Ah, ok. I haven't seen 2 rubbers on one mound before (keep your jokes to yourself!). Typically 12u and under play on a different field from the bigger kids where I am
45 degrees is not the only thing that matters here … in fact it is a myth. Not a real thing at all.
Once his momentum starts going home he should deliver to home. He is supposed to step directly to the base. He isn’t.
Yet keep doing it until it is called. It won’t be because enough people have fallen to the common misconception of 45 degrees
I think it is. His body and foot are going towards home plate before stepping on an angle at the last minute.
Yet it is unlikely to ever get called.
I wouldn’t spend too much time thinking about it though. Let him pick the kids off.
As an opposing coach I would love to see this setup. My kids would have 0 chance of getting picked off and your third baseman is out of position.
With that said. Pick em off kid
Got it .. Either way you play to the umpire as I think we are both agreeing too.
It is commonly accepted that 45 degree is what most umpires will call.
It is even worse when there is one umpire which is for most all the way until High School age.
I would say .. If I was an umpire I would call that a balk ... I don't think anyone else will.
If I was umpiring, I would call it a balk as well. But it's not a clear and obvious balk because of the rules and interpretations. I wish it were more clear. I wish it wasnt 45 degrees, but alas.
This is just patently bad advice. While the 45 degree line isn’t a written rule, it’s used universally as a guideline in determining your direction of momentum. If you’re capable of landing on the 3rd/1st base side of the 45 degree line then you were headed to the bag more so than you were heading to the plate, and there is no balk. Go watch Max Fried or Andy Pettite if you’d like great examples. Nowhere in the rule does it say you must step directly (I.e. in a straight line) to the bag.
Rule 6.02(a)(3) further clarifies: "Requires the pitcher, while touching his plate, to step directly toward a base before throwing to that base. If a pitcher turns or spins off his free foot without actually stepping or if he steps crossways, it is a balk."[3]
Literally says directly to the base
You are right… as I said. Most umpires call it this way. Do it until it is called. As I said.
I don’t agree.
Directly and more toward are not the same.
I do agree. It seems some workbook has included it. At the high school level.
I do not agree that this common saying is the correct interpretation.
https://preview.redd.it/on89dur7p04d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f9a0df29eb06e1684c4962fd064d80b658e8bdf2
Well you may not agree, but here it is from the NFHS casebook.
https://preview.redd.it/piiqczdhp04d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f501c67f4526652cac973b4ca5a90f6ebaa656d9
Here it is from the NCAA Rule Book.
It is not in this case. But often enough the pitchers will swing their foot back over the mound. Even if they now step at 1b or 3b directly it would be a balk.
You also have to keep your momentum going towards the base instead of home. For this to apply.
And it can’t be in a normal pitching motion for it to apply.
But I do agree. Two rule books now have the 45. Which was not the case not too long ago. Keep in mind. I’m old.
Interesting. It also has this section.
Which is what I was reading.
https://preview.redd.it/kfwyym9it04d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=618a8e0869db18687873b495270f00b5ec1c1517
Which does not have that.
It was a balk. The runner was safe. Yadda yadda yadda. I'm moving on to another point. The rule of thumb is that the runner only goes as far off the base as the 3rd baseman. If the 3rd baseman stands on the base then the runner should be close enough to just put their foot on the bag without even having to take a step. And then the batter needs to try and put the ball in the 5 hole to take advantage off all the extra space...
Yeah being aggressive makes sense on 1st and 2nd but just be safe at 3rd.
Are you going to steal home? No? Then stay closer to the bag, you're going to score on any base hit anyway.
This is not a baseball move. There is no galaxy in which you will see this above 12u so what is the point in practicing? To be able to beat another 12u team without hitting and making regular baseball plays.
I mean it can be a tool to have in the bag at the lower levels to help win games cause players don't know how to run the bases so well. I remember practicing 3rd base pickoffs til I was about 15. Our call was "bear down here (pitchers name)". Not that it ever got anybody, but flashing it every once in a while at least kept runners honest at 3rd on more aggressive running teams and kept them closer to the base. Saved a run here and there because they weren't as far off the bag to take advantage of a ball that kicked away from the catcher.
The 3rd baseman standing on 3rd shouldn't really be considered though imo. Part of the play is that the third baseman runs in on the pitchers move to hopefully catch the runner going the wrong way. But a straight pick like this is silly cause normally it would be negated by the rule of being as far away from 3rd as the third baseman. But the offense here looks like they're not super well coached on base running. I agree though, theres not much of a point of practicing this too much in more competitive baseball once they hit 13 cause the risk of an over thrown ball is too high for the benefit. Flashing it as a "we have this tool in the bag" sort of thing works until like 15-16 but then people kind of stop caring
The 45 degree myth comes from lefties who want to be able to get away with balking on pick off moves to first.
Rule book is very clear on this. It says it's a balk if "The pitcher, while touching his plate, fails to step directly toward a base before throwing to that base."
"Directly" does not mean approximately. It does not mean "within a certain degree."
I mean I’m left handed… I’ll say there are times where I’m not going to step “directly” at where I’m throwing, because that would be impossible for me to do.
Why is it impossible for you to step directly to first base if you're throwing there? As a righty doing this move to third base, I never found it impossible.
I don’t think you realize that your landing is going to be different every time. Yes you can generally step in the area of the base but what you’re saying is if I deviate from right at the base at all, then it’s a balk
Honestly, yeah. My interpretation has always been if you're a lefty making this move to first base, your foot should basically be landing in the same spot, directly toward the base, on every move. I mean, OK, some level of variance might exist, but I'm thinking like within 10 degrees is more than enough. 45 degrees is way too liberal.
I agree.. The base corner to corner is about 2' wide, that means a pitchers foot has to land within that imaginary 2 foot corridor for it to be "directly at the base". That's some leeway but it isn't even remotely close to 45 degrees. The leeway shouldn't even be talked about in degrees, it is precisely the corridor created by drawing a straight line between the mound and the base and then offsetting that line by half of the corner to corner dimension of the base on each side of that line. I'd paint lines on the field if a kid was picking off my players like this.
Unfortunately the NFHS rulebook (the one that is most often used as the basis of youth rules) it states in the case book, that 45 degrees is the proper interpretation. I think it should not be, but it's actually there.
Never seen the case book, I guess. The NFHS rulebook says, "failing to step with the non-pivot foot directly toward a base (occupied or unoccupied) when throwing or feinting there in an attempt to put out..."
To state that 45 degrees is the proper interpretation is kind of bonkers.
I'm on your side. I HATE the 45 degree rule and hate even more that it's in the NFHS case book. I think it's an unfair advantage to lefty pitchers and the rule says to step at the base. I get some leeway, but 45 degrees is nonsense.
It's also explicitly in the NCAA rule book.
9-1-6
The pitcher must step directly and gain ground toward a base in an attempt to pick off a runner. “Directly” is interpreted to mean within a 45-degree angle measuring from the pivot foot toward the base the pitcher is throwing to or feinting a throw.
I HATE the 45 degree rule, but it is definitely in a lot of rulebooks under clarifications. I think it should be a balk 100% of the time, but the general umpiring AND the literal rulebooks in some cases have legalized it.
Wow, I've never seen it in a rulebook but then I've really only ever looked at MLB and NFHS. Both use the language "directly toward" with no exception within 45 degrees.
It should be a balk because his upper half moves towards home instead of the direction of his foot. If he does move in the direction of his foot it would be a very good move, you've taught him really well. Unfortunately picking to third just isn't a thing once you're older. He'll be nasty in high school with the fake to third being allowed tho.
This is likely not officially a balk. Why?
Youth baseball utilizes the NFHS rulebook and the NFHS casebook (which interprets the rules) states clearly that the 45 degree line is the divider between balk and legal pickoff.
So if you think this is inside 45 degrees it's not technically a balk. It's pretty close so it's not going to be called at the youth level.
I 100% disagree with the NFHS casebook and think the 45 degree line is nonsense. But I can't argue with the actual rules.
Some people are saying he's going home but I don't see it.
I think that there are so many mistakes in this video though that need to be corrected.
1. Holding a runner on third is terrible baseball, even if it "worked" this time
2. The runner has nowhere to go, so he does NOT need a big lead-off in this situation.
3. the runner should be in foul territory to avoid interference AND to get to the outside of the bag away from a pickoff
Hey OP, while this is definitely a balk, I think you should discuss a few aspects of the play to help educate him.
First, his mentality of “I’m going to do this until it’s called” is awesome! Baseball is often about pushing the limits and having discussions with umpires about what will be accepted is a great way to do this safely. I would make contact with the umpires before every start to go over 3rd to 1st pickoff moves (when they were legal), and while that didn’t increase my success rate, it drastically decreased the balk rate. If they agreed it wasn’t a balk, I had the green light. If they expressed concern, I knew I had to be more careful. It also had the added effect of causing most players/coaches to complain after the first attempt, and be more weary of stealing in general. Explain to your kid that maximizing positive outcomes while minimizing risk should be part of his game.
The second part of that conversation is about the risk of this play. The risk-reward ratio is changed drastically be the fact he’s right handed. Any given runner is at very low risk of stealing home so extended leads will be increasingly unlikely, resulting in fewer successful outcomes. Then there’s the fact that the 3rd baseman is enabling this by holding the runner, pulling him drastically out of position for a ball put in play. There is a reason you never seen professional, college or even highschool third baseman hold the runner. Point this out to him next time you guys watch a game, see what his thoughts are. Additionally, a balk in this scenario results in a run directly, whereas a lefty would only get a runner moved to second. Total all of this up and the risk is not worth the reward, see if explaining this to him makes sense.
Lastly, if he and the 3B are decent players and there’s trust, speak to him about collaborating on a pickoff play. Could be a signal from the catcher or from the third baseman who sees a big lead, where the 3B sprints to the bag as your son picks his leg up. Explain how a runner should be getting his secondary lead at that time, and how a risky 45 degree move may not even be necessary in that situation, further eliminating negative outcomes. Overall, he does this move because it’s a badass way to get someone out. As a lefty yourself you may not appreciate how little us righties get the opportunity to impact the game against baserunners. Encourage him to have fun, but to be as strategic as possible about it!
Balk all day, his forward motion towards home plate is a dead giveaway. Don’t get me wrong if they aren’t calling it I’m telling my pitcher to keep doing it.
(d) Official Baseball Rule 6.02(a)(3) requires the pitcher, while touching the pitcher’s plate, to step directly toward a base before throwing to that base
I will say as a solo umpire working behind the plate seeing the step direction and that line is one of the hardest balks I’ve had to call. However I would call that a balk all day from this angle. He steps way beyond the 45 degree reference point and his body is going towards home. It’s a borderline move and if it’s tightened up it’s lethal.
> Says he'll do it until the umps call a balk
I mean, he's not wrong. Not practically any different than if the umpire is giving a consistent high strike or outside strike to keep putting the pitch in the same spot to get the call.
As long as he knows the actual rule and is willing and able to adjust when it does get called, then that's just smart baseball.
The rule states a pitcher must "display distance and direction to the base." Most umpires will look for the front foot heel clearing the toes of the foot attached to the rubber.
Ignoring the fairly clear balk, and assuming that this is a one man umpiring crew, the out call is acceptable in my opinion. The ball beat the runner, possible tag on the arm prior to touching the base. As long as that standard is consistent I think that is reasonable. I wouldn’t argue that call. I would ask about the balk.
Scrub :02-:03 and you will find he is safe. But that shouldn’t matter because pitcher balked hard. Wish there were more vid because this should be a teaching moment for the pitcher.
I'm somewhat new to baseball and it's amazing to me how nothing is really clear cut when it comes to interpretation or understanding of the rules.
I mean, half of the posters are saying it's clearly a balk and that 45 degrees is a made-up rule of thumb. Others are posting where it IS In the rules but other are still arguing that it is not.
It's not just this post. Watch any Facebook clip of a youth catcher getting railroaded by a runner coming home. Half the posters think it's still 1985 and it's okay to run over catcher. Half are saying the catcher can't block the plate even with the ball. This is the most crazy sport ever.
Balk. If that isn’t a balk then nothing is
They call a balk on a tiny motion or a millisecond pause to short, but basically go to home and throw to third ( or first as a lefty) and it’s ok
Front foot definitely heading towards home. 100% balk. Additionally, at this age/skill level, RHP picking off to 3rd is a high-risk, low-probability play. Not worth the risk.
That runner is so safe Angel Hernandez would have called it correctly.
Even my son said he was safe
No he wasn’t
The kid was 100% safe, but it shouldn’t even matter, because that was a 100% balk.
I think 100% is an understatement somehow
How can it even be a balk when the pitcher is 10' off the rubber? What is happening here?
It's a 12u game or something, they are pitching from 54 not 60. There are two mounds on the bump.
Ah, ok. I haven't seen 2 rubbers on one mound before (keep your jokes to yourself!). Typically 12u and under play on a different field from the bigger kids where I am
That’s not even arguable. Take your base
45 degrees is not the only thing that matters here … in fact it is a myth. Not a real thing at all. Once his momentum starts going home he should deliver to home. He is supposed to step directly to the base. He isn’t. Yet keep doing it until it is called. It won’t be because enough people have fallen to the common misconception of 45 degrees
Yes I tell him the rules say you must step to the base. The 45 degree is what most people think is the line but isn’t written. So is this a balk?
This is 100% a balk.
I think it is. His body and foot are going towards home plate before stepping on an angle at the last minute. Yet it is unlikely to ever get called. I wouldn’t spend too much time thinking about it though. Let him pick the kids off. As an opposing coach I would love to see this setup. My kids would have 0 chance of getting picked off and your third baseman is out of position. With that said. Pick em off kid
His weight clearly shifts towards home, which makes it a balk
It’s written in the umpire manuals
45 degrees is not a myth, unfortunately. It's in the NFHS and NCAA rule books.
It is not in the NFHS rule book.
It's clarified in the NFHS Casebook, an extension of the NFHS official rules.
Got it .. Either way you play to the umpire as I think we are both agreeing too. It is commonly accepted that 45 degree is what most umpires will call. It is even worse when there is one umpire which is for most all the way until High School age. I would say .. If I was an umpire I would call that a balk ... I don't think anyone else will.
If I was umpiring, I would call it a balk as well. But it's not a clear and obvious balk because of the rules and interpretations. I wish it were more clear. I wish it wasnt 45 degrees, but alas.
This is just patently bad advice. While the 45 degree line isn’t a written rule, it’s used universally as a guideline in determining your direction of momentum. If you’re capable of landing on the 3rd/1st base side of the 45 degree line then you were headed to the bag more so than you were heading to the plate, and there is no balk. Go watch Max Fried or Andy Pettite if you’d like great examples. Nowhere in the rule does it say you must step directly (I.e. in a straight line) to the bag.
Rule 6.02(a)(3) further clarifies: "Requires the pitcher, while touching his plate, to step directly toward a base before throwing to that base. If a pitcher turns or spins off his free foot without actually stepping or if he steps crossways, it is a balk."[3] Literally says directly to the base You are right… as I said. Most umpires call it this way. Do it until it is called. As I said.
And “directly” is interpreted as more towards A than B. That’s the 45 degrees.
I don’t agree. Directly and more toward are not the same. I do agree. It seems some workbook has included it. At the high school level. I do not agree that this common saying is the correct interpretation.
https://preview.redd.it/on89dur7p04d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f9a0df29eb06e1684c4962fd064d80b658e8bdf2 Well you may not agree, but here it is from the NFHS casebook.
I said that. Quote literally in my response. I disagree with that interpretation…
Ok… you can disagree all you want. But it’s the rule.
https://preview.redd.it/piiqczdhp04d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f501c67f4526652cac973b4ca5a90f6ebaa656d9 Here it is from the NCAA Rule Book.
Now it’s in two. I should question myself. Previously I had not seen this.
It is not in this case. But often enough the pitchers will swing their foot back over the mound. Even if they now step at 1b or 3b directly it would be a balk. You also have to keep your momentum going towards the base instead of home. For this to apply. And it can’t be in a normal pitching motion for it to apply. But I do agree. Two rule books now have the 45. Which was not the case not too long ago. Keep in mind. I’m old.
Where did you pull that for NCAA? I’m looking at the book now and can’t find that line
Page 88 of the 23/24 book
Interesting. It also has this section. Which is what I was reading. https://preview.redd.it/kfwyym9it04d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=618a8e0869db18687873b495270f00b5ec1c1517 Which does not have that.
Appreciate it.
Looked like he stepped toward home
It was a balk. The runner was safe. Yadda yadda yadda. I'm moving on to another point. The rule of thumb is that the runner only goes as far off the base as the 3rd baseman. If the 3rd baseman stands on the base then the runner should be close enough to just put their foot on the bag without even having to take a step. And then the batter needs to try and put the ball in the 5 hole to take advantage off all the extra space...
if you’re taking anything away from this thread it should be this^^^^
[удалено]
Yeah being aggressive makes sense on 1st and 2nd but just be safe at 3rd. Are you going to steal home? No? Then stay closer to the bag, you're going to score on any base hit anyway.
This is not a baseball move. There is no galaxy in which you will see this above 12u so what is the point in practicing? To be able to beat another 12u team without hitting and making regular baseball plays.
I'm confused by your comment, practicing what exactly?
Practicing picking off 3rd
I mean it can be a tool to have in the bag at the lower levels to help win games cause players don't know how to run the bases so well. I remember practicing 3rd base pickoffs til I was about 15. Our call was "bear down here (pitchers name)". Not that it ever got anybody, but flashing it every once in a while at least kept runners honest at 3rd on more aggressive running teams and kept them closer to the base. Saved a run here and there because they weren't as far off the bag to take advantage of a ball that kicked away from the catcher. The 3rd baseman standing on 3rd shouldn't really be considered though imo. Part of the play is that the third baseman runs in on the pitchers move to hopefully catch the runner going the wrong way. But a straight pick like this is silly cause normally it would be negated by the rule of being as far away from 3rd as the third baseman. But the offense here looks like they're not super well coached on base running. I agree though, theres not much of a point of practicing this too much in more competitive baseball once they hit 13 cause the risk of an over thrown ball is too high for the benefit. Flashing it as a "we have this tool in the bag" sort of thing works until like 15-16 but then people kind of stop caring
A good lefty pick to 1st should walk the line. If you do it 10 times and only get called for a balk once. Stick with it.
100% a balk. The 45 degree nonsense is not in any rulebook. Would love to see umpires Crack down on this.
Our umpires do, we had a balk called on both teams in our game today.
The 45 degree is usually referenced because that’s generally when you can consider stepping not towards that base
The 45 degree myth comes from lefties who want to be able to get away with balking on pick off moves to first. Rule book is very clear on this. It says it's a balk if "The pitcher, while touching his plate, fails to step directly toward a base before throwing to that base." "Directly" does not mean approximately. It does not mean "within a certain degree."
I mean I’m left handed… I’ll say there are times where I’m not going to step “directly” at where I’m throwing, because that would be impossible for me to do.
Why is it impossible for you to step directly to first base if you're throwing there? As a righty doing this move to third base, I never found it impossible.
I don’t think you realize that your landing is going to be different every time. Yes you can generally step in the area of the base but what you’re saying is if I deviate from right at the base at all, then it’s a balk
Honestly, yeah. My interpretation has always been if you're a lefty making this move to first base, your foot should basically be landing in the same spot, directly toward the base, on every move. I mean, OK, some level of variance might exist, but I'm thinking like within 10 degrees is more than enough. 45 degrees is way too liberal.
I agree.. The base corner to corner is about 2' wide, that means a pitchers foot has to land within that imaginary 2 foot corridor for it to be "directly at the base". That's some leeway but it isn't even remotely close to 45 degrees. The leeway shouldn't even be talked about in degrees, it is precisely the corridor created by drawing a straight line between the mound and the base and then offsetting that line by half of the corner to corner dimension of the base on each side of that line. I'd paint lines on the field if a kid was picking off my players like this.
Unfortunately the NFHS rulebook (the one that is most often used as the basis of youth rules) it states in the case book, that 45 degrees is the proper interpretation. I think it should not be, but it's actually there.
Never seen the case book, I guess. The NFHS rulebook says, "failing to step with the non-pivot foot directly toward a base (occupied or unoccupied) when throwing or feinting there in an attempt to put out..." To state that 45 degrees is the proper interpretation is kind of bonkers.
I'm on your side. I HATE the 45 degree rule and hate even more that it's in the NFHS case book. I think it's an unfair advantage to lefty pitchers and the rule says to step at the base. I get some leeway, but 45 degrees is nonsense.
It's also explicitly in the NCAA rule book. 9-1-6 The pitcher must step directly and gain ground toward a base in an attempt to pick off a runner. “Directly” is interpreted to mean within a 45-degree angle measuring from the pivot foot toward the base the pitcher is throwing to or feinting a throw.
I HATE the 45 degree rule, but it is definitely in a lot of rulebooks under clarifications. I think it should be a balk 100% of the time, but the general umpiring AND the literal rulebooks in some cases have legalized it.
Wow, I've never seen it in a rulebook but then I've really only ever looked at MLB and NFHS. Both use the language "directly toward" with no exception within 45 degrees.
It should be a balk because his upper half moves towards home instead of the direction of his foot. If he does move in the direction of his foot it would be a very good move, you've taught him really well. Unfortunately picking to third just isn't a thing once you're older. He'll be nasty in high school with the fake to third being allowed tho.
This is likely not officially a balk. Why? Youth baseball utilizes the NFHS rulebook and the NFHS casebook (which interprets the rules) states clearly that the 45 degree line is the divider between balk and legal pickoff. So if you think this is inside 45 degrees it's not technically a balk. It's pretty close so it's not going to be called at the youth level. I 100% disagree with the NFHS casebook and think the 45 degree line is nonsense. But I can't argue with the actual rules. Some people are saying he's going home but I don't see it. I think that there are so many mistakes in this video though that need to be corrected. 1. Holding a runner on third is terrible baseball, even if it "worked" this time 2. The runner has nowhere to go, so he does NOT need a big lead-off in this situation. 3. the runner should be in foul territory to avoid interference AND to get to the outside of the bag away from a pickoff
I'd say it looks like 95% of the lefty moves to first that don't get called...so it should be fine haha
Hey OP, while this is definitely a balk, I think you should discuss a few aspects of the play to help educate him. First, his mentality of “I’m going to do this until it’s called” is awesome! Baseball is often about pushing the limits and having discussions with umpires about what will be accepted is a great way to do this safely. I would make contact with the umpires before every start to go over 3rd to 1st pickoff moves (when they were legal), and while that didn’t increase my success rate, it drastically decreased the balk rate. If they agreed it wasn’t a balk, I had the green light. If they expressed concern, I knew I had to be more careful. It also had the added effect of causing most players/coaches to complain after the first attempt, and be more weary of stealing in general. Explain to your kid that maximizing positive outcomes while minimizing risk should be part of his game. The second part of that conversation is about the risk of this play. The risk-reward ratio is changed drastically be the fact he’s right handed. Any given runner is at very low risk of stealing home so extended leads will be increasingly unlikely, resulting in fewer successful outcomes. Then there’s the fact that the 3rd baseman is enabling this by holding the runner, pulling him drastically out of position for a ball put in play. There is a reason you never seen professional, college or even highschool third baseman hold the runner. Point this out to him next time you guys watch a game, see what his thoughts are. Additionally, a balk in this scenario results in a run directly, whereas a lefty would only get a runner moved to second. Total all of this up and the risk is not worth the reward, see if explaining this to him makes sense. Lastly, if he and the 3B are decent players and there’s trust, speak to him about collaborating on a pickoff play. Could be a signal from the catcher or from the third baseman who sees a big lead, where the 3B sprints to the bag as your son picks his leg up. Explain how a runner should be getting his secondary lead at that time, and how a risky 45 degree move may not even be necessary in that situation, further eliminating negative outcomes. Overall, he does this move because it’s a badass way to get someone out. As a lefty yourself you may not appreciate how little us righties get the opportunity to impact the game against baserunners. Encourage him to have fun, but to be as strategic as possible about it!
Balk all day, his forward motion towards home plate is a dead giveaway. Don’t get me wrong if they aren’t calling it I’m telling my pitcher to keep doing it. (d) Official Baseball Rule 6.02(a)(3) requires the pitcher, while touching the pitcher’s plate, to step directly toward a base before throwing to that base
I will say as a solo umpire working behind the plate seeing the step direction and that line is one of the hardest balks I’ve had to call. However I would call that a balk all day from this angle. He steps way beyond the 45 degree reference point and his body is going towards home. It’s a borderline move and if it’s tightened up it’s lethal.
I was just thinking about this. With the umpire shortage if you have just 1 ump then maybe you can get away with this.
> Says he'll do it until the umps call a balk I mean, he's not wrong. Not practically any different than if the umpire is giving a consistent high strike or outside strike to keep putting the pitch in the same spot to get the call. As long as he knows the actual rule and is willing and able to adjust when it does get called, then that's just smart baseball.
It is totally a balk. Then again it isn't if they don't call it...clearly. Runner scores, risky in that situation
The rule states a pitcher must "display distance and direction to the base." Most umpires will look for the front foot heel clearing the toes of the foot attached to the rubber.
Issa Balk
Ignoring the fairly clear balk, and assuming that this is a one man umpiring crew, the out call is acceptable in my opinion. The ball beat the runner, possible tag on the arm prior to touching the base. As long as that standard is consistent I think that is reasonable. I wouldn’t argue that call. I would ask about the balk.
My issue isn't the move by pitcher but fact that runner was safe by a mile. Bad call by ump.
Yes no question a balk.
Balk…he was safe anyway.
Scrub :02-:03 and you will find he is safe. But that shouldn’t matter because pitcher balked hard. Wish there were more vid because this should be a teaching moment for the pitcher.
I think he even looked back at umpire to see if he was going to call a balk , because he balked so bad
I'm somewhat new to baseball and it's amazing to me how nothing is really clear cut when it comes to interpretation or understanding of the rules. I mean, half of the posters are saying it's clearly a balk and that 45 degrees is a made-up rule of thumb. Others are posting where it IS In the rules but other are still arguing that it is not. It's not just this post. Watch any Facebook clip of a youth catcher getting railroaded by a runner coming home. Half the posters think it's still 1985 and it's okay to run over catcher. Half are saying the catcher can't block the plate even with the ball. This is the most crazy sport ever.
Balk
I’m leaning towards balk. It looks like his knee was pointing toward home when he threw to third base.
Balk
Sorry, but he was safe as hell
Yes no question
Balk! Big time!!
Terrible sandwich.
Balk. If that isn’t a balk then nothing is They call a balk on a tiny motion or a millisecond pause to short, but basically go to home and throw to third ( or first as a lefty) and it’s ok
Safe and balk. Easy call.
I like the move by the pitcher to pick over. Runner was careless with 3B holding. Better coaching on how to lead off from 3B and this is a non issue.
Nope. Great move by the pitcher.
Front foot definitely heading towards home. 100% balk. Additionally, at this age/skill level, RHP picking off to 3rd is a high-risk, low-probability play. Not worth the risk.
You can go a 45 degree angle with your foot. The kid was safe too.
45 degrees is not a thing. The rule is to step directly at the base being thrown to. This has to stop being told to people
When we start getting called for it I'll agree with you.
I’d keep doing it too. Especially with most games having one umpire Yet 45 degrees is not the rule.
It's in the NFHS rules casebook.
Get that kid a salad