balk is a judgement call by the umpire it was a thin line but he look more like he step towards first base than home so i can see why they didn't call it
@@jbsmg It would be a balk if his leg went toward the plate. Umpires won't call a balk if he stepped more toward first than the plate. It's hard to tell from this angle.
@Liberal Nation The rule book says step directly toward the base. Outside of the rule book, interpretation of this seems to have evolved to this 45° boundary. Is this an official edict made by some rules committee or authoritative agent of baseball rules? Is this published anywhere? There is no doubt in my mind that: • stepping to the limit of this 45° line is 100% motivated by the pitcher's intention to be MORE DECEPTIVE than stepping directly toward the base • this is the proverbial "line in the sand" in a game of cat and mouse where the pitcher is continuously pushing against the allowable limits of deception and the umpires MUST take on the always controversial, unpopular and largely misunderstood role of the arbitrator of this deception. • the 45° boundary was probably conceived in order to simplify and reduce conflict over this call ... IMO it fails at this because the pitcher will finesse everything else other than where his foot ultimately lands in order to push the limits of this cat and mouse game of deception. • the players, coaches and umpires all know exactly what is going on and will always push back and forth against one another with these heated arguments and ejections. • the majority of the fans do not understand these nuances and are either (i) confused and frustrated (what was the call????), or (ii) happily entertained by the head butting and take great enjoyment in believing that umpires are incompetent.
It wasn't a close call in my opinion. If you look at his front foot at 2:11 and then at where he puts in down, it has moved over less than a foot. Clearly that is stepping towards the plate more than first. It wasn't even close to the invisible 45 degree line.
Was a balk according to the rule book but not the egotistical umpires of the game. A balk will be called when a pitcher who is on the rubber makes any motion naturally associated with his pitching delivery and does not actually deliver the ball, feigns a throw to first or third base and fails to complete the throw, or fails to step directly toward a base before throwing to that base.
thats what keeps me even watching baseball....i mean i like it as a casual fan but its always great tv to watch people getting tossed and arguing with the umps out of all refs in the majors sports i think the MLB Umps have it the toughest
Angel and the Cowboy ban together to balk White Sox pitcher Beuhrle which was not a balk but can't get this one right...notice the home plate umpire who had a good look, is nowhere to be seen. This 'brotherhood' is insane.
there was no balk. angel is the strictest ump in the leagues concerning pitcher conduct on the mound. if there was no balk you can bet money there no balk.
It's natural. The fact that he thought the ump was racist means he's black. I know this because some black people believe everything a different race does is racist. Knowing he's black, he probably follows basketball a little too much. Refs are in basketball. I figured it out.
