Balk Question

I don't have rules to quote, but that makes no sense to me. A pitcher should be able to step off the rubber at any time.

Wasn't one called because he was in his balance point and just stopped because he lost his balance or something? I was on the phone so wasn't watching that closely.

The other one which I think you are talking about is he flinched his right arm / shoulder. His hands were apart and his right arm moved very slightly. Then he stepped off and raised both his arms above his head. I think they got him on the flinch saying the movement committed him to bring his hands together to the full set position. It was a very minor flinch and I didn't see it until they showed it slow motion.

Coach has it. The "stretch" must be one continuous motion (during which you can legally step off). Once he stopped in the stretch before coming set (hands together in front of the body), it was a balk. It's not a "double-set" because he was never set in the first place.

This is what Pelfrey had to say.... “I think maybe when I get on national TV I like making a fool of myself,” Pelfrey told the Associated Press. “It seemed like I almost had the yips. It was like I was fighting myself to come set because my mind kept telling me to pick the guy off. I went back and watched replays and I balked.”

Here is what Dana Demuth says...

“It’s what’s called start and stop,” crew chief Dana DeMuth said. “When he comes to the stretch, he’s got to follow through to the stretch and has to have some kind of motion before he can step off. What he did tonight twice, he came up, stopped and then stepped off. You can’t do that. You have to have some kind of motion still going on coming through the stretch and then you can step off.”


I havent seen the actual clips yet, so I will have to reserve judgement. Balks called in MLB can be subtle and technical...

Or, if Bob Davis is involved, they can be completely imaginary.

I think you may be referring to :

Bob Davidson.....

He was on the full-time umpiring staff for Major League Baseball in the National League from 1982 to 1999. He resigned in 1999 as part of a labor negotiation strategy. However, Davidson has returned to professional umpiring and now is again part of the MLB staff. Davidson, who has been nicknamed "Balkin' Bob" or "Balk-a-day-Bob" due to his frequent balk calls, currently wears number 61, but wore number 31 during his career in the NL. When the AL and NL merged their umpiring staffs in 2000, number 31 was assigned to Mike Reilly, who wore the number in the AL.

He officiated in the 1992 World Series, as well as the National League Championship Series in 1988, 1991 and 1996. He also worked in the National League Division Series in 1995 and 1998, and in the 1987 and 1993 All-Star Games.

quote:

Crew chief Dana DeMuth explained that it was a "start-and-stop" issue. As long as Pelfrey kept moving, he could step off the rubber without a problem. But he was coming to a complete stop first and then stepping back, which is an obvious balk.

"You can't do that," DeMuth said. "You have to have some kind of motion still going on coming through the stretch and then you can step off."

Guess I don't get it. If you are in the taking signs position, then come up to the set position and stop (like your getting ready to pitch), is the ump saying you can't then step off the rubber?

bballman what happens is if the pitcher is in the taking signs position then any move he makes commits him to bring his hands together in one motion. His hands have to be together and at a complete stop. Once that happens he can step off.

But with Pelfrey he was in the taking signs position and his right arm flinched. Well that is technically a move but he stopped without bringing his hands together. His flinch meant he started and stopped before his hands come together.

I hope that makes sense but the real umps can probably explain it better.

I probably need to see what happened to get it. A flinch is different in my mind than -

quote:

"You have to have some kind of motion still going on coming through the stretch and then you can step off."

This just sounds like you still have to be moving to step off the rubber. Maybe he's saying while you are going from the taking sign position to the set position, it must be one continual motion. You can't stop in the middle, then start again. Or you can't stop in the middle of the transition and step off. Once you start the transition, you have to complete it before you step off. Does that sound like what he means?

quote:

Originally posted by bballman:
I probably need to see what happened to get it. A flinch is different in my mind than -

quote:

"You have to have some kind of motion still going on coming through the stretch and then you can step off."

This just sounds like you still have to be moving to step off the rubber. Maybe he's saying while you are going from the taking sign position to the set position, it must be one continual motion. You can't stop in the middle, then start again. Or you can't stop in the middle of the transition and step off. Once you start the transition, you have to complete it before you step off. Does that sound like what he means?

Yes, that is what he means, except for your last statement. You don't have to complete the transition (stretch) before you step off, but you cannot stop before the stretch is completed. It is the stop (rather than the step off) that causes the balk. Stepping off DURING the stretch is legal.

Thanks dash, I think I get it. So if you are in transition, as long as you are still moving, you can step off. You just can't stop in the middle of the transition then step off.

quote:

Originally posted by bballman:
Thanks dash, I think I get it. So if you are in transition, as long as you are still moving, you can step off. You just can't stop in the middle of the transition then step off.

Bingo. You now know more about balks than Jim Palmer.

quote:

Originally posted by dash_riprock:
Bingo. You now know more about balks than Jim Palmer.

or Tim McCarver and Joe Morgan combined......

Kim Jong-il knows more than they do.

quote:

Thanks dash, I think I get it. So if you are in transition, as long as you are still moving, you can step off. You just can't stop in the middle of the transition then step off.

The way i understand it is that it doesn't have so much to do with "when" he steps off but rather that he starts to come set and then stops mid motion not completeing his motion to come set while his foot is still engaged with the rubber. This can be interpreted as intent to deceive or a deptive motion.

MLB rule 8.01b states in part-

"Preparatory to coming to a set position, the pitcher shall have one hand on his side; from this position he shall go to his set position as defined in Rule 8.01 (b)without interuption and in one continuous motion."

Here is a video of Pelfrey's three balks. I believe it is the second that you're discussing here?

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday...b_sfnmlb_1&mode=wrap