Giants learn the hard way that catchers can balk too (Video)

Pitchers aren’t the only players who can be called for balks, evidently, and the San Francisco Giants found this out the hard way.

I, a man paid to write about baseball, did not know this either! So I cannot blame Giants catcher Curt Casali for his flaw in judgement.

Casali stopped a potential passed ball with his helmet, which isn’t allowed per MLB rules. The result was a balk by the catcher, a rarely-seen call by the home plate umpire.

Such a play could come back to haunt the Giants, who as of this writing are down 3-0 to the lowly Diamondbacks and in a tight division race with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.

What is a catcher’s balk?

Per MLB, “Rule 5.06(b)(3)(E) says that runners can advance one base when a fielder touches a pitched ball using part of their uniform or equipment in a way that is not its intended use.”

A catcher’s balk can also be called in the following scenario:

"Rule 5.02(a) says a catcher’s balk happens when the catcher is out of position on a pitch: “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.”"

In Casali’s case, it was a rather simple mistake of trying to stop a passed ball. Unfortunately for him, his means were illegal, as he used his equipment to make a play on the ball.