Baseball Balk Rules FAQ - For Umpires, Coaches & Players
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Күн бұрынWhat is a balk? How can you avoid one? Which bases can you fake a pickoff move to? What's an illegal delivery? Learn common balk FAQ questions answered for coaches, umpires and players in this video by Dan Blewett. 🚨 Order a Copy of my pitching book 👉 amzn.to/3EzMHBo
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✅ Full Balk rules video: • What is a Balk in Base...
🎥 Pickoffs to First Base video: • Pick Off Moves to Firs...
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0:00 Why I made this video
1:56 Pickoffs to unoccupied bases
5:17 When to step off
8:10 Faking to bases
11:04 Weird pitching motions
13:00 Set position balks
14:24 Deceiving the runner?
15:10 Is a balk a dead ball?
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@DanBlewett 2 жыл бұрын
The original, full balk video is here: ✅ kzfaq.info/get/bejne/pNqGksSmysvLYpc.html
@greg6379 2 жыл бұрын
As a layman and a budding fan of the sport, I find your videos to be tremendously helpful to my understanding of the game and my appreciation of its nuances. Keep up the great work.
@DanBlewett 2 жыл бұрын
I'm really glad to hear that - KZfaq seems to be spreading my videos to more people like yourself through the algorithm, and I've been listening to comments and questions. Baseball IS very complex, so I'm happy to help.
@a_doggo Жыл бұрын
Great video! I have some comments: Stepping off to pick-off at first also risks a 2-base award if the ball goes out of play. If you throw from the rubber, it's only one base. That said, I often encourage pitchers who are confused/panicked to step off, and then throw to second if there's movement on the bases and they're not certain of what to do. When throwing to second, it's not significantly slower to step off, and there's there's no overthrow risk (for extra awarded bases, at least - let's hope CF is there). In general, I think pitchers should be stepping off for throws to second unless it's a bang-bang play with a high confidence level; at least until age 15 or so - or after about 2 years on the big diamond. Remember, if you step off, you can't balk! Better safe than sorry. Listen to this man!
@kyleh1919 Жыл бұрын
Great follow up to the FAQ in the comments of your original balk video! I never ever cared to learn what a balk was...until I became an umpire. They are some of the most argued rulings and/or none calls I get all the time with umpiring.
@user-se4rr3rs3m Жыл бұрын
Good job coach. You covered very well the subject with meaningful examples.
@alandebar Жыл бұрын
great videos Dan...love all of them...
@DanBlewett Жыл бұрын
Thanks 👍
2 жыл бұрын
Gold as always.
@thunderbugcreative7778 2 жыл бұрын
Great video Coach! I'm coaching 12u little league for the first time and I've never pitched as a player so I'm very appreciative of this info. Some of these kids can do pretty intimidating stuff on the mound, but now thanks to your help I can trick kids and parents thinking I deeply understand balk rules and pitching in general lol. Many thanks! Dude I want a slurpee so freeeeck'n bad now....
@DanBlewett 2 жыл бұрын
slurpees are the best - half Coke & half Pina Colada is the way.
@reallifeengineer7214 2 жыл бұрын
Thank you! Great video. You and I were just talking this literally a couple days ago. 😅
@DanBlewett 2 жыл бұрын
Yep, had a video day already planned so I threw this on the set list. Good timing, and I'm getting a lot of heavily searched videos out into the world now so they're ready for spring...(SEO is a bit like tending crops)
@BrianKarich 29 күн бұрын
Thank you for a well explained video.
@BrianKarich 29 күн бұрын
When is a pitcher considered to have stepped off the rubber? Must the pivot foot find ground behind the rubber or just air?
@DanBlewett 29 күн бұрын
dont overthink it - its when they've stepped off - so, foot on ground, i guess
@dannybreal 2 жыл бұрын
i missed this one, another great resource for umps, you should really re-release these vids with umpire in the title, you're missing people who need to watch these
@pauladams6100 Жыл бұрын
Right handed players can’t step towards 3rd with out either; 1 - stepping off the rubber, or 2 - throwing to third. Is this correct? Also, does the spin move to second or the “step over” via the throwing hand side have to be one continuous motion?
@yimmyjesusgonzalezsequera340 10 ай бұрын
No hablo nada de inglés pero entendí todo lo que dijo y muy buena explicación 👍
@a1promotions909 2 жыл бұрын
Do a pitcher have to step back over the rubber to chase down a runner?
@5thman677 2 жыл бұрын
Very helpful video, thank you. Question for you: Pitcher in contact with pitching plate prior to coming set, i.e. getting signs from catcher. Can he balk from this position, or only when he comes set? I've been told he is considered a pitcher whenever in contact with the plate and can balk prior to coming set.
@DanBlewett 2 жыл бұрын
yes you can balk
@paige5717 Жыл бұрын
Hello um I have a question about lending what U do you play on leads by the way you are so 😎
@awright1216 2 жыл бұрын
Coach Dan, I don’t believe I have seen anyone address this but, I have got into a dispute with umpires at high school age. We played a pitcher that comes set and then does 2-3 toe taps before going to the plate. My understanding is once they lift their front foot, they must either go to the plate or perform a pick off. Once he lifts his foot and then places it back down without delivering the ball it should be called a balk. Am I wrong for arguing this is a balk?
@DanBlewett 2 жыл бұрын
couldnt say without seeing it
@0623Elsa 10 ай бұрын
Hello coach, I have a question, if the pitcher coming set and breathes deeply is balk.?
@tomn4993 2 жыл бұрын
Dan, one thing I've seen called but you haven't mentioned: from stretch, pitcher starts to come set but then returns to the stretch. I believe I've also seen starting to come set and the stepping off before coming set (not 100% sure of this though). Are these balks?
@DanBlewett 2 жыл бұрын
yes, and that falls under the umbrella of starting/stopping that i mentioned in the main balk video that is in the description of this video
@argjss 2 жыл бұрын
Hello coach Dan, great video, I have a question, I don't know if you already covered in other video: If I got a runner on base (or many runners) and I forgot it and I went to the rubber in windup position (like if there's no runners on base) What would be the way to switch to set up position without making a balk? Thanks in advance :)
@DanBlewett 2 жыл бұрын
you could step off before beginning your wind up.
@jcollier71 2 жыл бұрын
Step off with the proper foot. Right handers always step off with right foot, lefties with left foot. And, always step off BEHIND the rubber. Stepping off in any other direction would be a balk with runners on.
@dlandes14 2 ай бұрын
If a pitcher does an inside move to 2nd and the runner takes off to 3rd can the pitcher throw it to the 3rd basemen or does he have to throw it to 2B/SS and then they throw it to 3rd?
@truckerjournal3680 Жыл бұрын
Hello. Very happy I found your videos. Detailed presice to the point. I am a little league umpire. Never watched baseball before I started about 4 years ago. So I'm not extremely confident calling a balk all the time. And something that happens at the 11U-12U age group alot is coaches/parents will shout balk! Loudly and I hate it. I feel like it gets in the kids heads. And it drives me personally nuts. Do you have advice about that. Should I tell them not to shout balk at these young guys? Or is that just part of the game? And at younger ages how strictly should I be calling balks?
@DanBlewett Жыл бұрын
you have to be a little more lax with enforcement at ages 12U and below, but you still need to call them. A lot of umpires, at that age, will walk out and explain to the pitcher what they did -- so they're learning each time they balk. No one wants a game with tons of balks, and umpires that try to help/teach seem to understand that. As far as people shouting it, it doesnt matter - people in the bleachers need to be tuned out.
@pastorv83 2 жыл бұрын
If a pitcher while leaning over and taking the sign from the catcher then begins to rise to get in the set position suddenly stops before getting set, is that a balk?
@jcollier71 2 жыл бұрын
Yes. That's a start/stop balk.
@Brandon-David- 2 жыл бұрын
Tonight I was umpiring a game where there was a runner on 2nd and 3rd. RHP stepped off rubber with right foot backwards and proceeded to feint towards 2nd while still on the mound(but off rubber) and then feinted towards 3rd. Both coaches claimed it was either a balk or just fine. Honestly, I was confused on what to call it. Should the pitcher have to commit to at least moving towards second by taking some steps while feinting and then feint, if they want, towards 3rd…. Please help. Balk, or no balk? Thanks! Love the content!
@DanBlewett 2 жыл бұрын
No balk. Once a pitcher properly steps off - which he did - he can fake 1000 throws to any base and its not possible to balk. Once they step off, they can do anything they want. being on the mound doesnt matter.
@Brandon-David- 2 жыл бұрын
@@DanBlewett thanks! Only my second game umpiring and just want to do what’s right. Thanks again!
@Brandon-David- 2 жыл бұрын
@@DanBlewett just to clear my mind on this matter, what if the pitcher was to spin-move towards second, would he still be able to feint to second and then feint to third, or does he have to throw to second? Thanks!
@DanBlewett 2 жыл бұрын
a pitcher can fake to second, and at that point is considered off the rubber, so he can do anything he wants thereafter
@rslwannabe9475 2 жыл бұрын
Can you come set and basically quickpick off the man at 2nd or 1st? Pitcher: Looks Batter: Steps in the batting box and is ready Pitcher: Comes set and basically doesn't stop or has a very very quick stop and then does a pickoff legal or illegal?
@DanBlewett 2 жыл бұрын
you can pickoff anytime so yes thats legal
@nickbrown6916 2 жыл бұрын
Pitcher doesn’t have to come to to pick off. Only to pitch. Get your sign start to come set then spin to pick is legal.
@soundwavs1961c 3 ай бұрын
Nasty Nestor LOL
@billybenson974 2 ай бұрын
I have a question I Coach 10u baseball, my question is runner a first and I have my pitcher set up to pitch out of wind up, right handed pitcher, and I have my pitcher step back with right foot then pick leg up and spin need toward second base to make throw to second to catch a runner at second is that a balk? Concept is to make runner think your in your wind up but really be stepping off the rubber to bait and trick the runner into going early
@DanBlewett 2 ай бұрын
its not a balk but it's uselss - dont waste time teaching kids tricks. teach them real baseball
@billybenson974 2 ай бұрын
I agree with you, but 10u baseball is ridiculous no body is able to throw anyone out , a walk 90percent of the time turns into a run because stealing base is easy even for an average runner! But I get what your saying!
@jeffjackson7068 11 ай бұрын
Does stepping off reset the pitch clock in MLB?
@daveomernik1127 Жыл бұрын
13u - we always have pitchers that attempt 3rd base picks on us. on delivery, the pitchers lead leg goes behind the trail leg and has a hip break, and attempts pick off at 3rd. Balk right?
@AntonioR596 11 ай бұрын
That is correct! According to your statement the pitcher at that point is commited to pitch the batter. That is a balk!
@benbutler8911 2 жыл бұрын
The pickup move to 2nd base, where you lift your leg straight up and then spin around, are you allowed to do that if there is a runner on 1st base and he is stealing 2nd base? The rules say you can’t throw to an unoccupied base except to make a play, and I believe that would be considered making a play. Thanks
@DanBlewett 2 жыл бұрын
as i explained in the video, you wouldnt do that. Itd be legal but its the wrong thing to do
@benbutler8911 2 жыл бұрын
@@DanBlewett I understand that, but in the video you just talked about if the runner goes before you lift your leg, at least at the youth level, a lot of runners start to steal once the pitcher lifts his leg, so the other moves wouldn’t apply
@DanBlewett 2 жыл бұрын
I understand. still wouldnt work. If a pitcher lifts his leg to pitch, then the runner takes off, there is no way the pitcher should be able to do a spin move at that point. Its only a do-able move when planned, mentally, before hand. Pitchers would be balking like crazy. Its not a smart coaching move to get kids into the mindset that they need to be prepared to go either to 2nd or home every time they lift their leg to pitch. Theyd balk like crazy and pitch terribly. VERY bad idea. They just need to be taught how to hold runners onto first better. Do not coach them into using the inside move to 2nd in the manner you're describing.
@soundwavs1961c 3 ай бұрын
13:00 balk explained
@DrewVerdin Жыл бұрын
If there's a runner that's stealing a base before the pitcher comes set and the pitcher balks after the runner is more than halfway...does the runner get awarded the base they were stealing or will they get an additional base?
@DanBlewett Жыл бұрын
only the base they were going to
@DrewVerdin Жыл бұрын
@@DanBlewett ok thank you
@johnkruger7261 4 ай бұрын
Hey Coach, is the hidden ball pitch illegal even if there is no runners 🤔.
@richverost6416 2 ай бұрын
Who are you hiding the ball from if there's no one on base? To perform a legal hidden ball trick, the ball must be live (ie. Not after a foul ball, HBP, or time out, etc), and the pitcher cannot be on the mound without the ball. If the pitcher is on the mound without the ball during a hidden ball trick, it is a balk.
@RyanRobbins007 Ай бұрын
@@richverost6416 NCAA does not allow the pitcher to be on the mound without the ball for a hidden ball trick. National Federation (high school) does not allow the pitcher to position themselves within 5 feet of the pitcher's plate without the ball. Little League and OBR (pro rules and American Legion) have no restrictions on where the pitcher can be.
@dancervantez9164 Ай бұрын
What if a right handed pitcher does a inside spin move on a runner stealing second but doesn't throw the ball? Chases down the runner? Does he have to throw the ball? I have a video
@DanBlewett Ай бұрын
I have a video on all of that, search for 2nd base pick off moves
@dancervantez9164 Ай бұрын
@@DanBlewett thank you .
@redwall1521 6 ай бұрын
"no one dances [off of third base]" Oh boy you haven't seen my RTTS baserunner
@DanBlewett 5 ай бұрын
Did I actually say that? I dont think I did. I probably said no one steals home.
@jasonkennedy7744 Жыл бұрын
Where is link to all the pick off moves to 1B?
@DanBlewett Жыл бұрын
its in the description
@jasonkennedy7744 Жыл бұрын
@@DanBlewett the paid book?? I was talking about the pick off moves to 1B that you referenced in the video. I don't see that link any where.
@Huckleberry9921 2 жыл бұрын
Simply a balk is when you balk 😂
@jcollier71 2 жыл бұрын
1. Yes, it is a balk if you stop after lifting your leg then restart. Your analogy of going to the convenience store after the gas station does not apply. Once you start your motion to the plate you cannot come to a complete stop before delivering the pitch. 2. No, it's not a balk if you do something different on every pitch. You do not have to have the same motion or method of coming set on each pitch. If you commit an action that is a balk on one but not another, it's a balk. It has nothing to do with how you do it each time. 3. To be clear, a balk is either enforced or not. There is no "get to keep it". If the batter and all runners advance one base, the balk is ignored. If any one of the runners or batter do not advance one base, the balk is enforced and any pitch that was made does not count. It's a common misconception that a manager gets a choice on whether to keep the result of the play or not on a balk.
@marcozuccolo8675 2 жыл бұрын
"2. No, it's not a balk if you do something different on every pitch. You do not have to have the same motion or method of coming set on each pitch. If you commit an action that is a balk on one but not another, it's a balk. It has nothing to do with how you do it each time." For me this is obvious but a lot of people talks about pitchers' moves consistency. I think there's nothing in the rules book that talk about that.
@bobdallepazze3380 2 жыл бұрын
In NFHS - I thought you could fake to 3b now?
@DanBlewett 2 жыл бұрын
youre gonna have to check your local rules. I cant possibly know every locale.
@markdennis6197 2 жыл бұрын
Yes feint to 3rd under NFHS is good.
@HesSoSavage Жыл бұрын
Now with Elly Da La Cruz in the league you may need to revamp slightly. Lol
@DanBlewett Жыл бұрын
that makes no sense
@jong9085 2 жыл бұрын
why does no one use a set play with for runner on one with full count and 2 outs where they do an inside move to get the guy stealing. I know everyone is told "wait for him to commit to the plate", but i would say 90% of people dont know an inside move is legal there so they go on first movement. Even watching MLB guys leave at leg lift every single time
@DanBlewett 2 жыл бұрын
because if the runner doesn't go immediately its a balk.
@deankirkpatrick7658 2 жыл бұрын
It is not a choice to enforce the balk or not - The rule is if every runner including the batter runner advanced at least one bas, the balk is acknowledged but not enforced. If one runner (including the batter runner) didn't advance 1 base then the balk is enforced.
@DanBlewett 2 жыл бұрын
i have no idea what you're talking about or what your comment is in response to
@markdennis6197 2 жыл бұрын
@@DanBlewett What Dean is referring to is that there is no CHOICE on a delayed dead ball balk under OBR. If all runner safely advance at least on base the play stands if this does not occur the balk is enforced as an immediate dead ball.
@mikeh6865 Жыл бұрын
If everything in this video is correct I wish little league umpires knew this
@AntonioR596 11 ай бұрын
Rules might vary depending the league rules. I always go by MLB rules as umpire.
@RyanRobbins007 Ай бұрын
This video contains probably the biggest misconception about balks as they relate to a pitcher's "natural motion." The pitcher can change how he comes set with each pitch if he wants. He can do a slide step, a low leg kick, a high leg kick, etc., from pitch to pitch. If he commits a balk, he commits a balk. There is no such thing as "If he does it each time, it's legal." Doing something illegal all of the time doesn't miraculously make it legal. Nor does doing something legal and different from pitch to pitch suddenly make it illegal. The "natural motion" refers to delivering the actual pitch, as in he fakes delivering a pitch.
@DanBlewett Ай бұрын
you misunderstood
@RyanRobbins007 Ай бұрын
@@DanBlewett What you say around 13:45 is not correct.
@DanBlewett Ай бұрын
see previous
@richverost6416 2 ай бұрын
Good info, but I am going to have to disagree with you on pausing during a delivery from the set. The "Japanese style" delivery you reference is a pause at the top of a WINDUP. not after starting the motion to pitch from the set. You cannot hang the free foot, and stop all motion when pitching from the set. This is a start/stop balk.
@DanBlewett 2 ай бұрын
fair point!
@SM-xo3dv 2 жыл бұрын
Too many rules for a pitcher to remember,,,these balk rules can put pressure on the pitcher and effect his concentration and performance...I think the balk rules should be reviewed and revised. Just my personal opinion!
@DanBlewett 2 жыл бұрын
i pitched my whole life and no - its not hard at all
@joem8496 3 ай бұрын
The entire rules of baseball seem complicated if you haven't taken time to learn. The fun of the game is in the nuances. Get into these types of details and you'll enjoy the sport much more. My opinion only do whatever you want.
@ashtonkarr7154 2 ай бұрын
@@DanBlewett I would always step off and get a runner in rundown on an early steal to second as you were saying but I thought doing an inside move was a balk. Good stuff
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