I'm posting this more out of curoisty than anything else. Here's the situation. I was pitching agsinst on Sunday - nobody on base - I'm in my windup - my cleat got caught on something - I stopped my delivery - the ball did not leave my hand. The umpire called a ball. I've been pitching since I was 8 eight years old (so I've been pitching for like 13 or 14 years). I am clumsy and have done this quite regurarly but have never had a ball called for being goofy. I'm too lazy to go looking up in a rule book what the rule actually is. Does anybody know the rule? It made no impact on the outcome of the game (at least I hope not - it was a 9am game and I was still kinda sleepy). I'd be interested to see what we come up with.
Is it really a balk? I thought (maybe wrongly) that a balk was with the intention to deceive a runner. I have watched a few (maybe more than a few) major league games where the pitcher starts his windup and then stops, with no consequence. How is this different?
I don't think it is a balk.. I have seen Andy Pettite start and stop quite often among others. I don't see anything in the rules about a false start without runners on. In fact, it says that if the ball slips out of your hand and doesn't cross the foul line it is a no pitch.
Just to add to the confusion, I always thought the key word in that ruling was "intention," a loose phrasing that gave the umpires discretionary judgment.
In my view, it was an overzealous enforcement of the rule, narrowly defined. Should have been: no harm, no foul.
This is not at all to knock the umpire; just one of those semi-obscure baseball questions.
I think MLB rule 8.01(d) applies in this situation:
=========== 8.01(d) 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. ===========
So, it comes down to what is the definition of an illegal pitch. Is starting and stopping a pitching motion before releasing a ball an illegal pitch? In the MLB rules, the only defined illegal pitches are: 1. A quick pitch 2. Pitching while not on the pitchers plate
If you look at the comment for rule 8.01(d) Comment: A ball which slips out of a pitchers 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.
So, if no runners are on base and a pitcher throws a ball into the ground from the pitcher's plate and it doesn't roll into foul territory, it's not a pitch. I would assume if the pitcher started his motion and did not release the baseball, it would also be a "no pitch".
In my opinion, a no pitch should have been called.
*************************************************************** If there were runner(s) on base(s), then rule 8.05(a) would apply:
============ 8.05(a) If there is a runner, or runners, it is a balk when -- (a) The pitcher, while touching his plate, makes any motion naturally associated with his pitch and fails to make such delivery; ============
Well there you are then. Steve admits that he is habitually clumsy, and therefore to stumble and fall is considered a part of his natural motion by this particular umpire. End of story unless the batter attempts to drag a bunt and then its a strike because the ball was dead when he threw his bat out there near the mound towards it.
The high school rule was enforced. According to the National Federation of State High Schools Associations Rules Book, Page 43, Article 4-d: failing to pitch to the batter in a continuous motion immediately after any movement or any part of the body such as he habitually uses in his delivery is a balk.
According to the Rules Book, this is one of the definitions of an illegal pitch for which one of the penalties is as follows: The ball is dead immediately when an illegal pitch occurs. If there is no runner, a ball is awarded to the batter. If there is a runner, such illegal act is a balk. In both situations, umpire signals a dead ball.
I wonder about the MLB rule. If a pitcher defaces a ball or applies a substance to the ball before a pitch, I'd think that would be an illegal pitch, too.
