Balks

I copied this from another post I responded to regarding calling of balks.

I am for calling a game to the full extent of the rules....and I try and do so....but with balks I fall back on the training I got 20+ years ago from the SAL league umpire who trained me.... He said:

You call 100% of the balks everyone sees
You call most of the balks that baseball people see (players, coaches, umpires)
you call none of the balks that only you see....

Now this is all tempered with the level of baseball we are talking about, since I rarely do kid ball, most of my games are with players who know better and are attempting to gain any and all advantages......

That being said, balks are called at the judgment of the umpire........what you might not see as deceptive or gaining an advantage, I may.......and ultimately, its the umpire who decides.........

I am not there to teach the rules.......its not fair to the participants.....coaches coach, umpires umpire...

I have the ball in my glove as take the sign, just before I start my stretch motion I reach into the glove and pull the ball out, I then swing my gloved hand a bit in front so the runner see's it, if I'm not called for it I have just gained an advantage over the runner. The runner should know or knew the ball was in the glove, but if it isn't and he doesn't shorten his lead or adjust his attention, bingo, I've gained an advantage by deceiving the runner..Call em early and they will learn very fast. I do many youth programs many are throwing from the stretch with runners stealing for the first time, most if not all leagues I call, start their league with a two week or so time period where officials are requested to call the balk, explain the violation and not enforce the call "unless it is repeated". I have always been amazed how effective the results are, umpires are not coaches mind you, but there is nothing but good coming from a explanation.

quote:

umpires are not coaches mind you, but there is nothing but good coming from a explanation.

But the umpire is an authority figure to young kids and they respond to what they're being told. I've always appreciated it when the ump explains a rule to my young players.

This is why we make these answers somewhat age specific.......If you are doing youth rec league ball a little instruction can go a long way and be appreciated by the coaching staffs of both teams.....

However at the select travel, HS and higher levels, I do not know of too many coaches who are interested in having an umpire tutor their pitchers....nor is it fair to teach one team what to do or not to do.......