First off, Beechwood's pitcher came to a set position, stepped off the back of the rubber and faked a throw to first. Ump calls a balk. Elementary call. Blew it! Next, with runners at 1st and 2nd, Holy Cross' left handed pitcher comes to set, looks at runner at second then looks home. Runner on second takes off, trying to get a jump. Pitcher jumped turns and throws to third. Should be a balk, since can't throw to an unoccupied base without stepping off. Wasn't called. These are a few of the many calls he blew. His strike zone was terrible for both sides. Very inconsistent and not only that, he ducked/flinched on a lot of pitches. Travesty that the kids don't get better.

Also a swing and a miss that as he said ,I never seen him swing . I guess all the flinching and ducking would explain why he never saw it .

First off, Beechwood's pitcher came to a set position, stepped off the back of the rubber and faked a throw to first. Ump calls a balk. Elementary call. Blew it! Next, with runners at 1st and 2nd, Holy Cross' left handed pitcher comes to set, looks at runner at second then looks home. Runner on second takes off, trying to get a jump. Pitcher jumped turns and throws to third. Should be a balk, since can't throw to an unoccupied base without stepping off. Wasn't called. These are a few of the many calls he blew. His strike zone was terrible for both sides. Very inconsistent and not only that, he ducked/flinched on a lot of pitches. Travesty that the kids don't get better.

 

Well the balk call I believe was due to him coming set, then taking the ball out of his glove again before stepping off (I could be wrong on that though that's just what I heard) Beechwood got a few big calls like Bertke being picked off of first twice and second twice where he was called safe which was due to there only being one umpire mostly. Also the biggest call of the game was when HC's #00 hit a bouncer in front of the plate and then was pegged by the pitcher or catcher and called out for being inside the baseline, which was a judgement call, but a tough call to make as it looked like he was pretty much in line and there is no marked line on the field.

Also a swing and a miss that as he said ,I never seen him swing . I guess all the flinching and ducking would explain why he never saw it .

 

That was an absolute terrible call I will definitely say that.

First off, Beechwood's pitcher came to a set position, stepped off the back of the rubber and faked a throw to first. Ump calls a balk. Elementary call. Blew it! Next, with runners at 1st and 2nd, Holy Cross' left handed pitcher comes to set, looks at runner at second then looks home. Runner on second takes off, trying to get a jump. Pitcher jumped turns and throws to third. Should be a balk, since can't throw to an unoccupied base without stepping off. Wasn't called. These are a few of the many calls he blew. His strike zone was terrible for both sides. Very inconsistent and not only that, he ducked/flinched on a lot of pitches. Travesty that the kids don't get better.

 

Second base is considered occupied at that point, regardless of whether the runner had taken off to third. That is not a balk.

Coop, he jump turned and threw to third. Had he thrown to second, he would have been alright. Obviously, Sportsblog is a HC fan.

He turned towards third and not towards second.

Coop, he jump turned and threw to third. Had he thrown to second, he would have been alright. Obviously, Sportsblog is a HC fan.

 

My bad. To be honest, I read it wrong and assumed he threw to second.

 

However . . . it's still not a balk as I read the rules. It is a balk for a pitcher while on the rubber "to throw, or feint a throw, to an unoccupied base, except for the purpose of making a play." In the PBUC Umpire Manual, it actually gives the following example: "Runners on first and second, pitcher in set position. Runner breaks for third base and pitcher throws to third base. This is a legal play."

 

Let me know if you have a different ruling interpretation. I enjoy this stuff. :thumb:

I was there for the duration the rule reads A pitcher can not throw to an unoccupied base where there is no play. There was a play, the Beechwood kid took off way too early and was hung out to dry. This is where the Beechwood coach screwed this guy, for then on the Beechwood people were on him. No one knew that rule except the umpire, they said anyone should get that call right, when no fan or coach knew the rule. The balk on Beechwood was because the kid had not disengaged until the fake was over. And I think I recall the check swing it was a high pitch that the catcher popped up on and knocked his mask sideways. He said he couldn't see it, and the Beechwood coach said he turned his head.

Lots of good info.:thumb:

 

Sounds as though both balk calls (or non-calls as the case may be) may have been correct by the ump. Certainly sounds as though the HC pitcher may have the right to throw to third from the rubber, under the circumstances presented. I'm interested to see how this one turns out.

 

I'm late on the scene of this one, but can someone tell me why there was only one ump for a JV regional game? Are the ranks that depleted?

I really dont know why we are debating this so much. Holy Cross won 7-3. IMO that play was not a game changer. Spartan is obvisouly a Beechwood fan.

Regardless of questionable calls it shows the Tigers can play with anybody .Staying close with what alot of people think may be the best JV team .HC has only lost 3-4 games and beat Ryle 2 times .BW has to have the youngest lineup out there .They only start a couple sophs .The rest are a couple 8 th graders and freshman .

You are exactly right, BW is very young and very good. They have a very strong freshman class from what I understand too. They will be VERY GOOD when those freshman are on varsity.

You are exactly right, BW is very young and very good. They have a very strong freshman class from what I understand too. They will be VERY GOOD when those freshman are on varsity.

 

I will say 3 of them will be full time starters ,or at least have the chance to be next year as sophmores :

Bertke -p,ss,3b ,2b

Leeke -CF ,lead off ( big shoes to fill here in Elliott ,if he does lead off)

 

Larimore - ss , p , ??

Coop, he jump turned and threw to third. Had he thrown to second, he would have been alright. Obviously, Sportsblog is a HC fan.

 

That's not the rule though, because there was a play at third. How can you expect him to throw to second when the runner is almost to third already. Also, I don't see how that makes me a fan of either team. I was just stating what I saw on both sides, and like CardsNation said it wasn't going to be the difference in the game in any of those instances.