Game 134: Yanks (Rodon) @ Nationals (Gore) 6:45 EST

Haha, Balkin'Bob. Until Angel Hernandez came along he was my least favorite umpire ever. If it were up to me there wouldn't even be a balk rule. Let her rip.

... snip

6.02 Pitcher Illegal Action
(a) Balks
If there is a runner, or runners, it is a balk when:
(1) The pitcher, while touching his plate, makes any motion
naturally associated with his pitch and fails to make such
delivery;
Rule 6.02(a)(1) Comment: If a left-handed or right-handed
pitcher swings his free foot past the back edge of the pitcher’s
rubber, he is required to pitch to the batter except to throw to
second base on a pick-off play.

(2) The pitcher, while touching his plate, feints a throw to first
or third base and fails to complete the throw;
(3) The pitcher, while touching his plate, fails to step directly
toward a base before throwing to that base;
Rule 6.02(a)(3) Comment: Requires the pitcher, while touching
his plate, to step directly toward a base before throwing to
that base. If a pitcher turns or spins off of his free foot without
actually stepping or if he turns his body and throws before
stepping, it is a balk.
A pitcher is to step directly toward a base before throwing
to that base and is required to throw (except to second base)
because he steps. It is a balk if, with runners on first and third,
the pitcher steps toward third and does not throw, merely to
bluff the runner back to third; then seeing the runner on first
start for second, turn and step toward and throw to first base. It
is legal for a pitcher to feint a throw to second base.
(4) The pitcher, while touching his plate, throws, or feints a
throw to an unoccupied base, except for the purpose of
making a play;

Rule 6.02(a)(4) Comment: When determining whether the
pitcher throws or feints a throw to an unoccupied base for
the purpose of making a play, the umpire should consider
whether a runner on the previous base demonstrates or
otherwise creates an impression of his intent to advance to
such unoccupied base.
(5) The pitcher makes an illegal pitch;
Rule 6.02(a)(5) Comment: A quick pitch is an illegal pitch.
Umpires will judge a quick pitch as one delivered before the
batter is reasonably set in the batter’s box. With runners on base
the penalty is a balk; with no runners on base, it is a ball. The
quick pitch is dangerous and should not be permitted.
(6) The pitcher delivers the ball to the batter while he is not
facing the batter;
79
Rule 6.02(a)(7) to 6.02(a)(13)
(7) The pitcher makes any motion naturally associated with
his pitch while he is not touching the pitcher’s plate;

(8) The pitcher unnecessarily delays the game;
Rule 6.02(a)(8) Comment: Rule 6.02(a)(8) shall not apply when
a warning is given pursuant to Rule 6.02(c)(8) (which prohibits
intentional delay of a game by throwing to fielders not in an
attempt to put a runner out). If a pitcher is ejected pursuant to
Rule 6.02(c)(8) for continuing to delay the game, the penalty
in Rule 6.02(a)(8) shall also apply. Rule 5.07(c) (which sets a
time limit for a pitcher to deliver the ball when the bases are
unoccupied) applies only when there are no runners on base.
(9) The pitcher, without having the ball, stands on or astride
the pitcher’s plate or while off the plate, he feints a pitch;
(10) The pitcher, after coming to a legal pitching position,
removes one hand from the ball other than in an actual
pitch, or in throwing to a base;
(11) The pitcher, while touching his plate, accidentally or
intentionally has the ball slip or fall out of his hand or
glove;
(12) The pitcher, while giving an intentional base on balls,
pitches when the catcher is not in the catcher’s box;
(13) The pitcher delivers the pitch from Set Position without
coming to a stop.
PENALTY: The ball is dead, and each runner shall advance one
base without liability to be put out, unless the batter reaches first
on a hit, an error, a base on balls, a hit batter, or otherwise, and
all other runners advance at least one base, in which case the play
proceeds without reference to the balk.

APPROVED RULING: In cases where a pitcher balks and throws
wild, either to a base or to home plate, a runner or runners may
advance beyond the base to which he is entitled at his own risk.
APPROVED RULING: A runner who misses the first base to which
he is advancing and who is called out on appeal shall be considered
as having advanced one base for the purpose of this rule.
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Rule 6.02(a) to 6.02(c)(1)

Rule 6.02(a) Comment: Umpires should bear in mind that
the purpose of the balk rule is to prevent the pitcher from
deliberately deceiving the base runner. If there is doubt in
the umpire’s mind, the “intent” of the pitcher should govern.
However, certain specifics should be borne in mind:
(A) Straddling the pitcher’s rubber without the ball is to be
interpreted as intent to deceive and ruled a balk.
(B) With a runner on first base the pitcher may make a
complete turn, without hesitating toward first, and
throw to second. This is not to be interpreted as
throwing to an unoccupied base.

... snip

This is the entire MLB balk rule.  It does note in the last comment the purpose of the rule.  However, that is after pages that instruct the umpire to call a balk if certain criteria are not met.

I thought Rodon forgot to step off the rubber before calling a timeout, which is a balk when there's runners on base.  A brain cramp by Rodon since he was already frustrated how the inning was going. 

Come on Rodon. Teams that can run really make the Yankees look slow and old at times.

good lord

Flash is saying that Chisolm should be making that cutoff. I played through college and it was never the 3B cut in that situation. The 1B came in, the 2B went behind the batter-runner to first, and the SS to cover 2nd. But hey, maybe I'm wrong.