Yes, baseball is as odd as it is old. Though it has stood the test of time as a staple of modern America, it is quite the quirky game. No time limit (pitch clocks don’t count, it’s a good thing honestly), the foul pole is in fair territory, and the White Sox wear black socks. There are, however, long standing official rules that go beyond the quirkiness of the previously mentioned instances. Some are understandable for their place in the game, others not so much. We’re not going to focus on the sillier rules like no spitting on the ball or catching the ball with your hat, but the more established.
This week let’s go into one of the rarer occurrences in the game, balks.
Rule 6/02(a) Balks
Balks of course can only occur when there are runners on base. They don’t happen all too often, though there are several little scenarios in which constitute a balk:
- While the pitcher is on the mound rubber, starts his wind up, but fails to deliver the pitch.
- While the pitcher is on the mound rubber, attempts a pickoff to first or third, but fails to deliver the throw.
- While the pitcher is on the mound rubber, does not step towards the base he is intending to throw to.
- While the pitcher is on the mound rubber, throws to an unoccupied base, with no intent to make a play.
- The pitcher performs an illegal pitch, or “quick pitch”, before the batter is set in the box.
- The pitcher pitches without facing home plate and/or the batter.
- The pitcher pitches without being on the mound rubber.
- The pitcher is intentionally delaying the game.
In a nutshell, balks were implemented to give baserunners more safety from pitcher deception and getting picked off. However, at what point do the rules become unnecessary? Should the baserunners simply be more aware of the pitcher’s actions and body language? It would certainly make for some clever pickoff attempts and great pitcher/baserunner battles if balks didn’t exist. When a pitcher fails a pitch or pickoff throw, it’s hurting no one else but the pitcher and his team. The delaying of the game is all that should stick. Repeating such pickoffs or failed pitches would fall in line with a delay of game regardless, so no pitcher would be taking advantage there.
The 2SeamSports Verdict?
Let pitchers and baserunners go to war. The game within a game. If the pitcher wants to risk a quick, snappy sidearm toss to first without looking? Let’s see it. That’s enough risk as it is, and they better make the pickoffs count, make it a habit and they will get called for delay of game. As a batter, if the pitcher chooses not to be completely set and comfortable in his wind up and delivery, let him! Give me that fat changeup middle/middle instead of down and away because the pitchers too worried about nabbing the runner and left one hanging. All eliminating balks would do is separate the men from the boys even further, make it happen Manfred.
