TwinsTerritory

The correct ruling of a balk came into play in my baseball game last night. Now, I know that the balk is a VERY complicated rule, so I went online and looked it up at www.baseball-reference.com.

According to the rules of baseball, a balk is "an illegal act by the pitcher with a runner or runners on base, entitling all runners to advance one base." The purpose of the balk rule is to preserve a balance between runners attempts to steal bases and the defense's attempts to retire them. Lax enforcement of the balk rule in the 1930s through the 1950s contributed to a sharp decline in base stealing attempts. Stricter enforcement in 1988 led to that season being known as the "Year of the Balk".

The balk rule (8.05 of the rules of Major League Baseball) is complex and technical, with 13 different actions that constitute a balk. Most balks can only be seen from a specific angle, meaning that a large percentage of the spectators at a game will not have seen the violation which caused a balk to be called. A pitcher may be charged with a balk if he:

1. Starts his pitching motion without completing the pitch
2. Fakes a throw to first base
3. While standing on the rubber, throws to a base without stepping directly toward that base
4. While standing on the rubber, throws or fakes a throw to an unoccupied base, unless a runner is running toward that base
5. Makes an illegal pitch, including a quick pitch
6. Pitches while not facing the batter
7. Makes any part of his pitching motion while not touching the pitching rubber
8. Unnecessarily delays the game
9. Stands on or astride the pitching rubber without the ball
10. After assuming the windup or set position, removes one hand from the ball except in the course of making a pitch or throw to a base
11. Drops the ball while standing on the pitching rubber
12. Pitches while the catcher is not in the catcher's box
13. Pitches from the set position without coming to a complete stop

Now, I will give you the situation of last night - which I know, because I was pitching.

I entered the game with bases loaded, 1 out. A ground ball to the 2nd basemen allowed one runner to score, and got one out on 2nd base. So 2 down, 2 on - 1st and 3rd.

I was pitching out of the stretch, I come up, pitch, and the runner steals 2nd (but there was a foul tip the catcher caught.) I didnt think about that until I got on the rubber, and leaned in to recieve the catchers signal. I turned from that position, asked the ump for time. He didnt give it to me, so from that postion, I took my foot that was on the rubber off, and placed it behind the rubber. Subsequently, the ump called a balk.

I do not see that in the rules. I KNOW it was not against the rules. When a pitcher steps back off of the rubber, all is live, and the pitcher can do anything.

That lead to a discussion between the umpire and my coach, who then got tossed for the first time in 32 years. 

Any clarifications here??

Just searching www.baseball-reference.com and I saw this stat, after thinking about the Twins grounding into so many double plays, so I checked the player with most DP Grounded into in one year.

Jim Rice holds spots 1 and 2. 36, 35. Consecutive years.

Active player with the most is I-Rod, with 31 in one year.

Cal Ripken holds all-time with 350.

 

http://goallineblitz.com/game/signu
p.pl?ref=5120159

What can I do in this game? Goal Line Blitz gives you a couple of options, depending on how you want to play the game. You can create players, level them up, and participate in a team's attempt to win the championship. You can also gain control of a team and set tactics, recuit players, build your stadium, and more. This is a truly community-based game. You should get to know some of the users on our forum. Most would be happy to answer your questions or recruit you to their team. What is Goal Line Blitz? Goal Line Blitz is a browser-based multiplayer online game based on American Football. It is assumed that you know at least some of the rules of American Football. For a brush-up on the rules and positions, check out the Wikipedia article. How do I join? Click on the following link. http://goallineblitz.com/game/signu
p.pl?ref=5120159

Well, FINALLY, our baseball team got outside this year  - 3 feet of snow kind of slowed that process down. But our first game was our first time outside, first time batting off of a pitcher, not a machine, so we expected to be kind of rusty. The team we were versing had not played any other games, but they had been practicing outside for quite a while.

So, the first inning, our lead-off hitter laces an outside fast ball to right field, steals second, steals third, and we were off to the races. 8-run first inning, and just kept building.

So, when you hear our final score, you'd think football. Basketball. Not baseball.

43-4. No typo. Forty Three to Four. 39 point victory.

But the thing is, we probably only had about 20 hits. It is just, we capitolized on walks, errors, and the like.

The team wasnt totally horrible, they just werent very ... cohesive as a group. One sentence I heard after a missed pop-up "Thats what happens when you sit on the bench all game!" towards the coach. Eh. Kind of makes the game less rewarding.

But, I did go 2-5 (two ground-outs, and reached on an error.) with a inside the park homerun (about a 350 foot left field fence, hit one to the wall) and a two RBI double. 

So, we are 1-0.

Ok, I have seen many blogs that have to do with music, but it is all '60's, '70's. and '80's. SO let's talk newer music. 1995+. So we are going to vote best artist of all genres, and here is my list of some genres. And if I get a genre wrong, correct me, and if you want to add your own genre, that'll work, too.

Christian Rock : Skillet {Song - Comatose  or  The Older I Get}

Folk: Brett Dennen {Song - Aint No Reason}

Metal: Avenged Sevenfold {Song - Shattered By Broken Dreams}

Reggae : Matisyahu

Solo Artist : Jack Johnson {Song - Losing Hope}

Hard Rock: There is way too many, but one of the best that goes unnoticed is With Honor {Song - You Always Said}

Rock Duo (Two different rock musicians working together) : Santana and Chad Kroeger

Rap:

Rock: 3 Doors Down

Punk: Good Riddance {Song- Not With Him}

Best Least-Heard-Of Band : Jonathan Rhys Meyers {Song - This Time} (not so unheard-of after August Rush) or Eric Nicholas {Song - Song For My Future Wife}.

.com/game/signup.pl?ref=5120159

Its called Goal Line Blitz, the MMORPG

And it is a football game, where you create a player, and get him signed by a team - or possible manage a team.

 

My Value is falling faster and more than this snow!

I mean, this has been a poop-load of snow, too! its going to end up around 3 feet, here in Minnesota.

And my Value has dropped almost 20 points, in April alone...

If you are on the computer all the time, and are always kind of searching for something to do, and you like football, try this website.

http://goallineblitz.com/game/signu
p.pl?ref=5120159

Just sign up - its free, and kind of look around, see how you like it. You dont have to do anything if you dont like it.

What the main thing attraction - or atleast, what I'm into on that website is creating a player, and making him better. I guess its kind of like your chance to live out a season as a NFL player - if you get signed by a team.

It is pretty fun. Just kind of experiment with it.