Johnny Cueto shimmies his way into questionable and costly balk
San Francisco Giants right-hander Johnny Cueto has been known to add a little flair to his delivery from time to time.
That flair usually comes in the form of a shoulder shimmy, which he’ll execute mid-wind up to ensure that fans get a good view of his moves. It also perhaps serves to throw off the timing of opposing hitters, but that’s just a bonus for Cueto, who no doubt loves the attention and the reaction his shimmy typically draws.
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Unfortunately for him though, his shimmy drew a little too much attention during the first inning of the Giants eventual 3-2 loss to the Dodgers on Friday night. In fact, that very move resulted in first-base umpire Bill Welke calling a balk, which allowed Chase Ultey to jog home with a run that would prove vital later in the game.
Some will argue that the spirit of the balk rule is to prevent pitchers from deceiving baserunners, and that Cueto really isn’t deceiving them if that’s part of his routine. That’s the story the Giants were sticking to following the game, as they sought clarity on the ruling.
The difference might be that Cueto rarely goes to the wind up with the runners on base, which changes the dynamics of his movements.
That’s perfectly fine with no runners on bases. In this instance, though, Welke obviously felt his movements crossed the line in baseball’s rulebook.
Honestly, the line between what’s a balk and what isn’t is such a fine line that it’s difficult to not be confused. Sometimes the umpires even struggle with calling balks consistently, because some umpires interpret the rules a little differently, and a call like this will only add fuel to that seemingly never-ending debate.
In defense of MLB, it’s difficult to prepare for a wind up that’s as herky-jerky as Cueto’s when he breaks out the shimmy shake, but we might as well add it to their to-do list for next winter.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
