Last night Reds v. D’backs ends in a balk. The pitcher didn’t look as of he did anything special. I looked up videos and articles and I still do not understand what is a balk.
What is a balk? When is it not a balk?
In: 168
There’s several ways to balk centered around the idea that you can’t start to do something and reset. Once you establish your back (throwing hand side) foot on the rubber, there’s certain things you can’t do. These include
* moving your glove side foot with out performing either a pitch or a pick off play at an occupied base. Occupied base could include the base a base runner is attempting to steal aka throwing ahead of the runner.
* bring your hands together then apart.
* turning your shoulders once hands come together without throwing the ball
* Dropping the ball is another. Any time you’re on the rubber, you have to have possession of the ball. Hidden ball tricks become a balk if the pitcher is on the rubber.
There’s more nuance to quite a few of these. Right handers faking a pick off to third but left handers not being allowed to fake to first is a fun one
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