# Baseball question **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 11, 2012, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-question/624791 "2012-06-11T06:02:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-question/624791/1 "2012-06-11T06:02:43Z")
I don’t really know a lot about baseball but I was at a [Visalia Rawhides](http://www.milb.com/index.jsp?sid=t516) game today. I missed the kerfuffle that I think happened somewhere near the shortstop but at one point the home plate ump ordered the base runners to advance. The set-up: There was a man on first and a man on second. The pitcher made a failed attempt to throw the guy on second out. He gets the ball back and starts his wind up to pitch again when the umpire holds up his hand, stops the action and orders the runners to advance to 2nd and 3rd. The game then resumes normally. Something must have happened to cause this but if it did I missed it. So sorry for the scarce info but what would have happened to have caused this situation? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Enlightening\_Meditation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecc23a/32.png) [@Enlightening\_Meditation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enlightening_Meditation)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-question/624791/2 "2012-06-11T06:05:50Z")
The pitcher must have committed a balk. There are certain body motion rules that apply when a pitcher is on the mound rubber with runner(s) on base. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-question/624791/3 "2012-06-11T06:06:57Z")
It was a balk. Once you start a certain point into the pitching motion, you have to complete the pitch. If you don’t the base runners get to advance. It’s not that common in the pros. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-question/624791/4 "2012-06-11T06:18:03Z")
Yep, thinking back on the events that sounds like what it must have been. Thanks guys. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-question/624791/5 "2012-06-11T13:53:10Z")
Just to confirm, the [box score](http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=t516&t=g_box&gid=2012_06_10_lesafa_visafa_1) does reflect that pitcher Blake Cooper committed a balk in the 8th inning (the pitching summary is near the bottom of the page). ---
**Author:** ![Blkshp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blkshp/32/7135_2.png) [@Blkshp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blkshp)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2012, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-question/624791/6 "2012-06-11T14:11:47Z")
If it isn’t already clear, the point of the balk rule is to prevent the pitcher from deceiving the runner(s) or the hitter unfairly, e.g. stepping toward home and throwing to a base or vice versa. In fact, after coming to a set position, any motion toward one or the other must be completed or it’s a balk.