Should baseball rewrite the balk rule?

Question

I was watching a game and the umpire called balk because he felt the pitcher was deceiving the runner. The pitcher had the ball in his glove and was looking at the catcher for the sign when he moved his pitching hand up a few inches and then back down. He wasn't even reaching for the ball. How can you deceive a runner when it's impossible for you to throw the ball?

Answer 1

If a pitcher is standing on the pitching rubber he can not start and stop his delivery, that is a balk. Every MLB pitcher knows the Balk rules and there is no need to change it. It was nothing more than a loss of concentration and he paid the price.

Answer 2

No, the balk rule is fine just the way it is. All pitchers know it, and if they screw up, then they pay the price.

Oh, and to the guy that thinks the batter gets to go to first, learn the rules. A balk allows all baserunners to advance. The batter is unaffected by a balk, it is there to make pick-offs harder to pull off, since the pitcher can't go into a windup, then throw to second to catch the baserunner stealing.

Answer 3

Frizzer is correct. There's no need to rewrite a rule just because the pitcher isn't smart enough to adhere to it. The example you gave is a clear-cut case of a pitcher stopping his motion, which anyone who has ever pitched at any level should know is illegal. If that wasn't illegal, then pitchers would do a start-and-stop every time to see if the runner is moving on the play.

Answer 4

Nothing wrong with the rule. It's been like this for years. Every picther knows the rule and if they make a mistake, the runner takes a base. It rarely happens anyway.

Answer 5

I know, the balk rule is stupid. Why should the batter get a free pass to first base because the pitcher sneezed and lost his balance while trying to pitch?

Answer 6

i dont think they should rewrite cause it is always the pitchers fault for taking his foot of the rubber