What is a Balk in Baseball?
Pitcher does not come to a complete stop while standing on the pitching rubber. During a pitch, ball slips out of a pitcher’s hand and crosses the foul line. This would be a ‘ball’ if there were no runners on base. Pitcher begins to make the motions typically associated with his pitching stroke but ceases during its delivery. While on the pitching rubber, pitcher throws to a base before or without stepping toward that base. Note, that the pitcher can step off of the pitching rubber and throw anywhere. Pitcher fakes a throw to an unoccupied base. With runners on base, pitcher makes a pitch before the batter has had sufficient time to get set in the batter’s box. This would be a ‘ball’ if there were no runners on base. Pitcher makes a pitch while he is not facing the batter. Pitcher makes a motion typically associated with his pitching motion but his foot is not touching the pitching rubber. After pausing in the pitching position, pitcher removes one hand from the ball. Dropping the ball
An illegal move by the pitcher while he is on the pitcher’s plate (rubber) in position and in possession of the ball, that can be interpreted as an attempt to deceive any baserunners that he is about to throw the pitch. The official rules define such moves. With no runners on, the umpires are entitled to add one ball to the batter’s count if the pitcher makes an illegal move (without runners, it is NOT a balk), but I cannot recall ever seeing this happen. Runners advance one base when a balk is called.
The first answer is not correct and deserves a thumbs down. “In mlb if there a runner on base he gets to go to second.” So that means if there’s a runner on third and the pitcher balks he gets to go to second????? ————————————–… A balk is an illegal motion by a pitcher while one or more runners are on base, as a pitch in which there is either an insufficient or too long a pause after the windup or stretch, a pretended throw to first or third base or to the batter with one foot on the pitcher’s rubber, etc., resulting in a penalty advancing the runner or runners one base. If nobody is on base it’s not a balk, it’s an illegal pitch.
