When is a balk not a balk? Umpires correctly called A's pitcher Jeffrey Springs for a no-stop balk during a 3-2 pitch to Mariners batter Julio RodrÃguez, but awarding baserunner R1 Ben Williamson second base was only half of the equation. Instead of RodrÃguez awarded first base on ball four (the pitch was low), the crew returned the batter to the plate, where he proceeded to strike out swinging on the next pitch.
We first note Official Baseball Rule 6.02(a)(13) pertaining to balks, which states, "If there is a runner, or runners, it is a balk when the pitcher delivers the pitch from Set Position without coming to a stop."
Because pitcher Springs failed to come to a complete stop while in Set Position, as in OBR 5.07(a)(2), 1B Umpire John Tumpane was correct to call out "balk" when the infraction occurred.
OBR 6.02(a) continues, specifying the penalty for a balk violation: "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."
Although the ball ultimately becomes dead on a balk, if the pitcher pitches, that pitch may still count, as long as it results in the batter-runner reaching first base and all other runners advancing at least one base.
In this situation, the pitch missed low for ball four, which meant that runner R1 Williamson would have been forced to advance to second base, by virtue of batter RodrÃguez becoming a runner on the base-on-balls.
But instead of applying the "play proceeds without reference to the balk" portion of the penalty due to both batter and runner advancing at least one base, the umpires enforced the base award for the runner and returned the batter to home plate, where he proceeded to strike out instead of taking his base.
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