Ping: Johan Santana

[SackAttack]

Rules 8.01(b) and 8.05(e) would like to have a word with you.

How the hell this guy doesn't get called for a thousand balks a game amazes me.

[JS19]

Same can be said for any lefty in baseball.

[SackAttack]

Same can be said for any lefty in baseball.

I don't see a lot of lefties pitch, since I listen to the radio mostly when I follow baseball, but watching the game today, his foot was halfway off the rubber. I mean, that's an illegal pitch, and a balk is defined as an illegal pitch in 8.05(e). If every lefty is doing that, then either fucking man up and enforce the rule, or ditch the rule.

Beyond winking and nodding at an instance of cheating that's easily detected and identified (never mind the whole PED situation), what happens is that kids see that and start doing that when they pitch, and then we get managers pissed off when we call their pitcher for a balk in youth baseball. Sorry, but that's the rule, and even if the MLB umpires don't enforce it, we do.

[JS19]

Thats not quite what I meant by my lefty comment. I thought you were referring to the fact that he would raise his leg, make a motion towards the plate, then throw over to 1st and it not be called a balk. This is a move that for whatever reason, every LHP in the game seems to get away with.

[SackAttack]

Thats not quite what I meant by my lefty comment. I thought you were referring to the fact that he would raise his leg, make a motion towards the plate, then throw over to 1st and it not be called a balk. This is a move that for whatever reason, every LHP in the game seems to get away with.

Lefty pickoff moves are always tough to call, but a lefty pitcher may raise his right leg, and still legally make a pickoff throw at first as long as his right leg doesn't cross the pitcher's rubber. Once that happens, he's committed to throw to the plate.

If that's what you're talking about, that's legal. Deceiving, which is also part of the balk rule, but legal.

[SackAttack]

foot. right foot, not right leg. sorry.

[IMetTrentGreen]

no ref or ump in the entire world will call something like that. ever. chuck amato teaches his dl to line up off sides, all four of them, every down. ou's line coach before wilson taught them to hold. watch any nba game with the moving picks.

if you do something every time, it won't get called. i don't know why, that's just the way it is.

[SackAttack]

The reason is the ridiculous machismo 'unwritten rules' that say "You should be able to beat me even if I'm cheating. If you blame my cheating, you're not good enough and thus a crybaby."

He still needs to be getting called on this. If you call it the first time like you're supposed to and enforce it, it doesn't GET to be something that happens every time.

[sterlingice]

Not to do some light thread necromancy, but what are 8.01(b) and 8.05(e)

SI

[sterlingice]

Never mind...

8.01
Legal pitching delivery. There are two legal pitching positions, the Windup Position and the Set Position, and either position may be used at any time.
Pitchers shall take signs from the catcher while standing on the rubber.
Rule 8.01 Comment: Pitchers may disengage the rubber after taking their signs but may not step quickly onto the rubber and pitch. This may be judged a quick pitch by the umpire. When the pitcher disengages the rubber, he must drop his hands to his sides.
Pitchers will not be allowed to disengage the rubber after taking each sign.

...

(b) The Set Position. Set Position shall be indicated by the pitcher when he stands facing the batter with his pivot foot in contact with, and his other foot in front of, the pitcher’s plate, holding the ball in both hands in front of his body and coming to a complete stop. From such Set Position he may deliver the ball to the batter, throw to a base or step backward off the pitcher’s plate with his pivot foot. Before assuming Set Position, the pitcher may elect to make any natural preliminary motion such as that known as “the stretch.” But if he so elects, he shall come to Set Position before delivering the ball to the batter. After assuming Set Position, any natural motion associated with his delivery of the ball to the batter commits him to the pitch without alteration or interruption. Preparatory to coming to a set position, the pitcher shall have one hand on his side; from this position he shall go to his set position as defined in Rule 8.01(b) without interruption and in one continuous motion.
The pitcher, following his stretch, must (a) hold the ball in both hands in front of his body and (b) come to a complete stop. This must be enforced. Umpires should watch this closely. Pitchers are constantly attempting to “beat the rule” in their efforts to hold runners on bases and in cases where the pitcher fails to make a complete “stop” called for in the rules, the umpire should immediately call a “Balk.”
Rule 8.01(b) Comment: With no runners on base, the pitcher is not required to come to a complete stop when using the Set Position. If, however, in the umpire’s judgment, a pitcher delivers the ball in a deliberate effort to catch the batter off guard, this delivery shall be deemed a quick pitch, for which the penalty is a ball. See Rule 8.05(e) Comment.

8.05
If there is a runner, or runners, it is a balk when --
(e) The pitcher makes an illegal pitch;
Rule 8.05(e) Comment: A quick pitch is an illegal pitch. Umpires will judge a quick pitch as one delivered before the batter is reasonably set in the batter’s box. With runners on base the penalty is a balk; with no runners on base, it is a ball. The quick pitch is dangerous and should not be permitted.

SI

[QuikSand]

So, you're telling me that some baseball rules aren't observed exactly according to the written version?

Next you'll tell me that a ball crossing the plate halfway between the batter's belt and armpits isn't a strike. What can we count on these days?