It has been two days since Mallex Smith attempted to steal home and was thrown out easily, costing the Rays a chance at taking an early lead against the Toronto Blue Jays.
The attempt would prove even more costly, as the Rays would eventually lose to Toronto by one run.
It was a bad decision on Mallex’s part. I know it. You know it. I’m sure Mallex knows it now after a long, long conversation with Kevin Cash. We all know it.
However, as HittsRays mentioned in the comment section of Monday’s ‘View from the Catwalk,’ Smith may have actually been safe, due to a catcher’s balk.
According to MLB’s official rule book, here are the stipulations regarding a catcher’s balk.
5.02 Fielding Positions (a)
The catcher shall station himself directly back of the plate. He may leave his position at any time to catch a pitch or make a play except that when the batter is being given an intentional base on balls, the catcher must stand with both feet within the lines of the catcher’s box until the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand.
PENALTY: Balk
So, let’s take a look at what exactly transpired on Sunday afternoon.
Dissecting the play, and referring back to the rule, what happens?
Smith breaks for the plate, just before Estrada goes into his delivery.
Luke Maile, the Toronto catcher, sees Smith breaking and leaves his crouched position behind the plate and starts toward the field of play to block Smith.
This is a violation of the rule, as Maile leaves his position before Estrada delivers the pitch.
If the home plate umpire had enforced the rule book, Maile would have been called for a balk and Smith would have been ruled safe, giving the Rays a 1-0 lead.
However, the rule is often not called in the majors and longtime MLB umpire Tim McClelland offered an explanation as to why, when asked about the catcher’s balk a few years ago.
I’m an old catcher (78 years of age). Many years ago I was called for committing a “Catcher’s Balk.” I happened to move to the right of the plate just before the delivery of the pitch. Is this still in the rule book?
-- Al Arellano
McClelland: It is a balk if the catcher doesn’t stay in the catcher’s box until the pitcher delivers the ball. If he were to step out of the catcher’s box - the little box behind home plate - before the pitcher delivers the ball it would be called a catcher’s balk. The runners would advance.
As a matter of fact, I have never seen it called, it’s one of those things you just kind of let slide. But it is in the rule book, we haven’t updated the rule book in a long time. If it was called recently, it would be by an umpire taking the rule book to the letter of the law and sometimes we have to kind of overlook some things to make the game run smoother.
So there you have it. By the letter of the law, Smith deserved to be safe, but it would have been out of the ordinary to see it called correctly. Hopefully the Rays get a play like this to go their way some time this season to make up for it.