MLB rule change - will it come to NCAA?

[bryarx]

As lower levels of sports have been changing to more accurately reflect their professional counter parts, do you think the new MLB rule will come to NCAA? I know I saw it done by an opponent at Carolina Stadium last year.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-bi...9715--mlb.html

Basically - the fake to third - throw to first pick off is now considered a balk.

[RockRocks787]

I don't think that rule in particular will make much of a difference. It never works and just wastes time.

[bryarx]

Yea - I didn't expect it to make a huge impact in game results - just wondering what the transition time as a MLB rule to NCAA rule would be. Just got into college baseball about 3 years ago (on the run to the first championship), so not sure how long new rules take to trickle down.

I agree that it won't make an impact - but it is annoying to see, which is the primary motivation for MLB banning it.

[Metalrush24]

They should change it.

1. No point in enforcing a habit that will get them in trouble at the next level.
And
2. That move annoys the heck out of me

[markymark550]

But come on, that move works once every other decade! With that kind of success rate, how do you get rid of it?

[bryarx]

I wish they would get rid of the fake to first. It has literally never gotten anyone out, ever. Only provides chuckles when at home, and an opponent dives back with no throw.

Still waiting for someone to not move when the pitcher does a fake to first. That person would look like such a baller.

[brat]

Got no problem with faking a throw to first base. Easy way to move the runner back w/o wasting a throw or accidently throwing the ball away or the first baseman not catching the ball.

If I were a manager and my runner did not move to go back to first because he figured it was going to be a fake and he got thrown out because he wanted to look cool, instead, he wouldn't be playing for the next week.

[sc455]

I am a bit confused on the rule. I am not confused on what a fake to third and throw to first is, i get that part. I am confused as to why they just didnt ban the move altogether. I mean, there is no chance for a balk in the first place because not a single pitcher will now EVER fake to third and throw to first.

For a balk to occur you actually have to attempt a throw to a base and be caught in a violation of the rule. shoulda just banned the move.

[sporkgod50]

If the intent of the rule is to benefit the flow of the game, then why not limit the number of times a batter or pitcher/catcher can call timeout. Red Sox/Yankees do it so much their games last significantly longer than average mlb games.

[scfastpitch]

Originally Posted by sc455

I am a bit confused on the rule. I am not confused on what a fake to third and throw to first is, i get that part. I am confused as to why they just didnt ban the move altogether. I mean, there is no chance for a balk in the first place because not a single pitcher will now EVER fake to third and throw to first.

For a balk to occur you actually have to attempt a throw to a base and be caught in a violation of the rule. shoulda just banned the move.

I'm confused on what's confusing you . The fake throw to third is now a balk .

[bryarx]

If they banned the move, and someone did it - what would the punishment be? batter goes to first, and base runners advance? Sounds like a balk.

And I agree, in addition to limiting batters' timeouts, how about making it later a rule that timeout has to be called before the pitcher comes to rest. I'm sick of seeing a pitcher just start his wind up only for a batter to call timeout and get it - now they are both gonna go threw their pre-pitch rituals again.

[cack]

Dumbest rule change ever. That's one of the worst plays in all of Baseball and if you're caught by that then you deserve to be picked off.

Now with that said, I'm glad it's considered a balk so I never have to watch that idiotic play again.

I can count on 1 hand how many times I've seen that work in my 28 years of watching and playing Baseball.

[USCBatgirl21]

Wasn't this already implemented in SEC play last year? I seem to remember something like this being "new" last season. Or is it a very similar situation I am thinking of?

[cack]

Basically it sounds like they're going to treat 3rd like they have always done 1st. If you go through the motion to throw the ball to 1st but don't release it ... BALK. I think this is a good rule change to treat them equally because a righty or lefty as an advantage/disadvantage either way.

I will say this, there's going to be a TON of balks to 3rd this year by rightys till people get used to it.

[jared]

It is a good move if the runner on first is stealing on first movement from the pitcher or if you just catch him sleeping. But most of the time, it does not work.

[scfastpitch]

Originally Posted by cack

Basically it sounds like they're going to treat 3rd like they have always done 1st. If you go through the motion to throw the ball to 1st but don't release it ... BALK. I think this is a good rule change to treat them equally because a righty or lefty as an advantage/disadvantage either way.

I will say this, there's going to be a TON of balks to 3rd this year by rightys till people get used to it.

That sounds right . A fake throw to second is still allowed .

[COCKYTALKIN]

Originally Posted by USCBatgirl21

Wasn't this already implemented in SEC play last year? I seem to remember something like this being "new" last season. Or is it a very similar situation I am thinking of?

I remember them talking about it the rule change last year. But for some reason I don't think it was implemented.

[ReadR00ster]

Originally Posted by scfastpitch

I'm confused on what's confusing you . The fake throw to third is now a balk .

They don't always, "fake throw" to third. Sometimes they just step off and face third and then throw to first. Does this mean stepping off is going to be a balk now?

[scfastpitch]

Originally Posted by ReadR00ster

They don't always, "fake throw" to third. Sometimes they just step off and face third and then throw to first. Does this mean stepping off is going to be a balk now?

No. Once you step off you can fake or throw .

[USCBatgirl21]

Originally Posted by COCKYTALKIN

I remember them talking about it the rule change last year. But for some reason I don't think it was implemented.

Yeah, I remember a bunch of us talking about a new "balk" rule throughout the season, but can't remember all the specifics.

Can't remember if we were "testing" it as we did the Instant Replay either. They seem to like using the SEC to test new rules/rule changes.