The fake throw to third play is now a balk. I guess MLB finally decided that it constituted deceiving the runner.
“It’s not a huge deal, but our guys would prefer it not be eliminated,” said Michael Weiner, the executive director of the union, adding that he was surprised the players resisted.
“Some guys said: ‘Look, it’s part of the game. Does it work a lot? No. Does it work sometimes? Yes.’ There are more traditionalists among the players than a lot of people assume. In their view, they said, ‘What’s the point in getting rid of it?’ ”
Once reason is to speed up the game.
I’m probably one of the few people in the eliminate the balk rule camp as far as deceiving the runner is concerned. It’s fine as far as the pitcher going through his motions properly (stopping at the set, keeping his foot on the rubber), but if a pitcher is on the rubber, and can throw to first while looking like he’s headed to the plate, more power to him.
Pitchers deceive hitters (a good change-up looks like a fastball). Batters deceive fielders (faking a bunt and then swinging away). Fielders deceive runners (standing motionless as a throw arrives at a base so the runner doesn’t slide). And Andy Pettitte has deceived every runner he’s ever picked off.
There’s so many other things they could be doing something about, and they decide to bar a move that rarely works anyway? Heh.
If they want to speed up the game they can shorten commercials to 1:30 instead of the almost 3:00 we see in nationally televised game. Not going to happen for obvious reasons.
They can also eliminate conferences at the mound (C, pitching coach and manager). The only time anyone should go to the mound is to change pitchers.
Let them communicate with signs.
Also, limit the number of throws to 1B/2B between pitches to 3.
The balk rule never made sense to me. The only argument I can see for keeping it is as a mostly harmless historical survival from an earlier phase of the game. But you certainly don’t expand it.
Measures to speed up the game, as pft has proposed, are another matter.
Now, if the NFL will just find a way to get rid of “icing the kicker” (which succeeds in being obnoxious *and* a time waster). . .