by a player to show me up (especially in a summer league game) will be met with force on my part. Don't be surprised if you run into another umire like that. You are guaranteed to raise the ire of the umpire if you pull a stunt like that. as for a printout from this site, that would just be silly since we are not an official ruling body, we are just a collection of guys giving our opinions (as far as the umpire you are dealing with is concerned anyway).
Now as for the question about stepping backwards to first, I would rule it a balk. My logic is two-fold. 1)the rules do not allow it. They specifically say step towards first, this means your toes pointed at first base. If your toes are pointed at third base that is a step "away from third" and not a "step toward first". 2)Have you ever seen it in a pro game? I haven't and if it isn't allowed there I sure as heck am not going to allow it in my games. (If it were allowed there, someone would have done it or be doing it).