Tennessee Coach Tony Vitello Ejected for Arguing a No Step Balk Call by HP Umpire John Brammer

Описание: HP Umpire John Brammer ejected Tennessee Volunteers head coach Tony Vitello during Missouri's conference-opening series sweep for arguing a no step balk call on a pickoff attempt in the 3rd inning of Mizzou's eventual 7-4 win. Report: https://www.closecallsports.com/2023/...

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The no step balk rule is universal to all rule sets and, for college, the NCAA rule is 9-c-3-1, which states that the pitcher while touching the pitcher's plate "must step toward the base, preceding or simultaneous with any move toward the base."

For professional baseball, the rule is OBR 6.02(a)(3) and "Requires the pitcher, while touching their plate, to step directly toward a base before throwing to that base." The high school equivalent is NFHS 6.2.4b.

Tennessee pitcher Chase Burns appeared to fail to gain distance and direction toward first base, constituting a violation of the step balk rule. It should be noted the step balk rule only applies in the event that the pitcher is on the rubber when they begin their throw. if the pitcher legally disengages first, then there is no need to actually step to the base as the pitcher is treated like any other infielder for the purposes of throwing to a base (DO NOTE that the "action clock" or pitch clock-esque pace of play rules and step off limits would apply in this situation).