There’s a reason why pitchers don’t often try to sneak in a quick fastball to throw hitters off balance, and Diamondbacks pitcher Rubby De La Rosa showed us all why in Tuesday night’s game against the Rockies.
De La Rosa was facing Ben Paulsen, and behind 1-0 in the count. He attempted to rectify that by throwing a quick pitch before Paulsen was ready.
Home plate umpire Todd Tichenor called a balk, even though De La Rosa stepped off the rubber. Maybe it’s because the ump was so startled and unprepared that he had to duck out of the way when the ball came flying toward his face.
De La Rosa opened up about the pitch that he airmailed after the game.
Rubby De La Rosa on his balk: “I don’t know what I was thinking, but I know it wasn’t a good idea.”
— Nick Piecoro (@nickpiecoro) September 2, 2015
No, it wasn’t a good idea.
