And that's kind of how I feel. Yes it's legal and within the rules. But it takes no skill, no talent (other than good acting) to pull it off. To get an out, you should have to actually make a baseball play...catch a ball, throw a ball, etc. Again, perfectly legal. Within the rules, and if you want to do it, have at it, and I ain't gonna be mad at you, because my team will be ready for it. But there's just something about this play that feels cheap.

 

Sorry, I am of the opinion that baseball is both a mental and physical game. Have found that the outstanding coaches address both the mental and physical aspects of the game. We use to call these plays "sucker plays" and rarely caught the better teams unprepared. Coach Whitaker is a master at out-coaching his opponents, as is Coach Krumpelman. Another play used that catches the lesser mentally prepared teams is where the catcher lazily trails the runner who has just singled to left or center, the first baseman drifts 20-30 feet toward second which is obvious to both the runner and coach setting up the runner for a wide rounding of first. Infielder receiving throw-in throws to catcher sneaking in to cover first. Works once a season when unexpected and unprepared team gets caught looking pretty silly. Better coaches have prepared their teams for the unexpected. All things within the rules need to be expected.

Sorry, I am of the opinion that baseball is both a mental and physical game. Have found that the outstanding coaches address both the mental and physical aspects of the game. We use to call these plays "sucker plays" and rarely caught the better teams unprepared. Coach Whitaker is a master at out-coaching his opponents, as is Coach Krumpelman. Another play used that catches the lesser mentally prepared teams is where the catcher lazily trails the runner who has just singled to left or center, the first baseman drifts 20-30 feet toward second which is obvious to both the runner and coach setting up the runner for a wide rounding of first. Infielder receiving throw-in throws to catcher sneaking in to cover first. Works once a season when unexpected and unprepared team gets caught looking pretty silly. Better coaches have prepared their teams for the unexpected. All things within the rules need to be expected.

 

That's kind of what I said. Also, the trailer play you describe I don't think is in the same category. That to me is a legit baseball play, where someone puts themselves in the right position. The defense then has to make a throw, catch and tag. The play the original poster referenced is a gag play, an act. And as I said, it's legal, and I prepare my teams to look for it and other "hidden ball" tricks. I probably won't use that specific play myself. No big deal. And before you give Coach Whitaker too much credit, his team too, got caught with a hidden ball trick in the region Semi's last year that may have cost them a trip to State. That specific play to me isn't a reflection of whether your a good coach or not.

Edited May 27, 201511 yr by rjs4470

That's kind of what I said. Also, the trailer play you describe I don't think is in the same category. That to me is a legit baseball play, where someone puts themselves in the right position. The defense then has to make a throw, catch and tag. The play the original poster referenced is a gag play, an act. And as I said, it's legal, and I prepare my teams to look for it and other "hidden ball" tricks. I probably won't use that specific play myself. No big deal. And before you give Coach Whitaker too much credit, his team too, got caught with a hidden ball trick in the region Semi's last year that may have cost them a trip to State. That specific play to me isn't a reflection of whether your a good coach or not.

 

If you ask, and I know...that play upset him pretty strongly because they review these sucker plays regularly with the team. The boys were prepared, but mental errors do happen.

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We had a similar play during my NewCath days, but it was to 1st base. 1st baseman, 2nd baseman, and right-fielder would all go running to foul territory telling each other where the imaginary ball was.

 

It worked like a charm the 1st time I did it in practice, only 4 of us knew what was going on. Tried it once in a game........FAIL!!!! :lol2:

 

This is a balk. Ball has to be thrown to 1st on pickoff.

You would have to depend on the runner getting up and breaking for second and get him there (the first baseman is chasing after the imaginary ball and not going to be on first for a throw). And I just can't imagine a first base coach not seeing the ball wasn't thrown. Unless there is another player coaching first, then I could see this working.

 

Now I have seen the hidden ball trick working at first. Batter reaches on an infield hit where the first baseman ends up with the ball. First baseman runs over to "hand" the ball to the pitcher, but keeps. Walks back to the bag, waits for the runner to take his lead and tags him. For this to work, the pitcher can't go anywhere near the rubber, or else it's illegal.

 

Hidden ball trick can work at 1st. Fake throw can not, as throw has to be made at 1st like you originally thought

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This is a balk. Ball has to be thrown to 1st on pickoff.

 

No it does not. Pitcher can disengage the rubber and not throw.

Harrison Co pulled this play off against Highlands and succeeded in the 1997 State Tournament. I think that was the year. Current Highlands Coach Jeremy Baioni led off one of the Innings with a double to only have a Soph pinch runner come in to run for him and then get picked off. The Birds lost the game and ended a very special run by one of arguably Highlands best teams.

 

So the moral of the story is do not pinch run untested sophs for seniors,no matter what???? Hmmm I know another game where that also did not workout recently! Speed kills but only if the cheetah has a brain and some time on the Savannah to know how to react!

No it does not. Pitcher can disengage the rubber and not throw.

 

Can not fake the throw as the kid in the video did. Nor as described earlier with "fake" overthrow of 1st with everyone scampering "for ball"

Can not fake the throw as the kid in the video did. Nor as described earlier with "fake" overthrow of 1st with everyone scampering "for ball"

 

Can fake to first if you step back off rubber first. Then everyone can go scampering for the ball.

Can fake to first if you step back off rubber first. Then everyone can go scampering for the ball.

 

This is correct. As long as you disengage from the rubber by stepping off, you can do whatever you want. A left hander would have a hard time pulling this move off because of that requirement. It would be easier for a right hander to try it, but still, if you have a first base coach that is at least breathing, the play should never work.

Can not fake the throw as the kid in the video did. Nor as described earlier with "fake" overthrow of 1st with everyone scampering "for ball"

 

I faked to first atleast once a game in high school and college. Disengaging the rubber means stepping off the back. If you do that you are able to fake to first and everyone can scamper "for the ball". So yes, once again, you can fake to first without balking.

I don't understand the disdain for this type of play. It's no different then faking a punt in football where the kicker acts like the ball is over his head and goes chasing it. Stay alert. For those who don't like it would it have been better had the kid actually thrown to 2nd and picked the runner off that way?

I bet some of the same people who are calling this a bush play are the same people that called Brandon Phillips an idiot a few years ago when Jimmy Rollins started chatting with him at second base to distract him and the pitcher picked him off. In that situation I'm sure many were saying that the runner (BP) needed to be paying attention but now instead of holding the runner accountable, they say it's a bush league play.

 

Can't have it both ways.

I just watched again...brilliant!!!

So the moral of the story is do not pinch run untested sophs for seniors,no matter what???? Hmmm I know another game where that also did not workout recently! Speed kills but only if the cheetah has a brain and some time on the Savannah to know how to react!

 

Nope you are wrong...Highlands were warned of the trick play from a former Highlands grad that had seen HC do it and do it well.

 

The Highlands coaching staff explained the trick play during practice on Tues the week of the game and went into great detail and everyone completely understood.

 

When the soph was inserted into the game a bench coach told the Soph don't forget about the pickoff play and the kid nodded his head.

 

As the soph entered the dugout after the play the bench coach asked why and that we went over this in practice on Tues. The kid turned to the coach and said "But Coach, I wasn't at practice on Tues"

 

True Story:thumb: