NFHS Balks: Rules and Case Plays Review 2022
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 มี.ค. 2022
- This video reviews the NFHS Baseball Slide Rules and last week's Rules Quiz.
Take the Quiz Yourself Here: forms.gle/w42r42CaY24cJXJDA
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I personally don’t like that HS makes it a dead ball after a balk. But this was a very good and informative video. Thank you.
Thanks for watching! I am not sure anyone likes it as is…
Had a player get hit in the head with the pitch on a balk the other day. Tough pill to take a free hbp and then have to come back and hit again.
Houston County Umpires have appreciated these videos...
Hey Patrick, I just wanted to say thank you for your videos. They’re extremely helpful. I use them throughout the season and especially preseason to freshen up on scenarios and rules. Appreciate ya man!
Another well-produced video. Nice job! We covered balks in our new umpire class this week. I'm going to forward this to the class.
Thanks, Robert! Appreciate all the support! (Btw, nice hat. I got one of my own from 2016!)
Yes that summer was a blast! Great ball and great fun.
Fellow Atlanta area ump here. Great video. It’d be great if you could do a video highlighting any differences between OBR and NFHS balks. Thanks for the hard work.
Great series, clarifying these case plays
Thanks for the review videos - Houston County Umpires
Thanks for the video. The biggest mis interpretation I have experienced in umpiring GHSA Baseball is the jump turn to first base where the pitcher does not throw to first. I always called it a balk. Some umpires said legal. He didn't step off before the feint to first.
great video. Would love to see some examples included.
Excellent review
Thanks for the support!
Great video. Actually addressed an issue I had been searching for. At about the 11 minute Mark the video addresses an inside move to second when second is unoccupied to stop aggressive runners from first base. In scenario 2 there is a bit of ambiguity which I hope can be cleared up. In that scenario the pitcher fakes the throw and the runner does not advance. That is a balk. But what if the runner has a lead and you actually do make the throw to second to stop him from advancing or to drive him back but he doesn’t actually advance? I guess a good way to look at it would be “does the pitcher have to guess whether or not the runner will advance?” I hope I’m phrasing this properly.
Judgment. The umpire has to judge if the runner at first made enough of a move, or feinted attempt to convince the pitcher he was trying to steal. So, if he takes a couple of steps, and stops, but the pitcher, seeing him move, turns and throws to second, that would not be a balk. If, however, the runner at first was simply taking a lead, even a long lead, that is not enough for the pitcher to assume he is trying to steal, and it would be a balk if the pitcher threw to 2nd to drive the runner back.
Pitcher can throw to an unoccupied base for the purpose of making a play. Why would a pitcher feint to an occupied base? But your question is about legality. If a pitcher turns thinking there is going to be a play at second base and doesn’t complete a throw because it turns out there is no steal attempt and play I don’t have a balk.
case 3 and case 10 always get me. you can throw to unoccupied 2nd base in attempt to get runner stealing from first but you cant throw to occupied 1st base in pick off attempt if fielder is not in proximity
Question: can a right handed pitcher do a spin move towards first without stepping behind the rubber and disengaging, and then not throw right away. Instead either fake the throw to first or just run at a stealing runner from first to second, subsequently then throwing to either the first or second basemen?
What about starting in the stretch, and windding up with a runner on base
Question on senario 11 or 12. Had a right handed pitcher in the wind up motion. Bases are loaded. Now I know he can step off as long as the right foot is first to move. But my question is, as he was moving his right foot back he also brought his hands up over his head. Now I don't think it is a balk cause he hadn't done that motion on any pitch throughout the game, but it has me thinking... Is that considered a motion to pitch the ball while stepping off
Aww yes lets goooo
There are times when weird stuff happens. For example, and this is a youth game. Pitcher decides to pitch to the batter, after the ball is dead, before the plate umpire gets behind the plate and puts the ball in play. Pitch would have been a ball but now it is nothing, no pitch, dead ball. Then the next pitch, legal pitch, is hit for a home run. Ouch! But that is baseball.
The immediate dead ball on a balk rule is not, although that is the rule so that is what you have to call in high school ball. OK, life isn't fair. But that should have been corrected somewhere over the past 20 to 30 years. Don't recall when this change was made but I think it was in the 80's or 90's. Could be wrong on that.
I think the rule change for a balk is an automatic dead ball, always, was in 1985. 39 years ago, when Babe Ruth was still playing.... lol
Patrick.. in NFHS is it a balk when F1 steps toward 2nd base to pick off R2 but finding neither the SS nor the 2B near the bag instead throws to the SS who is A) no where near 2nd base to make playl on R2 or B) was moving slightly toward 2nd base
I don't think it's a balk at all since F1 is not required to throw to 2nd. In fact same situation at third base?
The case play needs to be examined for 45 degree step. By definition, 45 degrees is not directly towards the base
i need clarification on the inside move…. if the pitcher separates while executing the inside move to 2nd base is this a balk???
Wondering about a more specific scenario here... Runner on 1B, RHP begins his motion to the plate. Runner takes off for 2B, is it a balk for the pitcher to then step toward 2B and try to pick him off (almost as doing an inside move)? The verbiage in all of that seems a little unclear. I'm clear that a pitcher who has NOT started their motion to the plate can step and throw.
So long as he has not committed to delivering the pitch, he can make a legal move towards an unoccupied base if it is an attempt to retire the runner.
Generally though, the runner won’t be close enough to second to rule this a legitimate attempt. You’re also like to have the pitcher step to second to disengage, but then not throw it either.
HUGE QUESTION...... case play number 12. now instead of the runner stealing second base as you mention what if there is a guy at 3rd base... he is stealing home. Can the pitcher do as mentioned, step off and quick throw home to tag runner out????????? thanks
In little league the pitch counts as ball four awarding the batter first base when a balk is called and the pitch is still delivered
Yes. They use OBR. But also, that's only if the pitch is a ball outside the zone and not offered at by the batter. If the pitch is a strike, then you are enforcing the balk, and not a walk.
Case play 1 is why they should change it to delayed dead ball
Enjoying your videos.
In another video, NFHS Pitching Violations: Rules and Case Plays Review, Case Play 6 at 10:19, R2 on 2nd, F1 not engaged goes mouth to ball and then engages, you rule illegal pitch, but not a balk, and add a ball to the count. Can you reconcile this with this video at 1:17 where any illegal pitch with runners on base is a balk?
This is covered by Rule 6-2-1-e, "Illegal acts include bringing the hand in contact with the mouth without distinctly wiping off the pitching hand before it touches the ball." This is an illegal "act," but not an illegal pitch. The penalty is described in the Penalty section below the rule, and states that for infraction (e), a ball shall be awarded each time a pitcher violates this rule, and subsequently engages the pitcher's plate. If the pitcher did the same while on the pitcher's plate, that would be an "illegal pitch," and, thus, a balk. When the pitcher is on the pitcher's plate, and he goes to his mouth, it is considered the start of the pitch, and that's why it would be a balk in this case. By the way, the rule is not the same in the Pros. If a pitcher on the plate goes to his mouth in the pros, time is called, and a "ball" is added to the count.
I love the HS baseball balk rule....in one game we worked 3 years ago...we called about 4 balks on a team for not coming to a 1 second set stop in the set position...for 7 innings I had to listen to the fans of the offended team give us all kinds of loud verbal "help" in making sure we called the balks...then in the bottom of the 7th inning ..with the home team down 4-2...the home team had runners on 1st and 2nd with 2 outs the pitcher balked (for a 5th team balk) and the batter hit the dead ball out of the park..negating a 3run walk off HR...even the offended manager knew it was a balk....the loud and boisterous fans got their 5th balk call and u could have heard a pin drop....the batter then popped out to end the game....the beer tasted good after the we all agreed we called a great game....be careful what u wish for...the looks on the fans faces were priceless..
😂😂
They had no business changing the balk rules. Problems by Committee.
@Robert Brown I have been doing HS baseball for 45 years and balks have always have resulted in a dead ball ..in MLB balks are live...the offended team can take the results of the play...
@@mikeforte7585 You don't see home runs killed in professional baseball down to Little League - try again. And correction, there are dead ball balks in MLB. Depends on the situation. It was a big mistake on the part of the rule gods in high school. That's a problem when those in power don't listen.
This was the case when they decided, for some reason, to make turning your shoulders a balk before coming set. Another big mistake. No reason for a rule change there. For the most part the high school rules are pretty good with some glaring exceptions like the two I mentioned here.
@Robert Brown I do HS games and travel ball...which is played under modified HS rules...(the balk rule is the same)....as far as MLB ... college and LL...I don't do those games.....my real passion is obsession will always be HS football...
I would appreciate a video example
In both Case 5 and Case 9, the scenario states that the pitcher comes to a pause. Am I correct that for both cases, coming to a pause is not relevant to the answer? Of course, a pause is required before delivery of the pitch. However, no pause is required to throw or feint to a base, yet all requirements for a legal throw or feint to a base are the same once the pitcher's hands come together whether before or after the pause is achieved. Am I correct?
It sounds to me like you are correct. A pitcher does not have to pause before attempting a play at any base.
Is it a balk if they start in the set position with their hands and than move their feet to the set position? Meaning the get on the mound with their hands together
Doesn't the rule specify that you have to start with your hands apart in the set position and then bring them together?
Check out Rule 6-1 for set position.
So if a pitcher is in the set position, he can bring his hands together and separate them before he comes set without it being a balk?
He could before he comes set if he steps off the rubber with his pivot foot or he throws to a base.
New umpire here. I have had an issue come up in multiple games. Is it a balk if, while engaged with the rubber and only a runner on 3rd, the pitcher steps towards 3rd but does not throw to 3rd? The step causes the pitcher to disengage from the rubber.
In NFHS rules, this is NOT a balk.
However, OBR (OFFICIAL BASEBALL RULES, which is MLB), this would be a balk.
Would be nice with visuals.
Patrick, I have a question regarding Case 2. I agree it's should be a balk. But I've been through Rule 6 and have been unable to find a reference to anything indicating going to the mouth and wiping it off before coming set constitutes an illegal aciton....unless it's being ruled as start-stop. Could you clarify the ruling for this? Thank you.
Great point here Todd. The case play is aligned to rule 6.1.3 which reviews the set position. And the reasoning given is that this is a start-stop balk. "The pitcher cannot bring his hand to his mouth because the pitcher is required to go to the set position without interruption and in one continuous motion."
@@UmpireClassroom great. That's exactly what I thought. Thank you.
@@toddbullinger1041 Case book 2022. 6.2.1 B: With R1 at 1st F1 places his hand on his mouth and distinctly wipes off his pitching hand prior to touching the ball A) while not touching the pitcher's plate or B) while touching the pitcher's plate in the set position. ruling legal in A and in B the pitcher has balked and R1 is awarded 2nd base.
Question regarding rule Rule 6-2-5.
While engaged with the rubber but not set, the pitcher motions with his glove for the catcher to repeat the sign. I’ve seen this called a balk in MLB, but I’ve seen this scenario multiple times in high school and never called a balk. Is it a balk in high school?
Please clarify a scenario for me - LHP man on 1st. 1B not holding runner. Runner takes off as pitcher lifts leg. Pitcher throws to 1B (1B is not at the bag or going towards bag he is simply playing a normal fielding position but runner is already by him when throw is made). Balk or no?
It’s irrelevant where the runner is pitcher is required to throw to the base. It’s a balk.
Judgment is always a factor. Use your judgment. On this play, if the pitcher completed his throw, and throws to the bag, I would not balk him. He satisfied all the rules of stepping toward, and throwing to the base. If, however, the pitcher instead throws to the first baseman who is not near the base, or moving toward the base, then I would balk him. I would also balk him if he stepped toward first as in making a throw, but stopped his motion, turned, and threw to second. That would be a feint to first, illegal, and a balk. With a runner on first, the pitcher can, all in one motion, turn, and throw to second without balking if the runner is attempting to reach that base. I actually had a game where the coach had "taught" his pitchers to make the turn, and throw to second base to hold the runner at first. This is a balk. The coach even came out with the rule book, and tried to justify his action. I was pleased he was digging into his rule book, but he got that one wrong.
The most important things here are to 1) Know the rules, and 2) Use your judgment.
If he throws to first base and no one is there, that is a balk in OBR. I assume it is the same in Fed but I'm not 100% sure. Is it a pickoff attempt to an unoccupied base? Maybe not.
I have a question that I don't believe was addressed. If you have multiple runners on base...for the sake of simplicity, let's say the bases are loaded. Is the pitcher allowed to feint a throw to a base that is not the lead runner's base if he does not disengage the rubber. Specific example, is the pitcher allowed to spin to 2nd base, while still engaged with the rubber, and feint a throw there. I thought at some point I came across a rule that if you are picking off to a base that is not the lead runner, then you must complete the throw? Thank you for any help!
Yes he may faint to 2nd with bases loaded or 3rd. Never to 1st.
The pitcher can throw to any occupied base in an attempt to pick off a runner. He can still feint to 2nd or 3rd when there are runners there, even if the runner on 2nd is not the lead runner.
Is it possible for a RHP to throw to F3 in a pickoff attempt by maintaining contact with the plate and spinning counter-clockwise?
Almost like a spin move to second, but opposite direction and to first.
A jump spin move is legal, which is what you're describing, however maintaining contact with the rubber while doing this is not legal in NFHS.
@@thecardinalcrew8959 No jump. Pivot foot doesn't move. Hips and shoulders do.
@@CurtisBooksMusic - That is fine as long as he steps toward the base, and throws the ball. He does not have to disengage the plate, but he does have to throw the ball.
Sounds like a balk to me. (Think we’re losing something in translation.)
Question on Case #2. If the pitcher goes to his mouth and distinctly wipes it off, that's not an illegal act at all, per 6.2.1e. The correct answer is A, this is legal.
Case book 2022. 6.2.1 B: With R1 at 1st F1 places his hand on his mouth and distinctly wipes off his pitching hand prior to touching the ball A) while not touching the pitcher's plate or B) while touching the pitcher's plate in the set position. ruling legal in A and in B the pitcher has balked and R1 is awarded 2nd base.
That 45 degree is not directly
Case Play 13 - one of the biggest mistakes in the high school rules. I didn't think this was corrected. The other one I recall is the pitcher, before coming set, turns his shoulders and looks towards first base. Another mistake. I assume this second ruling was never reversed as it should have been.
Does anyone realize how this balk is always a dead ball violates the principle of not allowing a violation by the defense to gain an advantage over the offense? Should be protested where appropriate and upheld.
Championship game. Home team batting in the last inning, down 3 runs. Bases loaded, two outs, pitcher balks but delivers the pitch, batter hits a grand slam to win the game and the championship by one run. Nope - Instead of gaining 10 bases the offense loses 7 bases and only gets 3 bases - each runner advances only 1 base. Batter goes back to bat to try to hit another grand slam, chances are the offense loses this game. Now the offense is losing by 2 runs instead of winning the game by 1 run.
Very bad rule change. I was umpiring high school ball when this change came about. Could not believe it, neither could the association. How could this horrible rule change, forced from the top, be allowed to survive 38 years?
I don't understand why wiping your mouth is illegal in case play 2
Isn't the rule changed to "Delayed dead ball?"
Which rule?
I still can't get over the explanation at 2:49 about this rule change. Wow!
"There are no circumstances for the offense to gain more than one base."
What? Balk, pitch delivered, Batter hits a home run. There's four bases plus all the bases the runner or runners gain as a result of the home run or even grand slam.
For a Grand Slam Homerun the offesnse gains 4 bases + 3 bases + 2 bases + 1 base for a total of 10 bases.
"There are no circumstances for the offense to gain more than one base? I remember when this rule was forced on all the high schools in the nation abandoning baseball rules. Amazingly bad.
At 2:49, this is where the "committee" made it's first mistake - trying to simplify the balk rule. There are a number of problems when you make a balk a dead ball immediately which ends up benefiting the pitcher and defensive team One is where a batter gets a base hit, or a game ending home run or grand slam. That has to be the worst. Or the pitcher with multiple runners on base trys a pick-off, balks and throws wild. Bases loaded, two runs score. Home team wins the game, band starts playing, the home team fans for the State Championship are going wild. OOPS! The balk rules were monkeyed with. So sorry, it's a dead ball and only one run scores. Tie game. Defensive team scores the winning run in the top of the next inning and home team fails to score. The home team would have won the game, or tied, in extra innings though. Runner on 1st and 2nd. Pitcher balks and throws wild, runner from second scores to tie the State Championship game in extra innings. OOPS! No, the offensive team is penalized, that run doesn't score, home team loses in extra innings. Or it could have simply been a home run reversed because of a balk which should (in baseball anyway) be a home run, despite the balk. OUCH!
Running things by committee often results in things like this. Input should be gathered from all sections of the Country before making very fundamental changes to baseball. This is one of at least two rules that should NEVER have been allowed to change. It's a shame these rule changes were not reversed. The king has no clothes on. OUCH!
I remember when a couple rules were changed and our High School group complained bitterly. It's the Disney Syndrome - We don't listen to our consituents (or fans in Disney's case) or, even as bad, we only listen to selected input from favorite sons or groups, not all groups.
Please don't screw with fundamental baseball rules without a fantastic reason. This immediate dead ball change is probably the best example of screwing with fundamental baseball rules where there is no good reason to do so. OUCH!
The explanation that I've heard for the rule difference for balks between FED and OBR is that it makes it easier for the umpires. That's a lame excuse. The OBR balk rule is not all that complicated. If you think about it, it's practically the same criteria as the catcher obstruction violation. If all runners, including the batter-runner, successfully advance one base, the infraction is ignored. Simple! If they think keeping the ball live on a balk is too complicated for umpires to handle, then why don't they say that it's an automatic dead ball when the catcher obstructs and award the batter 1st?
I was calling a game for Perfect Game this past summer as the PU. Although they use FED rules, for balks, they use the OBR rule. (What does that tell you?) This is covered at the plate meeting. There was a runner on 1st and the batter had a 3-1 count. The pitcher didn't come set, I pointed at the pitcher and said, "That's a balk!" but he pitched the ball and it was low for ball four. I did not enforce the balk and awarded the batter a base-on-balls, forcing R1 to 2nd. The pitching coach for the defense immediately started complaining, "You called a balk! How can it be ball four?" Of course, he was not at the plate meeting. When the defense has to argue for the umpire to *enforce* their pitcher's violation, you know that the rule is messed up.
Sometimes, I think that the NFHS folks insist on certain rule differences from OBR for no reason other than to make their rule set different and proprietary.
@@DavidEmerling79 I was there at the NCOA meeting in Sacramento when we first heard about this rule and all the umpires that understood what it meant were NOT HAPPY AT ALL, including me of course. The first thing we said is how can we petition to get this changed. I think that was 1985.
Little League and all the other Youth Leagues use this rule without any problem.
And you make a good point about Catcher Interference. it is inconsistent how they treat balks and situations as with Catcher Intereference and other rules that have delayed dead ball status. It makes NO SENSE WHATSOEVER!
@@DavidEmerling79 Baseball rules rarely, probably never punish the side that violated the rules. There are some sports where that happens but no in Baseball. This is sad and even sadder that it has gone on for about 39 years now, if 1985 was the year this rule was changed.
Great content and GO CHIEFS!!!
Thank you for your informative video. I found your video because the game I was watching last week had a play that I was wondering if it was a balk or not, and looks similar to your Case Play #10, but I don't think the shortstop would have had a play on the runner. The question I would have is this: Does the pitcher needs to be throwing to a base, not between two bases? th-cam.com/video/M14rYYrlNF8/w-d-xo.html
You 26, you should have had your own insurance years ago
What?
The encyclopedia of balking but would have enjoy SAMPLES? I'm more visionary but thank you.
I don’t understand why we need all these micro-rules. Why not remove all this ticky-tacky stuff and let the pitcher pitch or make pickoff moves how he wants.
You’ll have to go back to the 1800s for the origin story!
Case Play 13 - should be protested all over the Country.
Pitcher balks and batter hits a grand slam to win the game! One base award? I guess so. That's not baseball. That's rewarding the pitcher for balking. The reasoning was flawed that was put up on the screen at the beginning of the video.
Totally disagree with FU cover8ng home EVER. PLAY: BR his triple. Your mechanics has PU covers 3rd and FU home. What happens if runner runs back to 2nd? Now FU has to bust his butt back to C. FU can easily cover all the bases
I don't think we covered anything about rotations in this
There never was a need to simplify the balk rule. If the batter and all runners advance one base after a balk then ignore the balk. If they don’t then enforce the balk and put the batter back in the batter’s box. Simple.
Not true. Anytime a pitcher commits a balk, in high school, the ball becomes dead immediately. If the pitch is delivered and put in play all further acts are irrelevant because the ball was dead at the time of the balk being called. So runners/batter advancing one base does not matter.
@@johnpierce2936 The official balk rule of baseball never ever needed to be bastardized by the feds in Indianapolis. The feds dumbed the rule down for high school umpires. The official rule is a balk is a live ball and if the batter and all runners advance one base the balk is ignored. The feds have no legitimate reason for an alternative rule.
@@johnpierce2936 I’m talking about real baseball- not the bastardized high school game.
i need clarification on the inside move…. if the pitcher separates while executing the inside move to 2nd base is this a balk???