The best advice that fellow umpires can give about dealing with balks is to call it if one of these situations is at hand:

1. It’s an “elephant balk” when:
The pitcher drops the ball while on the rubber, he starts and stops in the middle of his motion, he starts to throw to first without stepping off or he does not complete the throw, etc.  If it’s obvious then call it.  Remember the spirit of the rule.  A pitcher can’t deceive the runner and he can’t change from his regular movement nor can he throw to first without coming to a complete stop while on the rubber.

2.   The defense (pitcher) is gaining an advantage:
If the pitcher is doing something that is giving him an advantage against the offence then call the balk.  For example, a LHP steps to home while throwing to 1^st base or obviously breaks the back plane of the runner and then throws to 1^st base, call it.  Next, there’s the “no stop” balk.  There are times to call this, and times to deal with it without calling it.  If it’s a close game with a runner on 1^st base and the pitcher throws over to 1^st base 3 or 4 times and then does not come to a set when delivering to the plate then call the balk.  He’s trying to gain an advantage.

This requires an understanding of the game itself as well as an understanding of the balk rule.  For instance, calling a borderline no-stop balk with a runner on 2^nd base isn’t a good habit to get into.  Most likely the runner isn’t trying to steal 3^rd, and the pitcher isn’t deliberately trying to gain an advantage by not stopping.  This can be stopped immediately by the base umpire by simply walking in to the mound area to “check the ball” for scuffmarks.  “Give me a good stop pitcher I don’t like calling balks.”  The plate guy can do the same thing if he sees this as well.  Grab your plate brush and dust off that shiny plate while telling the catcher, “Please get him to stop for me, okay?”  This also holds true for games that are not in doubt anymore or when the 1^st baseman is playing behind the runner on first. 

Both the Plate and Base umpires have to call balks.  Some umpires are reluctant to call balks for fear of getting a coach mad or disrupting the game.  The lower levels of baseball can have some balks overlooked but when working a higher level baseball game it is important to know that the pitchers know how to pitch and if a balk has been committed we must call it.

As you know, there are many rules in the rulebook that require umpires to interpret the rule and apply it to the situation.  It makes our job a little harder than it already is to try and determine which ones to call and which ones not to call.  It’s hard for me to tell you NOT to call a balk if you see it but I guess that’s pretty much what I’m saying.  Read the game, know the situation, know the PURPOSE of the balk rule (to prevent the defense from gaining an advantage) and apply all of that to the game.