Baseball's Greatest Urban Myth?- The Fielder's Balk

Is this the Loch Ness Monster, or perhaps an umpire calling a balk on a third baseman?

Yesterday on sixpackspeak.com, perhaps the greatest thing on the Internet save pictures of Brooklyn Decker, a question was posed about whether anyone had ever seen an umpire call a balk on a player other than a pitcher. According to the person asking the question- the infamous Coach34- an umpire called a balk on a third baseman in a game. I'm not really sure what kind of league this was, it sounded like a youth type league, but I could be totally wrong about that. Another poster stated that there had been a balk called on a catcher for relaying signs to a pitcher before the pitcher was on the rubber. Someone else stated that there are some leagues that call balks on position players if they are not in fair territory- for example, a third baseman having one foot in fair territory and one foot in foul territory.

Now, I have been watching baseball for 25 years now. I have seen a lot of things. To this day, I have never seen a balk called on anyone other than a pitcher. That said, there is a saying in baseball- "If you go to the ballpark, you may see something that you've never seen before". And just because I haven't seen it happen, doesn't mean it can't, and it also doesn't mean that it's in the rule book.

So.....what does the Major League rulebook, section 8.05 say? Well, it's a long-drawn out statement. But wikipedia has summed it up pretty well.

"Most basically, a pitcher is restricted to a certain set of motions and one of two basic pitching positions before and during a pitch; if these are violated, a balk is called.
With a runner on base and the pitcher on or astride (with one leg on each side of) the rubber, it is a balk[2] when the pitcher:

• switches his pitching position from the windup to the set (or vice versa) without properly disengaging the rubber;
  
• while on the rubber, makes a motion associated with his pitch and does not complete the delivery;
  
• when going from the stretch to the set position, fails to make a complete stop with his hands together before beginning to pitch;
  
• throws from the rubber to a base without stepping toward (gaining distance in the direction of) that base;
  
• throws or feints a throw from the rubber to an unoccupied base, unless a play is imminent;
  
• steps or feints from the rubber to first base without completing the throw;
  
• pitches a quick return, that is, delivers with the intent to catch the batter off-guard or defenseless;
  
• pitches or mimics a part of his pitching motion while not in contact with the rubber;
  
• drops the ball while on the rubber, even if by accident, if the ball does not subsequently cross a foul line;
  
• while intentionally walking a batter, or at any other time, releases a pitch while the catcher is out of his box with one or both feet; this is rarely called, though, especially on an intentional walk;
  
• unnecessarily delays the game;
  
• pitches while facing away from the batter;
  
• after bringing his hands together on the rubber, separates them except in making a pitch or a throw;
  
• stands on or astride the rubber without the ball, or mimics a pitch without the ball; or
  throws to first when the first baseman, because of his distance from the base, is unable to make a play on the runner there." (from wikipedia-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balk)

OK, after reading that, you'll notice that ALL of the balk rules apply to the pitcher in some way, shape, form, or fashion. And even the situations that involve the catcher and the first baseman, the pitcher, is involved.

That said, it has been brought to my attention that some youth leagues call a balk in some situations that I previously mentioned- ie, a player that is not totally in fair territory, or a catcher giving signs before a pitcher is on the rubber. This is known as a "Fielder's balk."

But perhaps we have a fielder's balk sighting!

Here is the rule accordoing to a man named Jorge- (Hey, my sources aren't any less credible than the people that claim to have seen the Loch Ness Monster).

"The rule (1-1-4 or in the HS rule book or 4.03 in the college one) requires that all defensive players except the catcher be in fair territory at the time of pitch. By definition, at least one foot must be in fair territory to comply with this rule. Here is the high school rule:Rule 1-1 Art. 4 At the time of the pitch, all fielders shall be on fail ground except the catcher who shall be in the catcher's box. A fielder is in fair ground when at least ONE foot is touching fair ground.Consequently, there is no balk. If the fielder were to have both feet completely outside of fair territory with a runner on base, that would be a balk". (Source- "Jorge")

However, like the Loch Ness Monster, Aliens, Big Foot, and ghosts, there are always skeptics.

Like a man who calls himself DelawareBlue.

"All fielders other than the catcher must have both feet in fair territory (touching the foul line counts). The balk under 4.03 applies to part (a) of the rule. That is the catcher standing outside the "catcher's box" during an intentional base on balls, commonly referred to as a "catcher's balk." There is no "fielder's balk." It's a don't do that. If you tell a player several times to stop doing it and he continues, your only course of action is to eject him. Seems like a harsh penalty, but that's about it. I'm sure a few words with the coach would help solve the problem." (Source-Delaware Blue)

So, the debate rages on. My take is this- I agree with DelawareBlue. It's common sense. If a player is trying to postion himself in foul territory, there is no need to punish the team so severely. Make the fielder go to fair territory. Tell him not to do it again. End of story. And then what do you do if there are no runners on base? Tell the team that's batting to send someone down to first base? I see this as no different than when a position player is late going out to his position. The umpire should just yell at the dugout "Hey, you need a left fielder". Then someone sheepishly trots out, zips up his fly because odds are he was in the bathroom, and play resumes.

But alas, somewhere out there in some youth league there is an unsuspecting position player with one foot on the line, and one foot fair, and he is about to believe in the "Fielder's balk".