Bickford Balk in Mets-Dodgers and the Double Step

Upon entering a bases loaded jam vs New York, Dodgers relief pitcher Phil Bickford immediately balked in a Mets run, with HP Umpire Mark Ripperger explaining to Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts after the play why the balk was called. With history repeating itself—albeit in a different but equally illegal way—we revisit the Carter Capps rule that explicitly outlaws Bickford's footwork.

With none out and the bases loaded, Roberts substituted Bickford into the game. Ahead of his first pitch to Mets batter Francisco Lindor, Bickford working out of Set Position appeared to step twice with his free foot while transitioning from the stretch. Ripperger immediately pointed to the balk infraction, but allowed Bickford to continue with his pitch, which was taken by Lindor. Afterward, Ripperger enforced the balk penalty by awarding all baserunners one base, allowing Mets runner R3 Tomas Nido to score.

Important Baseball Rules Difference: The ball remains live during a balk in professional (OBR) and college (NCAA) baseball. If the batter and runners advance a base during the balk pitch, the balk is ignored and the result of the play stands. The ball is immediately dead when a balk occurs in high school (NFHS) baseball and no subsequent hit (even a home run) shall be counted.

Although Official Baseball Rule 5.07(a) is most associated with Capps' famous pivot foot crow hop maneuver during actual pitch delivery, OBR 5.07(a) is also written in such a way that a second step with the free foot also runs afoul of the rule: "The pitcher may not take a second step toward home plate with either foot or otherwise reset his pivot foot in their delivery of the pitch. If there is a runner, or runners, on base it is a balk under Rule 6.02(a); if the bases are unoccupied it should be treated as an illegal pitch under Rule 6.02(b)."

Even if the toward home plate portion of this rule were to be debated, this play could be balked under OBR 6.02(a)(1): "The pitcher, while touching their plate, makes any motion naturally associated with their pitch and fails to make such delivery."

Video as follows:

Alternate Link: Bickford balks in a run due to double step after coming set (NYM-LAD)