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13 replies

How long?

BBfamBBfam500+ posts
My 11 yo son pitched Friday for a 13U team. During about the 3rd inning after a runner reached base the ump called a balk. No biggie I guess, but he's never done that before. So runner is now on second. Zack readies to pitch and ump calls balk again. Runner goes to 3rd. Ump says nothing more. Next pitch, "Balk" and runner scores. Now I know coaches should talk to pitcher but should the umps at least tell the pitcher what the deal is, especially since the runner scored on 3 consecutive pitches. My son has been holding runners for over a year and has only been called on a balk one time. Finally after the inning was over I asked home plate ump what the deal was and he said he would come set then slightly bring his hands down. Anyway, I'm not arguing that- he fixed it went on to pitch a one hitter and held several runners after the incident. But at what age do umps not tell pitchers what they did wrong? Just curious since whenever he'd played before no matter who balked the umps explained the call or at least asked the pitcher if they knew what they did wrong. Is 13u a magical age group?
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06catcherdad06catcherdad1,000+ posts
No, 13 isn't a magical age group. Sounds like the umpire was someone who doesn't have much of an understanding about teaching kids the game. For the 13u level, I'd expect every umpire to be willing to explain why the balk was called. The overwhelming majority would either make the call and explain why and how to avoid it in the future, or more likely; warn the young kid the first time. Heck, many umpires will warn high school pitchers early in the year, and those pitchers should already know better.
PF Pirate Fan100+ posts
Calling balks is an art, as kids get older, the more common balks should never warned. Double set, as descibed above, not coming to a complete and desernable stop, standing on the rubber in a wind-up position and then step with the wrong foot, etc.

Playing 13U means you are playing at a higher level and coaching should be better. Granted the ump did not say anything, and there is nothing wrong with that. Remember, the umps are not coaches. However, the coach should have asked the ump what he did exspecialy if he the coach did not know what was going on.

Giving warnings to 10& 11 old kids absolutely. At that age most kids are clueless and should not be pentalized for a balk. At age 12 thats a judgement call, at 13 warnings are a thing of the past.
Michael S. TaylorMichael S. Taylor1,000+ posts
I have always advocated calling balks at whatever level is using them. I don't believe warnings teach anything, but once there is a consequence it gets changed quickly. However, you do need to let the pitcher or coach know what you are calling. At the younger ages I will stop and explain it, although not repeatedly. At older ages I will tell a coach what he did but very appreviated, no stop, stepped off wrong, etc.
Last edited by Michael S. Taylor
P pilsner500+ posts
Pirate Fan,

With all due respect, I don't consider 13U to be a higher level of baseball. Higher than little league, yes, but with regards to pitching rules and regulations most 13 year olds are just beginning to experience trials and tribulations of staying within the rules and avoiding balks.

I don't work many 13U games but when I do it is always discussed with both coaches before the game how balks will be handled. Normally, each team will allowed the luxury of one warning with an explanation. After that the balk penalties will be enforced but I still explain, without conducting a clinic, what the kid did wrong. I don't go to the mound to do any of this. Just a quick word or two to the coach so he can work on it later with the kid. Also, not all of the balks are called. Lets just say that I use some discretion and make it age group appropriate.
TRhitTRhit10,000+ posts
I would expect and want an explanation, not a warning, provided the 'ground rules' were set prior to the game.

Also I do not see the 13 year old group as a magical group. Keep in mind also that this was an 11 year old pitching at the 13U level--what they do with 11 yr olds compared to 13 year olds can be two different things in terms of balk calls
Last edited by TRhit
PF Pirate Fan100+ posts
Pilsner,

It's interesting your comment regarding the belief that 13U is not a high level. In this neck of the woods, the coaches, players and parents all think that their player is one step away from High School if not Middle school baseball.

They do not want warnings at this age group. The opinion of most AAU coaches are they have been pitching long enough....... My problem is trying to control the coaches in the fact that they want every balk called, not matter how minor.

Example, a 12 year old AAU pitcher was trying to get a grip on his pitch and as a results is arm and elbow were moving. The coach went nuts that we the umps did not call that a balk.
P pilsner500+ posts
Please, don't misunderstand. If coaches don't want a warning then they won't get one. It's not something that's being forced on them.

Although it is true that a 13 year old is just a step away from High School ball, he is not, in most cases, just a step away from High School Varsity baseball.

As I said before, I try to do what is age group appropriate. If the coaches are insistant that all of the balks are called I would do that although I know it would be bad for the flow of the game.

Of course, these concerns are the main reason that I work very few 13 year old games.
BBfamBBfam500+ posts
Thanks for your replies. I want to reiterate that I had no problem with the balk calls. He did it and learned from it. The fact that he was younger still, to me, had no bearing as we chose to let him "play up". My question was that 13 was still fairly young and kids are just learning. Some may have just come from Little League. After 2 balks in 2 pitches I just wondered if at 13 umps just don't give explanations. To everyone it was obvious the pitcher didn't realize what he was doing. He was coming set. Unfortunatley he came set again after Frown
BBfamBBfam500+ posts
Yeah cather09 the coach did not come out. This was a team my son played for last year and they needed help this weekend. The coach is a great guy but not really the best coach. We wanted him to play for the experience of a bigger field and also to help his old team out. But since I am just the mom I can't tell the coach what to do. I was just curious if at this level umps stop telling pitchers what happened. In all the balks I've seen at 12u the ump at least gave an explanation.
piaa_umppiaa_ump5,000+ posts
That answers my question as well. I have not done much U-13 ball in a long time, but I cant imagine a coach not questioning 3 straight balk calls without an explanation.

In my time doing youth ball it was common to only call the most blatant balks....the ones that everyone knew why they were called...

In higher ball, a coach would certainly ask why a balk was called if he did not recognize it as such.
Michael S. TaylorMichael S. Taylor1,000+ posts
I agree that the coach was remiss in his duties by not coming out. But by the same token the umps should give the pitcher some idea what he is doing wrong. Even at HS anbd college I at least tell the catcher what he did but, very briefly. As I said above it's one or two words, no stop etc. At the younger ages they certainly need some instruction.
I was working an AAU league the other week, called a balk but the pitcher pitched and hit the batter. I stopped and explained to both coaches what I called, and what I was enforcing.

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