The "fielders balk" is a baseball rules myth. We, too, had it called against us where a base was awarded. There is no supporting documentation stating that a base is awarded. Its a "don't do that" kind of rule. Some umpires in NKY who seemingly know the rules pretty well still blow this one every time.

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Here's a questions, say the ball is hit starts out foul....down the 1st base line. 1st basemen collides with pitcher, looses 1st basemen mitt and lands just in foul territory. The ball continues to roll and makes contact, with the glove, which has became dislodged and ends up on the chalk....Foul or Fair?

 

Foul ball.

Well, not exactly a play you'd see everyday - or even every other decade - but I'm going to go with foul ball if I followed your scenario correctly (balling initially rolling foul contacts glove laying on ground in foul territory and is then re-directed into fair territory). Doesn't seem like a "foreign object" should be permitted to re-direct an otherwise foul ball into becoming fair. Just a guess though.

That was the call, a few years ago....Foul and Umpire, added a "warning" to the player, for his glove becoming dislodged and making contact with the ball.

 

I knew Rules were in place, for making contact with a ball, if the glove is not on the fielders hand, while in play but I'd never seen that play happen...By the way, pitcher needs stitches, above the left eye.

During the Jenkins/Knott district game Monday, a ball grounded slowly up the 1st base line, on the foul side. It then took a curve into fair territory, just as it was getting to the bag. Result, batter out. Batter should have been running as soon as the ball left the bat. But he didn't take off until the ball started it's way fair.

The warning seems a bit overdone in that situation, as it sounds like the glove came off due to a fairly violent collision and was not removed intentionally. There are definitely some rules covering scenarios in which a fielder takes off his glove/hat/mask/etc and throws it intentionally at a live ball. However, it must be both deliberate AND make contact with the ball for the penalty to be instituted. I didn't see anything in your situation that sounded deliberate, thus the warning seems a bit excessive.

During the Jenkins/Knott district game Monday, a ball grounded slowly up the 1st base line, on the foul side. It then took a curve into fair territory, just as it was getting to the bag. Result, batter out. Batter should have been running as soon as the ball left the bat. But he didn't take off until the ball started it's way fair.

One of my favorite phrases, I use is ...."Run until the Umpire yells foul".

One of my favorite phrases, I use is ...."Run until the Umpire yells foul".

 

We also had a play where the ball, after being hit, hit the runner. Interefernce was called. It was a hard grounder to short that took a bounce right into the runner. Not much the runner could have done.

During the Jenkins/Knott district game Monday, a ball grounded slowly up the 1st base line, on the foul side. It then took a curve into fair territory, just as it was getting to the bag. Result, batter out. Batter should have been running as soon as the ball left the bat. But he didn't take off until the ball started it's way fair.

 

If anyone remembers this actually happened during a Red Sox game a couple of years ago and the batter didn't run and was thrown out, of course the batter was mad but it was legit.

The "fielders balk" is a baseball rules myth. We, too, had it called against us where a base was awarded. There is no supporting documentation stating that a base is awarded. Its a "don't do that" kind of rule. Some umpires in NKY who seemingly know the rules pretty well still blow this one every time.

:thumb:

 

I'll add this......

 

8 guys have to be in between the lines in order to play. The fielder may have one foot in foul and still be considered as in play. If the fielder has 2 feet in foul then no pitch can occur. Umpire should warn the fielder to get back in play, and then resume play. I too have experienced the bad end of this call, and have done my homework as well.

 

The only "fielder's balk", if you want to call it that, is when the catcher leaves the catchers box area before the time of the pitch.

The 'ole Catcher's Balk....

The 'ole Catcher's Balk....

If I'm not mistaken this was an issue in last year's state finals?? Anyone else remembering this?

:thumb:

 

I'll add this......

 

8 guys have to be in between the lines in order to play. The fielder may have one foot in foul and still be considered as in play. If the fielder has 2 feet in foul then no pitch can occur. Umpire should warn the fielder to get back in play, and then resume play. I too have experienced the bad end of this call, and have done my homework as well.

 

The only "fielder's balk", if you want to call it that, is when the catcher leaves the catchers box area before the time of the pitch.

 

Are you sure about that? I ask for this reason: A batter is considered "out of the batter's box" when he has one foot completely outside the box. Also, a third base coach is technically required to have both feet in the coach's box and is considered out of this box when he has just one foot outside the box. Therefore, it would stand to reason that a fielder is considered to be "off the field of play" (in foul territory) by having just one foot completely in foul ground, not two.

 

A "catcher's balk" is actually a balk on the pitcher for throwing a pitch when the catcher is not in the catcher's box on an INTENTIONAL BASE ON BALLS only. This is the only play he is required to be in the catcher's box until the pitcher delivers the ball. Some people feel it applies to all pitches, and especially to pitch outs, but it does not. (Funny, but I know this because I had the exact same problem with the Umpires R Us crew, whom I now call "Balks R Us", and discussed this with MLB also.)

Are you sure about that? I ask for this reason: A batter is considered "out of the batter's box" when he has one foot completely outside the box. Also, a third base coach is technically required to have both feet in the coach's box and is considered out of this box when he has just one foot outside the box. Therefore, it would stand to reason that a fielder is considered to be "off the field of play" (in foul territory) by having just one foot completely in foul ground, not two.

 

A "catcher's balk" is actually a balk on the pitcher for throwing a pitch when the catcher is not in the catcher's box on an INTENTIONAL BASE ON BALLS only. This is the only play he is required to be in the catcher's box until the pitcher delivers the ball. Some people feel it applies to all pitches, and especially to pitch outs, but it does not. (Funny, but I know this because I had the exact same problem with the Umpires R Us crew, whom I now call "Balks R Us", and discussed this with MLB also.)

From NFHS:

 

1-1-4 - At the time of the pitch, all fielders shall be on fair ground except the catcher who shall be in the catcher's box. A fielder is in fair ground when at least one foot is touching fair ground.

Penalty: Illegal Pitch

 

Also, you are mistaken about the catcher. On any pitch the catcher, 6-1-1 "shall have both feet in the catcher's box at the time of the pitch." Meaning simply that he cannot leave the catchers box until the pitcher commits to the plate by beginning his motion. However, most of the time you only see this on IBB since it would be silly for the catcher to be standing outside of the box before the pitcher came to the plate. That's probably what he was trying to tell you.

 

And for the record, I'm not a fan of the Umpires R Us either.

From NFHS:

 

1-1-4 - At the time of the pitch, all fielders shall be on fair ground except the catcher who shall be in the catcher's box. A fielder is in fair ground when at least one foot is touching fair ground.

Penalty: Illegal Pitch

 

Also, you are mistaken about the catcher. On any pitch the catcher, 6-1-1 "shall have both feet in the catcher's box at the time of the pitch." Meaning simply that he cannot leave the catchers box until the pitcher commits to the plate by beginning his motion. However, most of the time you only see this on IBB since it would be silly for the catcher to be standing outside of the box before the pitcher came to the plate. That's probably what he was trying to tell you.

 

And for the record, I'm not a fan of the Umpires R Us either.

 

I think it's a difference between NFHS and MLB rules (and there are alot of them, especially in the area of balks). I was quoting MLB rules, as that is what I am most familiar.

 

In MLB rules, (4.03) "when the ball is put in play at the start of, or during a game, all fielders other than the catcher shall be on fair territory." However, there is no prescribed penalty for not doing so other than for the umpire to warn the fielder.

 

I cannot find any specific reference in MLB rules as to what defines "being in fair territory", other than the references regarding the batter (one foot out of box is all required to be illegal) and coaching box (same) previously stated. However, the PBUC (Professional Baseball Umpires Corp.) Manual, which is basically an annotated version of the MLB rulebook, states, "Do not insist on the first baseman playing with both feet in fair territory unless the offensive team protests. If they do, you must enforce the rule as written, but make sure it is enforced for both teams." So it does imply that both feet are required (under MLB rules) to be in fair territory to be "officially" fair.

 

Also in 4.03(a), "the catcher shall station himself directly back of the plate. He may leave his position at any time to catch a pitch or make a play except that when the batter is being given an intentional base on balls, the catcher must stand with both feet within the lines of the catcher's box until the ball leaves the pitcher's hand. PENALTY: Balk."

 

The reason the catcher's balk became an issue with the "Balks R Us" crew (my nickname for them), is that they called it on my catcher for popping out of the box too soon on a pitchout. There is no penalty in that situation, but as usual, I could not convince them of that. :irked: You don't even want to know how many hours I have invested in researching these balk rules as a result of having to deal with those guys!!

Situation: Batter hits chopper down 3rd base line. Fielder fields the ball in front of 3rd base with feet in fair territory while the ball was on the foul side of the 3rd base line. 3rd baseman throws wildly to first, runner awarded 2nd base.

 

Did the ball at any time touch the ground in foul territory?