Why no balk in legion?

I was at a Legion game last night and saw a "non" balk call that still doesn't seem right to me. The exact teams and umpires really should have no effect on the call. The fans were "into the game" but were in control of themselves so they had no effect either. There was a runner on 1st base and another runner on 2nd base. The count was 3 - 1 on the batter. The batter asked for "time" about a millisecond before the pitcher started his windup. I've seen this occur in so many other baseball games and this was no different. The batter stayed in the box and the umpire did NOT call time. The pitcher then stumbled/quit continuing to pitch and did not throw the ball. The umpire then immediately said "no pitch". He did not call a balk. He said the batter can not cause the balk to occur. The batter did not do anything out of the normal sequence of events that I've already mentioned. I thought Legion games were supposed to be umpired in accordance with Major League rules - not Little League rules?!?!?! I've always seen this called a balk. Cannot understand how such an easy book rule was missed by the umpire. The only thing I can think of is that this particular umpire was in over his head and should remain in Little League.

An interesting side question: if the pitcher had not stumbled/quit pitching and instead DID deliver the pitch would the umpire have allowed the pitch to continue and call a strike on the batter???

I don't think the umpire can have it both ways..... he should have either called "time", or, called a balk. He can NOT let the pitcher decide, nor the batter.

Any comments on the CORRECT interpretation of Major League rules for this???

I'm not interested in opinions, just would like to know what should have been called....

Based on my interpretation of the MLB rules it was clearly a balk, and the runners each move up 1 base.

 

This is the correct way to handle that situation. A balk should not be called in any situation where the batter tries to get time, whether successful or not. This rule of thumb is in place to keep batters from intentionally trying to get pitchers to balk.

 

You mentioned that it "should be" called that way, and, that it was a "rule of thumb". I take that to mean that it is not a book rule. That is, it is not an automatic call by the umpire? Open for idividual interpretation by the umpire? I've seen it called a balk by other umpires. That is why the "rule of thumb" for pitchers is to always continue to deliver the pitch even if they hear "time" called, because, many times the batter may not be ready and the umpire will call a strike.

 

Spectator,,, couple things, first BigDipofCope is a well-respected umpire, so you asked the question, he gave you the answer the way he sees it. I trust his knowledge of the game.

One personal opinion about any umpires, and I believe this factored into your frustration over this specific call,,,,,,,, is that I think most of the time what upsets players, coaches and fans more than anything else is when umpires seem indecisive about making a call. If an ump seems to hesitate, we simply question his call, I think that is natural.

But whenever an umpire truly "sells" his call, we are just more apt to believe it.

 

Head Games

I attended a game where there was a runner on 3rd. The pitcher was pitching from the stretch and staring the runner on 3rd down during his delivery right up to the last moment when he released the ball. During the second or third pitch, the batter backed out of the batter's box and bent down as if to tie his shoe. He didn't call time or make any other reference to the umpire or the pitcher. During the delivery, the pitcher again stared down the runner at 3rd. As he looked home to complete the delivery, he noticed the batter out of the box and stopped the pitch. The umpire promptly called a balk and the runner on 3rd was awarded a trip to the plate. Of course an argument took place, but the decision did not change. No one called time and the pitcher clearly balked so the runner advanced. The excitement continued on the next pitch when the pitcher beaned the batter. Both benches came to their feet as they anticipated the batter charging the mound. What happened instead was what was so cool. The batter came to his feet, grinned at the pitcher and trotted his way down to first.

What happened there was a classic example of getting into the pitcher's head. I've always thought that was an element of the game...especially when the players are 16-19 years old. They aren't kids playing little league anymore. There obviously has to be a certain amount of athletic ability when playing any sport, but the head games that occur, and being able to control them, is just as important!

By the way, that batter that was obviously in the pitcher's head...stole 2nd and rattled the pitcher bad enough that he walked the next two and was then taken out of the game.

 

tj21 - I do respect BigDipofCope's answer. It was well constructed, direct and decisive - just what anyone would want from an umpire. I like the answer too.

But, my experience of watching hundreds of baseball games over the years leads me to believe that there is more than 1 way to make this call. I've seen other umpires call it a balk. I'm not trying to cause an argument. I'm merely trying to get a better understanding.

I've never seen a "non balk" call like this in MLB.

I disagree about your comment on believing an umpire because "he sells it". I've seen many umpires that are selling something that I don't want to buy. But, I don't want to open that debate up. That's not the issue. And, I do respect umpires. I don't want that job as it is very difficult and there's no instant replay to help out either. The best umpires are not noticed and know how to deal with difficult situations based on the rules and are not easily swayed by personal prejudice, fans and/or coaches.

 

Spectator, obviously there are calls during the course of a game that I disagree with too,,, I'm just saying when an umpire makes a call emphatically (sells it), at least I respect "that is how he saw it".

On the flip side, whenever an umpire hesitates, it only makes folks believe further that the umpire don't know what he's doing. That was my point I was trying to make.

I don't know what the umpire was doing or thinking in your situation because obviously I wasn't there, obviously this umpire caused confusion. As for an explanation, I'm just saying BigDip's pretty reliable.

 

I've called for quite a while and seen this situation many times. I've even seen a coach, with the tying run on third and 2 out in the last inning call his batter down, tell him as soon as the pitcher starts his windup to drop his bat and back out of the box. Of course the pitcher stopped and I called time. The coach yelled balk, I told him that the batters actions by either requesting time or backing out of the box cannot cause the pitcher to balk. He smiled and went back to the coaches box. He knew the what he was trying to do. Actually going back to the original post... if the pitcher starts his motion and the batter backs out without getting time granted, the umpire judges the pitch.

Here's another weird one.... IF (pro rule) the batter is out of the box and refuses to get in the box, the umpire can order the pitcher to pitch with the batter still out of the box... in this case no matter where the ball goes, it is a strike... this rarely happens, but is a rule.

 

my cousin Aldrick once fouled one off straight back onto his batting helmet at which point the ball went straight up in the air and then back down and off his bat again which produced the most perfect sac bunt you ever seen. but as his luck would have it, he swollered his wad of big league chew when he ran down the first base line and had to leave the game with a belly ache.

 

Thats bush ball... and i woulda beaned his ass on the next pitch also...and maybe the next batter just for saying i'd like to see him hit me like that...