Good laugh

When I was 12, I was hitting the pitcher started his wind-up and stopped (I think the ball fell out). No one was on base so the umpire called it a ball--and I think because of a balk. Is this the correct ruling? It seemed to make sense at the time, but I've never seen it happen again so I'm not 100% sure.

I should read closer, actually with no runners on you have nothing.

I'll have to check it too, but I think a dropped ball is a "ball".

You think thats bad! At a select 18u tourn. in Waco this past summer, the other team had a man on first with a one and one count on the batter. The next pitch was wild and went through a hole in the backstop. The ump of course let the runner move to second but he also let the batter take first. I had a fit and he said this was a rule from little league to pro ball but was rarely seen and he had called it already once in the tourn. I told him that he was a idiot twice then. This guy thought the whole show was about him as he did this long goofy windup and took about 5 seconds to call every pitch. We called him the chicken man. So watch out in Waco!

Found this:

If the pitcher makes an illegal pitch with the bases unoccupied, it shall be called a ball unless the batter reaches first base on a hit, an error, a base on balls, a hit batter or otherwise. *** An illegal pitch is a quick pitch or a pitch made while not in contact with the rubber. Defacing the ball is illegal but not an illegal pitch by this definition. ***

A ball which slips out of a pitcher's hand and crosses the foul line shall be called a ball; otherwise it will be called no pitch. This would be a balk with men on base.

I might've had that umpire Three Bagger...

From the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Baseball Case Book used by umpires:

6.1.2 Situation A: With no runners on base, F1 (Pitcher) starts his windup or preliminary motion and the ball slips from his hand. RULING:There is no infraction provided F1 delivers a pitch within 20 seconds after receiving the ball. If F1 fails to do so, the batter is awarded a ball. If there had been a runner or runners on base, dropping the ball while in contact with the pitcher's plate is a balk if the ball did not cross the foul line. Each base runner is awarded one base.

Comment: 20 seconds is an eternity when delivering a pitch. When is the last time you saw a ball awarded to a batter for the pitcher not pitching within 20 seconds? So the answer to the question at the start of this thread is NO ball should be given to the batter.