NTISO  INC.                                                      Back
North Texas Independent Sports Officials
724 Ridgemont Drive, Allen, TX 75002

Situation:

Runner is on second base with catcher in position and pitcher is in a windup with his pivot foot in contact with the pitcher's plate and has come to a complete stop.  The pitcher is checking over his shoulder to determine if the runner on second base has a lead off that is too much.

The third base coach begins to yell to the runner on second "Come on, Come on, do it now!!".  The runner on second immediately breaks for third base.

The pitcher, with his pivot foot in contact with the pitcher's plate and non-pivot foot leading towards third, throws to the third baseman who tags the runner.  The base umpire calls "Out".  The offensive third base coach immediately appeals to the base umpire stating that the pitcher balked and that his runner should have been awarded third.  The offensive third base coach says it is a balk because a pitcher cannot throw towards an unoccupied base.

Is the base runner awarded third base on a balk or is the runner out?

What is the Rule Number?

Situation:

Batter is in the box, the catcher is in his position and the pitcher, with his pivot foot in contact with the pitcher's plate, delivers the ball to the batter.

The batter swings and misses.  The pitched ball hits the batter as he swings.

The umpire calls "dead ball" and awards the batter first base due to being hit by the pitched ball.

Was the umpire's call correct?

Part of the answer is found in Rule 2, Definitions of the Game