Baseball In baseball, a pitcher can commit a number of illegal motions or actions that constitute a balk. Most of these violations involve a pitcher pretending to pitch when he has no intention of doing so. In games played under the Official Baseball Rules, a balk results in a dead ball or delayed dead ball. In certain other circumstances, a balk may be wholly or partially disregarded. Under other rule sets, notably in the United tates under the !ational "ederation of #igh chools $"ed or "ederation% Baseball Rules, a balk results in an immediate dead ball. In the event a balk is enforced, the pitch is generally $but not always% nullified, each runner is awarded one base, and the batter $generally% remains at bat, and with the previous count. &he balk rule in Ma'or (eague Baseball was introduced in )*+*.,)-