Three balks lead to a run, a breakdown

[@harshman121092]

With each new balk breakdown, my knowledge of what constitutes a balk continues to regress.

[@TDH24Live]

I don't understand balks

[@brendonbuffaloe8830]

It’s really weird honestly. I’ve umpired for 5 years and I’m still learning them. The problem is that baseball has so many “rules” that aren’t actually in the rule book like “tie goes to the runner” which is not true

[@elginvenable5358]

Dude no shit. I think I know What a balk is, than shit like this happens and I'm like we'll I guess I dont

[@kevincoenen4473]

Balk Rules You can't just be up there and just doin' a balk like that. 1a. A balk is when you 1b. Okay well listen. A balk is when you balk the 1c. Let me start over 1c-a. The pitcher is not allowed to do a motion to the, uh, batter, that prohibits the batter from doing, you know, just trying to hit the ball. You can't do that. 1c-b. Once the pitcher is in the stretch, he can't be over here and say to the runner, like, "I'm gonna get ya! I'm gonna tag you out! You better watch your butt!" and then just be like he didn't even do that. 1c-b(1). Like, if you're about to pitch and then don't pitch, you have to still pitch. You cannot not pitch. Does that make any sense? 1c-b(2). You gotta be, throwing motion of the ball, and then, until you just throw it. 1c-b(2)-a. Okay, well, you can have the ball up here, like this, but then there's the balk you gotta think about.

[@Krideezy]

@@jmielke4341 holy shit this is hilariously true

[@jimwerther]

Ron Luciano was an MLB umpire for a decade. "I never called a balk in my life," he wrote. "I didn't understand the rule."

[@Sharpshooter649]

That's like the PhD professor that didn't know the difference between affect and effect so hejust wrote his dissertation avoiding those words

[@StsFiveOneLima]

@@Sharpshooter649 Except that those words have definitions, and balk is wholly ambiguous horseshit.

[@ILoveAOC]

@@Sharpshooter649 What do you say to that?

[@nemoxeno8112]

After your (the pitcher's) plant leg is on the mound you must remove it before throwing, or motioning like you are going to throw towards a runner, otherwise the runner(s) advance.

[@naturefix2314]

@@Sharpshooter649hey that’s a real struggle ok. The problem isn’t necessarily not understanding the difference but overthinking it to where it could be a coin flip. I’m writing a proposal right now and I have to double check myself all the time.

[@MrAngeeeeeeel]

Him arguing the balk to all the other officials and not getting kicked shows that they thought it was a shit call too.

[@EveryTimeIDavid]

They should have got their dude in check then.

[@notNajimi]

@@EveryTimeIDavidmakes you wonder what the behind the scenes dynamic is like for this ump crew

[@mahasw777]

Actually, both Mattingly and Bleier were ejected - it's just not shown here. The box score for that game, played on Sept. 27, 2022, shows the ejections.

[@aaronmutch1883]

That side by side compilation was totally mind boggling.

[@cable7152]

Maybe the Ump is a bot and can see fart sized motions in the human body.

[@Paul_K_]

It revealed the true mistake by the ump: *not* calling a balk on all the other pitches. The fact that Bleier's glove never stops swaying when he brings it in front of him means that he isn't coming set. The rulebook is very clear about *complete stops* in the set position, and specifically begs umps to call the balks this ump is calling. "The pitcher, following his stretch, must (a) hold the ball in both hands in front of his body and (b) come to a complete stop. This must be enforced. Umpires should watch this closely. Pitchers are constantly attempting to 'beat the rule' in their efforts to hold runners on bases and in cases where the pitcher fails to make a complete 'stop' called for in the rules, the umpire should immediately call a 'Balk.'"

[@connorcoultas9629]

@@Paul_K_ I agree but it’s never called. That’s one of the things with balk issue. The rules are very clear but you never see them called so anytime it gets called it seems horseshit. Still, I think he came set, his body stopped and his glove only moved because he was regripping the ball… That’s not even a balk at younger levels where they are tbf called much more strict.

[@KasHxJay]

@@cable7152 maybe the pitcher farted and that’s what gave it away to the ump?

[@hommee]

Fucking terrible ump

[@Kurgosh1]

Jomboy's side-by-side makes it clear how badly this ump was humiliating himself.

[@zombiefeces7517]

You mean paid...

[@evankirk5937]

They were literally all balks

[@TheGenericDavis]

@@evankirk5937 Sooo this ump just unlocked his chi and is able to see something every other ump hasn't been able to with regards to balks? And then he's still inconsistent as the side-by-side shows?

[@evankirk5937]

@@TheGenericDavis They are all balks.

[@ceek16]

​@@evankirk5937 ok mets fan

[@matthoecker3340]

I mean, his consistency in his motion is on full display when you put them side by side. Kudos to him for having such a persistent form.

[@FighteroftheNightman]

They really were consistent in every way. It's kind of crazy actually. Not as crazy as the last side by side I thought the faster one would have been the balk lol

[@BuddroWilson]

yeah he just needs to work on coming set it is all

[@jaredbjur]

I mean, if you take into account the earth's rotation and it's speed through space, his glove never set. It was moving in the ballpark of 67,000 miles per hour. So, the ump was spot on.

[@Kawlinz]

Imagine taking account the speed of which our solar system is moving. Every pitch is a baulk. Baseball is unplayable.

[@alexmartinez5859]

So does that mean every strike ever called has been a ball? Damnit that means every pitch Angel Hernandez called in that game earlier in the year was wrong. I am so furious right now.

[@Dexaan]

Relativity matters - what's the velocity relative to the ump?

[@Joeyratatouille]

It's not moving that fast in the ballpark. It and the ballpark are both moving at that speed.

[@bobbythreet-btdrummer418]

And therein lies the problem.. first base ump is a flat earther!

[@arthroscopic9774]

Just the fact that he gave all the other umpires an earful of f-bombs when you can't argue a balk in the first place....and they DIDN'T toss him speaks volumes that they thought it was horse $h1t too....

[@EdenOfChaos]

But as we know with Angel Hernandez, nothing will be done about it and he will go on to continue ruining games.

[@jarrodbrimble1433]

@@EdenOfChaos Would have been better if Angel was the 1st base ump. Calling balks is the one thing he's good at

[@jamesw71]

yeah...or all the other umps were like "shit, I haven't called it for that reason before, is that really in the rules and I've been screwing up this whole time?" And they would be right, because all 3 were balks per rule 8.01 (b)

[@MH-Tesla]

But they WERE balks.

[@Jeffrey_L]

@@jamesw71 he had a discernible stop in his motion of delivery on every pitch. That ump is hot garbage and the rest of the crew knew it which is why Mattingly was able to get his say in and why Bleier was not ejected.

[@EDC98]

*Richard Bleier's casket getting lowered into the ground, but shifts a little coming down* Umpire: "That's a balk." Wife: "He's set!" Manager: "That's f*ckin' horse sh*t!"

[@scottshepke669]

This is fucking hilarious 🤣🤣🤣

[@letsgobrandoniagree6803]

There a lot of horse shitting in baseball. Like no other shit except maybe dog sometimes.

[@stug3719]

@@letsgobrandoniagree6803 There's a healthy amount of bull shit too.

[@briand8043]

Maybe we need to send the gambling problem read to the ump union. Probably could help some of them.

[@ash-xr6ri]

i feel so bad for that pitcher those were bullshit calls

[@billybobmcdougal]

No, they weren't. I would've called all three of those as an umpire. We don't need the balk rule in the MLB to turn into the traveling rule in the NBA. They should just call balks when obvious balks happen like these three.

[@ashtunes_]

@@billybobmcdougal It's a great thing you aren't an ump

[@tr3_b]

@@billybobmcdougal guarantee you couldn’t tell the difference during the side by sides at the end

[@senorpepper3405]

Yeah, I don't know what's up with that ump.

[@chaosawaits]

@@billybobmcdougal Angel Hernandez?

[@SargeC4Defense]

The side by side was priceless. That umpire should be embarrassed.

[@86kickass]

Have you played baseball past middle school bro clearly they were balks usually they’re just not enforced so strictly the umpire was right by the book

[@piratepierat]

Here 10 months later to say these balks still made no sense

[@christopherkloepffer9359]

Nope! The umpire should be fired!

[@sidvicous613]

you have zero clue^

[@thegreatwal1224]

The side-by-side pitches at the end were so perfect. If only umpires could be fired…

[@TheRealDebussyFarts]

Each manager should have a red flag that they can throw once per game where the umpire in question gets challenged….challenged by the player that’s a victim of the bad call to fight. Umpires would lose their egos quick. Baseball would regain its place as America’s favorite pastime.

[@ryane5281]

wdym they were so perfect i dont understand your comment

[@IRanOutOfPhrases]

@@TheRealDebussyFarts isnt there already a challenege system in play?

[@ctye85]

@@TheRealDebussyFarts Yeah, that would be pretty fucking stupid.

[@anonyt8103]

@@IRanOutOfPhrases there are challenges, but there is no penalty for bad calls on the umps part. Managers get 1 challenge per regular season game, but get another challenge if it is successful. However, I’m not sure if balks are even challengeable calls.

[@khomypigeon]

"Words cannot describe how terrible all of these calls were." - Richard Bleier, 2022 in an instagram comment

[@timothy4664]

He isn't wrong

[@InfamousSlappy]

@@timothy4664 Actually he is wrong. Every pitch this guy has thrown is a balk. The fact that he has never been called for it before is the real problem here.

[@jamesk7104]

@@InfamousSlappy Explain.

[@one_mega_ohm9139]

@@InfamousSlappy you are allowed to turn your head in set, so none of them were balks

[@InfamousSlappy]

@@one_mega_ohm9139 Lol his head isn't the problem. His glove hand and bare hand must come to a "clear and discernable stop" before throwing home. It's in the rule book.

[@c.shannon3914]

I'm real happy that the Jays hired Mattingly as a bench coach. Baseball life and he obviously has the fire to stick up for his guys.

[@ballen787]

Probably better suited as a bench coach. Guy was the absolute shits as a manager. As a Giants fan, I miss his days in LA.

[@curriy]

This is the first time where I’m actually being serious when I say I feel like Vegas made a call there to the ump

[@five12man]

My wife said this, I told her he's prob gonna be investigated for that shit. He just pushed a run!

[@camberweller]

Sure has that flavor, doesn’t it? A pitcher who has been using the same windup up for seven years and, suddenly, magically, all of a sudden, balks three times running? Whether nefarious or not, it does seem to be more the umpire then the pitcher.

[@saljablo2767]

This

[@shioriryukaze]

There's a part of me that I'm like, this is some you better call this a balk or a horse head is going to be on your pillow tomorrow type of nonsense!

[@billybobmcdougal]

Those are all obvious balks. Those would get called on a high school pitcher, no doubt. What's your argument for why the pitcher shouldn't be required to come set and pause like the rules dictate?

[@DrumBum561]

This is exactly why everyone hates umps. Not the first time that ump has tried to make himself the main character.

[@billybobmcdougal]

Seemed like all three were good calls. You gotta come set and stop.

[@camberweller]

@@billybobmcdougal - There is no way a good faith assertion of that position survives the side-by-side comparisons at the end.

[@russellchung3119]

@@billybobmcdougal I agree. I could totally see why the ump is calling a balk. Still, he doesn't need to call it. It's really minor. No need to stop the game

[@billybobmcdougal]

@@russellchung3119 I don't know why you want to turn the balk rule into the traveling violation in the NBA. It's a joke.

[@billybobmcdougal]

@@camberweller I don't understand your argument. What are you showing side by side? The balks, side by side to what?

[@jbp314]

4:48 had me cackling 😂😂 “he doesn’t wanna be stuck in THAT face”

[@Crenshaw_93]

Curled up, dry mouth 😂

[@Ariana321]

I'd say the real story here is the insane level of self-control Bleier had. How he didn't get so mad as to get ejected after the second one, I don't know, and after the THIRD, I'm amazed he didn't just completely snap and just run in there swinging at the ump.

[@mattholsten7491]

The amount he argued with the umps and the amount of f bombs thrown around would’ve gotten anyone else tossed, but all the other umps knew he was right lmao

[@MyMarkn]

Looked to me like he had enough and was trying to get tossed after the second one.

[@nacoran]

I've never supported the idea of retaliating against batters, but after three of those I would have intentionally walked the next fast-ish runner and 'balked' that ball right into the ump on the pickoff. I mean, not really, but after the second one the umpire staff should have given some clarification. You can argue his glove moved a bit, but if that's what was being called every pitch was a balk. The ump needs to be consistent so the pitcher can figure out how to adjust.

[@guywebster8018]

Well civilized people dont throw blows over a game but I mean whats your anger management lookin like? 😂

[@RageBar100]

I was fully expecting a glove being spiked to the ground on the third one.

[@CGQuarterly]

Especially in a situation like this where the team has nothing to play for, the manager should just forfeit the game and pull his team off the field. That would piss off enough people to force change, because that's going to start costing people money.

[@MrMitchbow]

I mean they were going to the top of the 9th with a two run lead 🤷‍♂️

[@UltimaKeyMaster]

@@MrMitchbow In a game that didn't matter because A. Coach was leaving after this season and B. They're out of the playoffs

[@tigercap100]

Good for Mattingly

[@MrMitchbow]

@@UltimaKeyMaster gotcha so as soon as youre eliminated and the coach doesn’t matter you can just pack it up early and call it a season right there, I see. I was under the impression this was professional sports

[@OldBenKenobi2318]

@@MrMitchbow They are eliminated from the playoffs and have a chance to make a statement about how horrible the umpires are. Yes this is professional sports so we would like to see the umpires become a lot more professional.

[@samdeuter]

you know the calls were terrible when even Jomboy says “I’d try to break this down but I can’t” lol

[@JacobDuby]

I've always been a Richard Bleier fan, but man, respect for not losing it. If I was him I think I would've absolutely lost it after the second balk. I'd definitely have gotten myself ejected after that third balk

[@tmtmtlsml]

For real. My glove would have been off and flying by that umpire's head after the second one

[@avant-gardemarmalade7605]

Oh yeah, at that point I'm assuming the integrity is compromised anyway. So fuck it

[@owenbarnes773]

after the second and third balks ... WTF ... are you calling those balks???

[@archer5331]

The second I saw Bleier was pitching I knew that this was gonna get pretty tough to watch. Guy is the epitome of consistency. Has a good enough rep to be able to drop 46 F bombs and not get tossed though. Lol

[@zax2004]

@@owenbarnes773 It seemed pretty clear that they meant the second and third pitches that were called balks.

[@willanrac]

im more impressed how consistent pitcher was with his form

[@extraordinarilybasic3250]

He's a major league pitcher that's been in the league for 7 years. He's clockwork and vegas must have made a call.

[@AnOwlfie]

The most egregious call was the last side-by-side. The pitcher looked 3x slower getting set than usual, but still got balked.

[@cagedtigersteve]

This was a crazy series of pitches. None of them looked like a balk. All looked set.

[@99HockeyDad99]

Seven years without a balk…

[@lainling]

Okay, so I'm pretty damn ignorant of what is and what is not considered a balk, but I thought on the first two pitches that were called, he was still slowly lowering his glove and didn't really come to a full stop. Last one no idea though.

[@ilyjay3301]

@@lainling there’s enough of a pause at the top before he lowers to be considered coming set. It’s a little fast but it’s there.

[@n_a8917]

@@lainling I agree. But one time he didn’t come set and they didn’t call it. Who tf knows anymore?!

[@JG-zo2lu]

There’s no consistency in the umps judgment of what is a balk, either they all were or none were

[@trevynfrazier364]

If I was the pitcher I would have gone set for like 20 seconds until the ump said something 😂

[@renstein8210]

Just call over and ask for the ump's ok to pitch. "Hey ump! Am I set?"

[@thedarkemissary]

@@renstein8210 Nah. Fk that. Just tell the batter. "i'm throwing now." Dig right into the heart of why the rule even exists.

[@revan5293]

I would say take me out coach I’m done I can’t with this guy😂

[@dozerthecat]

@@thedarkemissary you mean tell the runner.

[@jimwerther]

John Franco once did something like that with the Mets in September of 1990 (or 1991?). He was called for a balk, and the next pitch he held his set for several seconds.

[@JG-zs8tr]

"When everything is a balk, nothing is a balk" - Bilbo Baggins

[@MrSfxer]

“An umpire is never wrong. He calls balks precisely whenever the hell he means to.” -Gandalf

[@bobcoleman9045]

You win the comments!! 😆😂😆

[@ReidTheRulesGuy]

This is actually true tho lol

[@dankrishnadasan9295]

I want to see the ump’s reaction to the side-by-side. They were exactly the same 🤣

[@solandri69]

The team should be able to protest something like this. The ump should be required to view the replays of each pitch, out of order. And if he can't pick out the same pitches which he called balks during the game, he gets sent back down to the minors for more training.

[@TheGoodChap]

@@solandri69 that's a perfect solution

[@justsomeguy6474]

@@solandri69 Angel Hernandez has left the chat.

[@Kwijiboi]

That last screen about gambling addiction was actually for the ump...

[@BamaShanks]

Probably happy he covered whatever spread he was betting.

[@andrewbrown784]

Thank you for the side by sides. I didn't see any balks, but the side by side confirmed that there weren't any. First split screen shows how consistent the pitcher is. Last split screen sides how inconsistent the ump was.

[@PrometheanConsulting]

I was fooled by all of them. In the real-time breakdown, I thought he was getting called for moving his front leg after he got set but before he delivered or quick-pitching. But in the side-by-sides, I couldn't spot it at all.

[@jamesw71]

I was 3 for 3 calling the balks, his hand is moving all around inside the glove and isn't set before the pitch...great eyes on the ump there, if that is what he is calling it on.

[@gaper1287]

@@jamesw71 bro shut up you are capping for this rigged shit so hard to seem like you know more than everyone else😂😂😂

[@larrylife-hack2783]

@@jamesw71 that’s just bullshit

[@draketimmerman3837]

if i’m not mistaken, a balk is to be called whenever the pitcher is intentionally attempting to deceive either the batter or the runner by altering his motion in some way. some examples would be a quick pitch, constant glove movement, constant leg movement, or a jolt/hitch of some sort in the throwing motion. i cannot imagine that moving the ball in the glove could be used to deceive the runner nor the batter, especially considering the fact that the pitcher will always try to shield the ball from any visibility to both players so they don’t have a way to know what pitch is coming. he’s not making any motion towards the plate, he’s not quick pitching, i can’t see how moving the ball inside the glove would qualify as a balk. these were just flat out bad calls.

[@Fockerized152]

I got the first one. He got me on the neither and then the last one i completely guess wrong.

[@brianthompson5672]

I mean one bad call on something that you don't see too often is one matter. Three balks end of season in the same at bat looks personal. The side by side is mind blowing...this kind of stuff should lead to some sort of discipline of the ump. I'd love to hear him try and guess which one of his own calls was a balk from that video.

[@dessimes]

Maybe that ump has a "balk" clause in his contract, and he had to pump those numbers up!

[@Desirsar]

Raises his ERA, any chance his club paid the umpire to make him miss a bonus in his contract?

[@justinmiller5660]

@@Desirsar more likely the ump needed the mets to cover the spread so he gave them a run. i am glad that the ump union will threaten a strike if they try to do anything about this shit.

[@motorcitybrit4732]

@@dessimes given that he already had an ERA of 9 coming into this game, I’d assume he had already missed that bonus

[@OldBenKenobi2318]

I can’t even imagine being an MLB pitcher for 7 years, never having a single balk, and a umpire decides he hated you for some reason and calls three balks in the same at bat. Edit: Lol people are trolling hard in the replies.

[@-pancakes7205]

And Bleier is a 35yr old pitcher, so he's been around and he's been pretty solid in his career. I think he would know how not to balk.

[@OldBenKenobi2318]

@@-pancakes7205 You basically just repeated what I said

[@pt9373]

@@OldBenKenobi2318 but he's been a pitcher for at least 7 years and never had a balk, so 3 in one at bat is crazy, did you think of that

[@Zjohnson1199]

@@OldBenKenobi2318 yeah but consider this. He’s been in the league 7 years with no balks at all. Then all of a sudden one terrible ump calls 3 in one at bat!

[@donovanmccat7254]

@@OldBenKenobi2318 Spaghetti

[@dumpybear8664]

Balks bring excitement to the game! We need more balks. I love when teams score runs on inconsequential technicalities.

[@ronjones-6977]

Damn, 2 words and 10 syllables. BALK!!!!!!!

[@wibby2143]

I hope they make the ump watch the pitches side by side and test him like you did for us

[@Dea7hWarran7]

They won’t, because they don’t care.

[@thedarkemissary]

You assume he was watching in the first place. Dude doesn't even have to look at the pitcher to call a balk. He could be playing on his phone and still the call would stand. It's literally in the rules of the sport that you can't undo a balk. That's how broken baseball is.

[@jamesw71]

I was 3 for 3 calling the balks, his hand is moving all around inside the glove and isn't set before the pitch...great eyes on the ump there, if that is what he is calling it on.

[@CobraClutch34]

@@jamesw71 Found the ump's burner

[@wibby2143]

@@jamesw71 can the ump see the hand in the glove from first base? I tried staring at the hand to see what you saw even knowing which ones were the balks, but I couldn’t see anything.

[@DavidStep98]

Loved the side by side. Former community college level umpire here. I would have called none of those pitches a balk. Zero. I don't know what the first base ump had up his keister, but it wasn't kosher. I used to get film from the schools when I umpired so I could go over my own performance as a means to better myself. Most schools from the high school level to the college tape the games now. I was amazed to some of the calls I got wrong. No, I was not a bad umpire, but the difference in perspective was amazing.

[@maxtew6521]

I'm new to baseball (via Jomboy) in the last two years. I've watched a pretty good deal of it now, and I gotta say that balks are still the weirdest and most confusing part of the game to me.

[@709mash]

No one knows what a balk really is. There is so much grey area it's ridiculous.

[@edk2221]

You’re definitely not alone. As Mash709 said, it’s basically still a mystery

[@LinkRocks]

I've been watching baseball since 1985 and I still don't know what a balk is.

[@conohanfamily]

"What is a balk?" is up there with "what is a catch?" in football?.

[@brianwright9514]

It's a rule to prevent the pitcher from changing their set motion to deceive the runner.

[@Funkyent]

The pitches he's called balks for are identical to the pitches that were "legal"

[@patpat8727]

They could have all been balks.

[@farwest9218]

Technically every pitch is a balk

[@bobbygetsbanned6049]

@@patpat8727 That's what I think, he moves his glove too much when he's supposed to be set. But I don't know shit about balking so there's that lol.

[@TdwBsuCard24]

@@patpat8727 if they all could’ve been balks then the ump should’ve called them all balks, if his pitching motion is identical in every pitch or identical enough that you would need replay to see differences then you can’t call some a balk and let others go because then it’s basically the imo just calling a balk whenever he wants

[@charliedia9905]

These guys are out there finding and taking every single competitive advantage they can. It’s their job to be close and fuck with umpires. They get mad cause one calls it one doesn’t either way they know EXACTLY what they’re doing, they’re professional ball players on the highest of levels

[@YoBroMan]

Love the comparisons at the end. It really shows how bad those calls were. I think the ump needs to play that game, let's see how he does with those comparisons.

[@redvenomweb]

The "I wish I could break down to you why and what on the balk situation, but... I can't" EXACTLY as the "Gambling Problem?" text comes up sent me. We got a Tim Donaghy situation over here!

[@reidleblanc3140]

lmao, right? I don't know what's worse, an umpire genuinely that bad, or one who's betting

[@anglegljreally3196]

Thought the same. That or it was the official rule on balk and the gobblely goop that it is. I was wrong on both.

[@NizRacingNY]

Yup. Absolutely. The evidence of rigging is paramount in all the major sports over the last year or so. The leagues are complicit in it. Jomboy works for YES now, so don’t expect him or his other sellout buddies to offer any honest reporting on the issue.

[@Muzikrazy213]

@NizRacingNY big facts my guy and I wouldn't be surprised if my agreeing or your original dissenting comments got deleted ⛓️

[@rayword2794]

It was beautiful video editing lol

[@timleahy4279]

As a Little League umpire I called a balk once; don't recall why. The pitcher's manager said to me after the game, "You do realize nobody on the planet understands what a balk really is." I never called one again.

[@wylde007]

I see it a bit in 14U and 16U. Lifting the foot and putting it back down. Looking 1 and dipping the shoulder. Yeah, there are some REAL balks happening. None of these was that.

[@Domancave]

Great stuff by Don. For real that’s a stand up guy because it’s meaningless baseball, for a team he’s not coming back to, and he still is caring for his players.

[@JonnyDIY]

"Tricked you, neither one of those was a balk" 🤣💕👍

[@Happymouth1]

This is how you fix games. Always with the officiators

[@MathewSteuck]

True. But also this would be such an absurdly obvious way to fix a game that it feels more like Bleier stole the ump's wife or something.

[@gordons-alive4940]

Well, not always. It's been done by getting to players.

[@garydiamond9615]

@@gordons-alive4940 The players all make too much money now, i the past yes, but now the officials are the better way to go, no millions of dollars for them.

[@Happymouth1]

@@MathewSteuck Check out the documentary on Netflix about NBA fixing matches... It was always in plain sight. "Why'd he call a foul on that? I didn't see him even come close!" "No Pass interference on that play? What the fuck were the refs watching?!?!" They never hide it

[@jonbass6346]

@@Happymouth1 what’s the name of that doc?

[@ghiza9071]

Yessssss so glad you finally put this one together. When I saw it happen I said to myself, "jomboy gonna be all over this" 😂

[@eduardofontes8399]

It was only a matter of time Jomboy did a breakdown of this

[@bubbleheadft]

I remember a cowrker showing me the clip the night it happened and I said "that'll be on Jomboy."

[@jamariiion]

He took his time too🤣

[@robcooper1330]

I've been watching the channel for days to see the breakdown. This was a good one especially with the side by side

[@CoachBrown319]

This is truly the expert breakdown we have all been waiting for!

[@klrs8525]

I was hopin' for a cut to JonBois for the definition of a balk to make it totally complete.

[@saintsalieri]

It was more of a replay between two Draft Kings ads.

[@SuperNuclearUnicorn]

@@klrs8525 all I can think of when balks are mentioned lmao "well you can't just be up there and just doin a balk like that"

[@Violator41]

Can you imagine if Angel Hernandez had been the ump calling those balks?

[@kevink8481]

That was his son! 😅😅

[@randomstuff508]

Angel wouldn't have called them, because unlike this chump ump, Angel is actually good at calling balks

[@zrspangle]

@@randomstuff508 only thing he's good at

[@aamb21]

I was watching that game live and when the 3 balks happened I only thought "this will be in a jomboy's breakdown" Love your content, you do such an amazing job.

[@jg70556]

I said that when he had 2 balks in a row

[@bartley3742]

This was the first time I was watching a game when I thought, man, I can't wait to see Jomboy's video in a day or two.

[@Fly-The-W]

Would have loved to see the reactions in the Mets dugout. I imagine there were some players laughing/in disbelief and talking to each other that they got a run off that

[@fatmatt1285]

I loooove your videos. The side by side sealed the deal how cringe this was and you're the only one to do it. Good shit.

[@CrescentRollCarl]

These umps need to be held to account on this kind of thing. Its insane.

[@SamIAm-kz4hg]

CrescentRollCarl "These umps need to be held to account on this kind of thing. Its insane." They are. There is a system of review. And umps get a lot of things very right.

[@mr.doctorcaptain1124]

Man I'm really enjoying not watching baseball anymore. Swapped to boxing and mma. Holy crap what an upgrade. Umps just ruin the sport.

[@jaredbaum]

@@SamIAm-kz4hg There should be fines involved when it's egregious targeting of players and teams like this

[@cameronwebber9352]

@@SamIAm-kz4hg I hope they get a lot of things right, it's their entire job to get it 100% right

[@tr3st0n327]

They really need to be fined for these bs calls because their calls get players ejected and now they have to pay for an umps mistake

[@bone2250]

It is balk if foot re-step on the ground on after done set to pitch

[@MrFallout2]

Jomboy should get millions on ESPN Thank you for all the free gold content. You're a king.

[@AureliusR]

The reason this content exists and is so good is precisely that it's not in any way touched by the terrible calamity that is modern television. You couldn't pay me to have cable in my house.

[@stevenbeach391]

I cant wait to hear he was betting on this

[@shadowind30]

3:02 Manager: This is fucking Horsesh*t Pitcher: This is fucking set 🤣🤣🤣

[@BoxManUSP]

Some of the best content i've ever seen (if not the best). BRAVO.

[@blkdadintx]

IKR

[@daz3585]

Came to relax & enjoy another breakdown Jomboy. Didn't know there was an exam. Will prep better in the future 😅

[@ronjones-6977]

Hey everyone, I found the ump!

[@cnflct]

The breakdown side-by-sides at the end is the most damning evidence against that Ump that I've seen presented.

[@johnhelms8226]

The side by side is brilliant.

[@asdfaeou]

The second one, where he is frozen for like...two seconds is utterly bewildering.

[@byronsmith3152]

Just wow. The leg comes set each and every time. Not a single one of those were a balk. That was the umpire giving the mets help with scoring and that is it.

[@jacksonbakker9060]

I agree the umpire screwed up big time, but the "pause" in a set has nothing to do with the legs. It's purely the glove.

[@CGR89]

The origin of the balk actually came when an umpire yelled "walk" with a mouth full of chewing tobacco which made it sound like "balk". Everyone assumed it was an obscure rule they didn't know about so they just went with it.

[@jakewolf8923]

Credit to the pitcher for the self-control that it must have taken after the second balk to not stare the umpire dead in the face before the next pitch and shout, "Have I come set for long enough yet?"

[@jonahwhitney5455]

I was wrong on every one of those balk guesses haha. What the hell was this ump looking at?

[@ericbuzzard2041]

He was looking at the envelope of cash waiting for him.

[@mikeabene8974]

Me too! 0/4!

[@TaterChip91]

I still can't unsee Pete's little half swing warm-up jabs at the plate after watching this

[@maxsilverstone8600]

I’ve never waited so eagerly for a breakdown! Thank you JomBoy!

[@Real28]

Man there's something _rreeaaalllyyy_ sketchy about this umpire. Ive seen a lot of sketchy stuff in baseball and just chalk it up to "human error" but this looks absolutely intentional. Those videos side by side prove that not one of them was different enough from the other. This dude either was doing something for a betting line or had some kind of personal reason to alter the game.

[@PhonePhone-sf8te]

mlb, boxing, football. they're all basically rigged. I am not being sarcastic whatsoever. I'm sure im leaving out way more sports in the same group.

[@richardwheeler3768]

It certainly makes you question whether games are fixe----, I mean broken or not!!! 😁

[@bccsivxx-xxivvii]

How funny is it to see FTX on all the umps uniforms in all these old videos.

[@MisterRivers]

Old videos? Wasn't this game only about 4 months ago?

[@bccsivxx-xxivvii]

@@MisterRivers Yea, it's 4 months old.

[@samuelhindman3022]

"...the pitcher must attain a body temperature of absolute zero, meaning all motion ceases at the sub-atomic level, with his pivot foot in contact, and his other foot in front of, the pitcher's plate..." -MLB rules, section 8.01(b)

[@rapid13]

I had exactly zero balks. Got another West/Hernandez in the making, thinking the game is about him and not the players.

[@joedavis4257]

I had a bakl on every pitch in that AB. His hand are sagging down on every pitch and never stop.

[@dyllllll]

@@joedavis4257 you can’t be real

[@mjkarger89]

@@joedavis4257 Is this the umps sock puppet account or something?

[@justinshutsa5975]

Maybe the first one... the other 2? Absolutely not

[@TheGenericDavis]

@@joedavis4257 The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd balks in his career with 1,200 batters faced were in this at-bat. And apparently the ump still missed like 4 calls in your scenario? Lmao

[@wearelegion6520]

I think it is the glove moving downward. His glove isn't stopping, he comes to a set position, but the glove doesn't stop sliding downward. Technically, you need a full stop of everything to be 'set'. Anything that is still moving means you haven't come set. From the rulebook, "The pitcher is not allowed to simply “roll through” coming set." 'Going on first movement', as often talked about by base stealers, is talking about first movement after coming set. If you never stop moving, you haven't come set, therefore the base runner doesn't know when is the best time to go. Some pitchers come set twice, Clayton Kershaw from the stretch is a prime example. I have no idea why that is not called a balk every single time. He stops at the top, then brings it down to his waist, stops again, then goes to the plate. Stopping twice is a balk

[@justinmiller5660]

because the rule is meant for not stopping, like easily seen. not maybe he didn't stop this time? he came "set" because it was part of his motion. a batter/runner could tell he was set. that's also why Kershaw isn't called, because its part of his normal motion and batter and runners know it.

[@PHXNKVHXLIC]

The curled up dry out lip bit was hilarious

[@zboyzbieler5716]

2 breakdowns within 30 minutes? That’s what I call a homeboy jackpot. PS I’m still looking for judges 61st HR breakdown…

[@rjw8625]

Why? That hasn't been the record in 24 years.

[@JohannGambolputty22]

Homeboy? You’re thinking of the KZbin channel that breaks down videos of Wawa lootings.

[@PaulieWalnuts1776]

@@rjw8625 AL record

[@imagineboarding843]

@@rjw8625 is the AL record and the all time clean record

[@donjones4719]

@@rjw8625 Does anyone seriously consider the way-out anomalies of those three-four years a realistic entry in the record books? Yes, technically they're legit because they are in the books, but only because MLB can't do anything about it due to legalities.

[@Mprator]

"I never called a balk in my life. I didn't understand the rule." - Ron Luciano

[@tysonsutton9621]

How in the world were any of those balks? I am genuinely confused.

[@pyRoy6]

Hands never came to a clearly complete stop. Umpires have been letting that slide for years, giving a small number of pitchers an advantage with baserunners. It should probably be addressed in an offseason, rather than in the middle of a single game. Then again, Bleier probably should just have made sure he comes to a complete stop after he got called for it once. He could have complained to the league afterwards.

[@nicholasb8900]

Gloves and feet must come set. Most of the time only one was ever truly set.

[@Zraknul]

Ump should have called it on every pitch then, not randomly. No runner is confused by if he's coming set or not. Not one. And that's exactly what the rule is about.

[@jimwerther]

Ron Luciano was an MLB umpire for a decade. "I never called a balk in my life," he wrote. "I didn't understand the rule."

[@Cool-Spot]

BALK RULES! IMPORTANT! 1. You can't just be up there and just doin' a balk like that. 1a. A balk is when you 1b. Okay well listen. A balk is when you balk the 1c. Let me start over 1c-a. The pitcher is not allowed to do a motion to the, uh, batter, that prohibits the batter from doing, you know, just trying to hit the ball. You can't do that. 1c-b. Once the pitcher is in the stretch, he can't be over here and say to the runner, like, "I'm gonna get ya! I'm gonna tag you out! You better watch your butt!" and then just be like he didn't even do that. 1c-b(1). Like, if you're about to pitch and then don't pitch, you have to still pitch. You cannot not pitch. Does that make any sense? 1c-b(2). You gotta be, throwing motion of the ball, and then, until you just throw it. 1c-b(2)-a. Okay, well, you can have the ball up here, like this, but then there's the balk you gotta think about. 1c-b(2)-b. Fairuza Balk hasn't been in any movies in forever. I hope she wasn't typecast as that racist lady in American History X. 1c-b(2)-b(i). Oh wait, she was in The Waterboy too! That would be even worse. 1c-b(2)-b(ii). "get in mah bellah" -- Adam Water, "The Waterboy." Haha, classic... 1c-b(3). Okay seriously though. A balk is when the pitcher makes a movement that, as determined by, when you do a move involving the baseball and field of 2. Do not do a balk please.

[@Choppers_Plug]

Dont ask me why, but i would’ve laughed my ass of if he just straight up charged the Ump after the 3 bulk😂😂😂.

[@danerman73]

I knew Jomboy would cover this when I saw this story. Jomboy did not disappoint.

[@red_kirb]

Saw this game as a Marlins fan and was waiting for this Jomboy review! No doubt in my mind there would be one 😂

[@doesnotexist305]

After the second balk I was hoping for this breakdown. After the third I knew it was coming 😂 Go Fish!

[@TheRandomRedSoxGuy]

Marlins fans exist? 🤯

[@RyanSchechtman]

@@TheRandomRedSoxGuy Oh shit did you come up with that joke yourself?

[@matthewleal3343]

@@TheRandomRedSoxGuy a few of us

[@andyg1245]

4:43 😂I thought I was the only person in the world that's ever happened to 😅

[@teejay3272]

That side by side was awesome. Like a mirror. Man. Pitchers can repeat their motions to the inch. (And none of them were balks).

[@rizzorizzo2311]

That’s what’s crazy to me. The muscle memory to perform the same identical move over and over again. Interesting to see side by side.

[@davidriedy5977]

I can technically see why it was called a balk but I agree that they shouldn’t have been called. Again, he hasn’t been called for it all year

[@MinistryOfMagic_DoM]

Close call sports covered this. They, close call sports, got it wrong. None of those are balks by rule. Edited for clarity as Chris correctly points out this comment was a bit ambiguous.

[@positively_broad_st3780]

The channel is nearly all former umpires in the comments. They're just circling the wagons on this one...

[@zoom3184]

shocker

[@ryanmustain6545]

No blue on blue action allowed

[@AliceYobby]

They very often call when umpires make bad calls

[@five12man]

If this was a Central American fútball game, that umpire would be dead before midnight.

[@gunsandgranola7262]

There was a draft kings line +3 balks for the marlins and the first base ump has a boat payment coming up.

[@Chaka2225]

Every one of those pitches had an identical set up, so he messed up not calling every single one a balk, it's either gotta be all or nothing when they look like that

[@bobbygetsbanned6049]

Yup, the ump was probably trying to cut him some slack but just caused a ton of confusion.

[@victorw6732]

Trevor Hoffman, one of the best closers of all time used to double tap his foot in his delivery. It would be a balk if he didn’t do that in every pitch which allows him an exception to the ball rule because it is his normal delivery.

[@kevinmorris4517]

That ump needs to be investigated, there is something very wrong with these calls.

[@lordfarquad316]

The fire from the manager in the situation you explained made my day

[@Savantrovert]

It's moments like these when you gotta go back and look up the official rules of what is a balk. Here they are... Balk Rules You can't just be up there and just doin' a balk like that. 1a. A balk is when you 1b. Okay well listen. A balk is when you balk the 1c. Let me start over 1c-a. The pitcher is not allowed to do a motion to the, uh, batter, that prohibits the batter from doing, you know, just trying to hit the ball. You can't do that. 1c-b. Once the pitcher is in the stretch, he can't be over here and say to the runner, like, "I'm gonna get ya! I'm gonna tag you out! You better watch your butt!" and then just be like he didn't even do that. 1c-b(1). Like, if you're about to pitch and then don't pitch, you have to still pitch. You cannot not pitch. Does that make any sense? 1c-b(2). You gotta be, throwing motion of the ball, and then, until you just throw it. 1c-b(2)-a. Okay, well, you can have the ball up here, like this, but then there's the balk you gotta think about. 1c-b(2)-b. Fairuza Balk hasn't been in any movies in forever. I hope she wasn't typecast as that racist lady in American History X. 1c-b(2)-b(i). Oh wait, she was in The Waterboy too! That would be even worse. 1c-b(2)-b(ii). "get in mah bellah" -- Adam Water, "The Waterboy." Haha, classic... 1c-b(3). Okay seriously though. A balk is when the pitcher makes a movement that, as determined by, when you do a move involving the baseball and field of Do not do a balk please

[@thatoneguy9666]

I feel like I just had a stroke but I enjoyed it

[@Hiimnothim]

IM CRYING 😭

[@noodle_fc]

Bravo! I'm going to be laughing just from remembering this comment in the future :D

[@kylejohansen689]

The thing is that Bleier is doing what he's done all season and probably his whole career - and many umpires have been at first not calling balks for years.

[@RicardoKugo]

Yup, its technically a balk by rule. But its so minor, And Bleiers motion is not much, if at all, harder to time because of it for a baserunner. So most Umpires literally don't care if he does it as long as its not fooling/impacting the runners which a balk is meant for. And then when someone does actually call it, he starts doing it at random instead of consistency. This ump either shouldve called a balk every pitch so Bleier could actually adjust to it, or like every other umpire not at all. Instead of randomly calling it and letting it slide..

[@chilam1]

Umpire had a bet on so he had to swing things his way hahahaha

[@davidfly7426]

I didn’t see a single balk in a video that supposedly has three balks in it? Did the awarded run have any impact as it relates to the O/U or line?

[@patpat8727]

I didn't see any that weren't.

[@snxgz9314]

@@patpat8727 yes to me they all looked like balks all of his pitches he never fully stoped

[@zax2004]

He needs to come to a complete down to the nanometer stop and for an entire minute to satisfy some of these people, lol please.

[@plan215]

Oh yeah, that's just some gambling on the umps part, crazy shit.

[@plan215]

very apt to put the gambling addiction # at the end lmao

[@shotinthedark50]

Umps in general have been completely ridiculous this year

[@shioriryukaze]

0:35 I hate you Jomboy.... I have literally replayed this moment five times in a row. And I'm trying to get past this moment so I can watch the rest of the video. But I've never laughed so hard in my life. My stomach hurts. I got tears. I have to move on from this moment just so I could see this video and it's your fault....(shaking fist) DAMN YOU!!!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@deejay2294]

I watched the last strike and the last balk multiple times and he was "set" longer on the last balk then the strike he threw the pitch previous

[@jonathanpalmos2911]

I can see what the A position umpire is arguing. The pitchers WHOLE BODY (Except the head) must come to a COMPLETE STOP and it isn't. One of the balks I think was wrong. The others was the glove didn't stop moving and the other was the shoulders didn't stop moving. When the pitcher dances that close to the line. You're leaving judgement up to the Umpire.

[@thegamingpigeon3216]

There needs to be a clear, decisive, undisputed ruling on what is and isn't a balk. I've argued for years, going off the rule as it's written, K-Rod had a balk every single time he threw a pitch. Never ever stopped in his motion, it was all one fluid motion from getting the ball to the moment it left his fingers.

[@paulazmudzinski9225]

"The reason I never called a balk is because I never understood the rule". -Ron Luciano.

[@danny4489]

lol Why did you slow down that squat he Alonso did at 0:34 and did someone purposely put that tea bag ad in the background?

[@jayminbernhardt4952]

You gotta do a Mariners breakdown! First playoff appearance in 21 years!