Pitcher "fakes" a pitch (doesn't release ball)...

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Jun 28, 2016
34
6
NJ
I was playing a super aggressive baserunning team and it was getting very frustrating. It seemed like every ball put in play their runners were already almost at the next base. I watched the runner on 2nd and it was clear she was off the bag before release. She would start as the pitcher started her motion and be two steps off the bag before the pitcher released the ball.

I pointed it out to the umpire. Next pitch, same thing. "Blue, she's leaving early!" "No, she's moving but she isn't off the bag before the ball is out of the pitcher's hand."

Many baserunners do this, they start moving when the pitcher's hand is at the top of her arm circle, the idea being the half-second it takes you to actually leave the bag is the same timing as the hand coming forward and releasing the ball.

But the runner was leaving when the pitcher began her motion and was clearly off the bag before the ball was out of her hand. Ump saw it differently. Nothing you can do... right?

What would have happened if I told my pitcher to start her windup, but hold onto the ball and not release it?

Would the "pitch" be called a ball since she started her wind-up?

I'd trade a ball for a warning (or even an out) to stop the runners from jumping early...
 
Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
It's a balk which I think = giving a ball to the batter. I love love love aggressive base running. We've got a few girls who are very good base runners and I love to watch them. I even love to watch other teams run bases aggressively (I also love to watch them realize our catcher has an arm, haha). Our lead off was accused of leaving early this past weekend. She's our best base runner, and she was not leaving early. I watched her closely after they said that; I don't want to win by breaking the rules, even unintentionally, and if she were I'd tip off the coach to tell her to knock it off. Our girls do the pitching motion with the pitcher and try to time it so their foot is leaving the bag on release. It can look like they're leaving early but they're not.
 

obbay

Banned
Aug 21, 2008
2,199
0
Boston, MA
There is no "balk" in softball:D
I too, love aggressive baserunning, but only when it's done right. and I hate lazy umpires- though if there's only one, they can't see everything.

also, the rocker start enables the runner to start while the pitcher is in motion- as long as her trail foot doesn't leave the bag before release. if you only have one ump, he may not appreciate the subtlety of this and call her out for leaving early.
 
Last edited:
Feb 18, 2014
348
28
A balk is baseball not softball.

An illegal pitch, which your are describing would result in a ball called on the batter and the baserunners being advanced one base. I do not know for sure which call would be enforced if they were caught leaving early on an illegal pitch. But i would assume that unless they were called out before the illegal pitch they would be advanced one base instead.

Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk
 
Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
Didn't know that. iScore has balk even when the settings are set to softball. I don't remember seeing illegal pitch in there as a separate thing. I assumed they amounted to the same. Learn something new every day. ETA: I remember hearing an umpire call a balk in first year 10U. I remember clearly because it was my kid ;) Weird!
 
Last edited:
Jun 22, 2008
3,731
113
It is an illegal pitch, and if the illegal pitch is what caused the runner to be off the base before the release of the ball the leaving early is ignored. Also, if done intentionally as you describe you are flirting with unsportsmanlike conduct and the possibility of both your pitcher and you being ejected.
 
Jun 28, 2016
34
6
NJ
It is an illegal pitch, and if the illegal pitch is what caused the runner to be off the base before the release of the ball the leaving early is ignored. Also, if done intentionally as you describe you are flirting with unsportsmanlike conduct and the possibility of both your pitcher and you being ejected.

Why is it unsportsmanlike to not throw a pitch, but not unsportsmanlike to coach your runners to leave early?

The rule is the runner can't leave the base until the ball is released, right? If the ball is not released and she is off the base...
 
Jun 22, 2008
3,731
113
Because you cannot use one rule to try and circumvent another rule. It is illegal to purposely not throw a pitch to try and get a runner out for leaving early just as it is illegal for the pitcher to hold the ball and not throw it to try and time out and walk a batter without actually throwing pitches. If a pitcher does this it is a warning, if they do it again the pitcher and coach are ejected.

I wasnt there, didnt see the runners have no idea if they were leaving early or not. As someone stated, if it is a single umpire doing your games there is no way they can watch first or 3rd and still call the pitch. The only base a plate umpire has a good view of is 2nd. I cant tell you how many times I have heard coaches and parents screaming a runner is leaving early when a runner is using the rocker step and they are perfectly legal.

If you only have 1 umpire then the league needs to pony up and pay for 2 umpires. If you have 2 umpires and the runners are really that far off base and its not being called I would suggest taking some video of it and sending it to your league officials and whoever the head of the umpires are.
 
Jul 12, 2010
47
8
Didn't know that. iScore has balk even when the settings are set to softball. I don't remember seeing illegal pitch in there as a separate thing. I assumed they amounted to the same. Learn something new every day. ETA: I remember hearing an umpire call a balk in first year 10U. I remember clearly because it was my kid ;) Weird!

iscore also has illegal pitch as an option. It will then ask you whether runners get to advance a base (different leagues have different rules on that.) I believe it is found under Misc>Illegal Pitch.
 
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