Balk Video

It's not clear enough to determine. I did see what appears to be motion with his hands. What did the coaches say after the game?

Try zooming in closer next time. From what I saw, the pick-off attempt before the balk, it looked like he didn't come set, but the ump didn't call it then. I couldn't tell from that far away.

Yeah I watched and thought he was going to call the balk on the pick off attempt! He clearly didn't pause at the set position. But no call.

Then when he called the balk, I can't see any movement at all from the pitcher. But the video is not exactly a close up. I don't remember ever seeing a balk called before the stretch even starts.

Well, that's what I was confused about. He wasn't even in the set position. I wasn't aware you could balk from there?

Coaches didn't say anything about it after the game, I think everyone just forgot about it, because the inning was over without any runs scored. When I looked at the video, it reminded me to ask you guys about it.

quote:

Originally posted by Rock-N-Fire:
From what I saw, the pick-off attempt before the balk, it looked like he didn't come set, but the ump didn't call it then.

Maybe because he doesn't have to come set before a pickoff throw.

Was he taking the sign without being on the rubber?

I can't even see full sized stuff any more, so I really couldn't make out anything.

Based on what the video shows I don't think there was anything. If there was it had to be pretty small - like a flinch of going to the set but not - that was called. I believe he was on the rubber when taking signs because after it's called you can see him step backward and a little white shows.

Is this plate ump doing the game by himself? You cannot see another ump on the field during the pickoff or when the runner goes to second. But then again on the pickoff the plate umps doesn't make a safe / out call if he is by himself.

To me it looks like he flinches with the ball and comes to a stop again. I wonder if that is what he calls?

Looks to me like he has the ball in front of his leg, hiding it from the runner.
That's a balk.

Look like the umps gives the gorrila arm signal when the coach asks what did he do.

Listen close at the end you can hear them discussing it and one guy says they call it Gorilla.

quote:

Originally posted by NJUmp:
Look like the umps gives the gorrila arm signal when the coach asks what did he do.

What is "the gorrila (sic)arm signal"?

not really a signal but it looks like he hung his right arm down in front of him, to tell the coach.

The pitcher has the ball to his side and you'll see his pitching hand flinch upwards just a little. That's why the umpire called the balk.


Very ticky-tack in my opionion and I would NEVER call this at any level.

It would fall under the "starting his normal motion and then stopping", but that would be a SERIOUS stretch.


This was NOT a "gorilla arm".

I'll bite...

What is gorilla arm?

When in the set position the throwing hand must be at his side. As Per MLB Rules:
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 interruption and in one continuous motion. It's more clearly defined in Jaksa/Roder. And was a POE a couple years ago.
If you watch the video in high definition (you can't see it otherwise) you can clearly see his throwing hand, and with the camera angle you should nt. Turn the sound up and you can clearly hear the guys near the camera discussing it, it looks like the umpire is hanging his right arm as an explanation to the coach.

The "Gorilla Arm" is a term used to describe a pitching stance where the pitcher leans in to take his signs from the catcher with the ball HANGING down in front of him, sometimes swinging back and forth.

By fed rules, this is illegal.

This video does not show a gorilla arm stance. I believe the fans are just speculating since the pitcher did not do ant other obvious infractions.

The ball is in front of his leg. That's illegal. You can clearly see it in the video.

The Ump looks like he gives the Gorilla arm signal to the coach. After some other words (you cant hear them too well) they then start talking about Gorilla Arm, evidently someone said something with those words in it.
No where in any of my posts do I call it Gorilla Arm, I just interpreted the video. This is my judgement.

quote:

Originally posted by NJUmp:
The ball is in front of his leg. That's illegal. You can clearly see it in the video.

I have watched the video several times, and there is nothing in it to call a balk on, IMO.

The umpire grabbed the $%$#^ end of the stick.

We can all agree that the ump called a balk. in the HD video you can clearly see the ball, if the pitcher had it behind his leg, you can't see it if you are the ump. Since the camera shows the ball and is positioned to the right of the ump, that tells me the ball is not at the side of the leg or behind the back. if it's in front and hidden from the runner it's a balk.

If the pitcher had the ball in his glove, would you call a balk beacause the ball was hidden?

The video is hard to see. I would guess that he separated his hands while engaged on the rubber. When a pitcher engages the rubber, and then separates his hands he must pitch.

some of the below posts mention he has to come set to go to first base. That is incorrect. A pitcher can be in the process of coming to the set positon and then throw to first. The key is that his pivot foot touch the ground before he releases the ball.

No that is not a balk. The pitcher can engage the rubber with the ball hidden in his glove or he can engage the rubber with the ball in his hand, or he can engage with his hand inside the glove with the ball. The key is that when he separates his hands he must pitch.

go3
If the ball is in his glove and his throwing hand is in front of his leg its a balk.

I agree with everyone it is hard to tell from the video what he did. What I saw when enlarged, HD and frame by frame on expensive monitor it appears he bounces the ball on his front leg. Whether or not that is a balk I will let the experts say but the catcher clearly asked the umpire and then indicates an arm motion to the pitcher. Since the coaches didn't question it at the time they must have been satisfied with the call.