How is francisco rodriguez' delivery to home plate not a balk?

Question

When he goes to come set he pulls his legs together and then picks up the front leg, moves it forward and to the the left then he rocks back and forth. I can't figure out what part of his wind-up is not a balk.

Answer 1

The umpires allow for a pitchers unique style. The Balk rule is in place to ensure that the pitcher will not deceive the runner. If you watch Rodriquez he makes the same delivery move on every pitch, and in the umpires mind he is not trying to deceive. Also, if the other teams had a problem with it they would point it out to the umpire and as far as I know it has never been an issue involving Rodriquez.

Answer 2

A balk is when the pitcher starts his wind to deliver to home plate and stops midway through his windup and delivery. If these moves are part of his regular delivery, then it is not a balk since this is part of it.

Answer 3

Good question. The AS umps may have simply been generous at *not* calling it... since the bases were loaded and a balk call would have tied the game. They probably didn't want that and neither did the players.

Who wants another fiasco like 2002 (where managers simply ran out of substitutes) and the game ended in disgrace with the fans shouting :"Let them Play! Let them Play!" The problem is -- most of the players' don't really want to play in the All-Star game.

Answer 4

What makes you think is IS a balk. There are many ways to balk .

With a runner on base and the pitcher on or astride the rubber, it is a balk[2] when the pitcher:

switches his pitching stance from the windup position to the set position (or vice versa) without properly disengaging the rubber;
when going from the stretch to the set position, fails to make a complete stop with his hands together before beginning to pitch;
throws from the rubber to a base without stepping toward (gaining distance in the direction of) that base;
throws from the rubber to a base where there is no runner and no possibility of a play;
steps or feints from the rubber to first base without completing the throw;
pitches a quick return pitch, that is, pitches with the intent to catch the batter off-guard;
pitches or mimics a part of his pitching motion while not in contact with the rubber;
drops the ball while on the rubber;
after a feint or throw to a base from the rubber, fails to disengage the rubber before reengaging and pitching;
after beginning to pitch, interrupts his pitching motion;
begins to pitch while the catcher is out of the catcher's box when giving an intentional walk;
while pitching, removes his pivot foot from the pitching rubber, except to pivot or as a natural consequence of stepping forward to release the pitch
unnecessarily delays the game;
pitches while facing away from the batter;
after bringing his hands together on the rubber, separates them except in making a pitch or a throw; or
stands on or astride the rubber without the ball, or mimics a pitch without the ball
In addition, if a pitcher commits any of the following illegal actions, it may result in a balk under certain circumstances:

expectorates on the ball, either hand or his glove;
rubs the ball on his glove, person or clothing;
applies a foreign substance of any kind to the ball;
defaces the ball in any manner; or
delivers a ball altered in a manner described above or what is called the “shine” ball, “spit” ball, “mud” ball or “emery” ball.


Which of these vioations do you think he's commiting?

Answer 5

a balk would be trying to decieve the runner, seeing as he does the same thing every time the umps know he is not trying to decieve said runner..mariano rivera does movements too and so does mike mussina..also they stop all movement once their hands come to a rest, so i think that might have something to do with it not being a balk, they have not yet come fully set.