International Baseball and Balks
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Re: International Baseball and Balks
[ Author: Guest: jballfan | Posted: Jul 17, 2004 5:20 PM
]
I agree with you about the pickoff in which Miyamoto was called out at second. That play, however, wasn't illegal. It was actually a good pickoff move. The commentators did mention that although this particular play was legal, past pickoff attempts weren't.
A play that comes to my mind is when Tani got "fooled" by the pitcher's motion and took off, only to see the Cuban pitcher turn and throw the ball to the fielder at first. Luckily, the throw from the fielder to second base hit Tani on his back and deflected into the outfield, and thus Tani was safe at second. The pickoff attempt, however, in my opinion, would have resulted in a balk in a Japanese pro baseball game.
A play that comes to my mind is when Tani got "fooled" by the pitcher's motion and took off, only to see the Cuban pitcher turn and throw the ball to the fielder at first. Luckily, the throw from the fielder to second base hit Tani on his back and deflected into the outfield, and thus Tani was safe at second. The pickoff attempt, however, in my opinion, would have resulted in a balk in a Japanese pro baseball game.
Re: International Baseball and Balks
[ Author: torakichi | Posted: Jul 17, 2004 11:54 PM
| HT Fan
]
- Tani got "fooled" by the pitcher's motion [...] would have resulted in a balk in a Japanese pro baseball game.
You mean the pitcher was already into his pitching motion?
You mean the pitcher was already into his pitching motion?
Re: International Baseball and Balks
[ Author: Guest: jballfan | Posted: Jul 19, 2004 12:40 AM
]
Yes. That's exactly what I mean. At least, that's what it looked like to me and the commentators.
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Watching the second Japan vs. Cuba game the other night, I heard the commentary team discussing balks and they referred to various situations over the two games, but, unfortunately, I didn't see enough of either game to get their point. Could you help me joint the dots and understand the point they were trying to make?
The topic of balks arose when Miyamoto was easily picked off by the pitcher trying to steal second. The "comments man" on TV said that in an NPB game it would have been a blatant balk, but that these were international games, and that the Japanese team had to get used to the differences in balk rules, as well as strike zones, etc.
The main commentator also said that Japan coach Yutaka Ono had mentioned something along the same lines after the first game: i.e., that the Japanese pitchers were too exact (actually teinei or "polite" was his word) about not balking, and that maybe Japan would have to relax its stance a little if they were going to compete.
But! To my eye, the sudden throw to second by the Cuban pitcher didn't appear to be illegal; in fact, it appeared to be a skillful play. But I was clearly in a minority, because everyone else was adamant that it was a balk.
Did anyone see the play in question? Is the gulf between Japanese and international rules about balks so huge?