Hidden ball trick; why not more?

Been watching a lot of the recent college baseball playoffs. Makes me think........do you ever see the hidden ball trick used? Like a 1st baseman faking a throw back to the pitcher after a pickoff attempt. Are there rules that prohibit any kind of hidden ball effort?

Is it considered "bush league"?

 

I saw something like what you described last year in a high school game, and it most definitely was. Didn't go over very well with the umpires or the fans. It happened just after the coach had been out to talk to his pitcher and several players joined him at the mound. It basically looked like an act of desperation. If your team's playing is solid, you don't need "tricks" like that.

 

20 years ago when Paul Byrd was in high school semi-finals, the coach from my hometown studied the catcher and noticed that he ground his toes in the ground to brace himself ONLY when a heater was coming. They signaled that to the batters and pulled the upset.

Personally I admire teams who pull off hidden ball tricks and steal signals and fake catches in the outfield to freeze runners and so on. God gave ballplayers brains too, ya know.

 

We had a similar situation about 15 years ago in a 15 yr old state championship game. We were in the 3rd base dugout, opposing team was throwing a righty at us. He would take the sign from the catcher, facing him with his right arm hanging down by his side with his fastball grip. If he was going to throw a breaking ball, he would press the ball against his leg, reposition his grip and we then knew what was coming. One of our coaches ( an ex-pitcher ) picked it up in the first inning. We won 5-2.

 

I would think most true fans of the game consider "hidden ball tricks" to be bush league. But there is a difference in a first baseman feinting a throw back to the pitcher and the runner being stupid enough to take his eyes off the ball and then wander off the bag.

In the case of the coach going to the mound and then placing the ball in the first baseman's glove attempt the "hidden ball trick", keep this in mind...a good umpire would never let it happen due to these 3 rule references.

NFHS Rule 2-29-1 states "play" is the order given by the umpire when it is time for the game to begin, or to be resumed after having been suspended when he called 'time.'
And NFHS Rule 5-2-1e states "time" shall be called by the umpire and play is suspended when a player or coach requests "time" and it is granted by the umpire for a substitution, conference with the pitcher or for similar cause.
NFHS rule 5-1-4 states after a dead ball, the ball becomes live when it is held by the pitcher in a legal pitching position, provided the pitcher has engaged the pitcher's plate, the batter and the catcher are in their respective boxes, and the umpire calls 'play' and gives the appropriate signal.

A hidden ball trick play that is successful after play has been suspended (dead ball, time called) is protestable by the coach due to the fact that the rule was not correctly applied.

 

Member may have an example for us

Coach Sneed (Roanoke Rapids) didn't the hidden ball trick happen in your playoff game 2 yrs ago?

 

Hidden ball trick

This can be used only when the ball is still live, but if the pitcher walks on to the mound without the ball, it is a balk. He especially cannot take a postion near the rubber that would simulate any pitching mechanic.

 

Let me get your opinion: 2 seasons ago in a HUGE conference game, Belmont Abbey had a kid on 3rd with 1 out in a 2-2 ballgame (8th inning). Erskine College coach calls time...goes to mound...secretly puts ball in 3rd baseman's glove...goes back to dugout. Pitcher straddles rubber & batter takes box & ump says 'play'. Runner on 3rd steps off & is tagged out.

Abbey's Coach Smith protests, pointing out that the pitcher was on mound without the ball. Play is reversed with a balk called...scoring winning run.

Seems to me that this one should have been nothing. Since 'play' couldn't resume without the pitcher toeing the pitcher's plate with the ball in his hand, no balk could be called. The ball was still dead, right? What say ye?

 

Yeah, but there's a big difference between deciphering the other team's signals or reading body language and the trick plays being described (pretending the pitcher has the ball). It doesn't take as much brain power to hide a baseball. And what about the infield fly rule....isn't it designed to eliminate that kind of trick?

 

agree but

agree about runner (& the base coach) would not be paying much attention if he gets tagged out by the 1st baseman after a feinted return throw to the pitcher after a pick off attempt. But that's the very reason I wonder why it's not tried more. You see it tried so seldom, if ever. Surely it would work a time or two in a long season, especially noticing a runner that just seems to be paying less than optimum attention.

Remember back in the 80's?, Miami won a CWS championship game over Wichita State with the aid of a hidden ball trick. Recalling here's how it happened: Pickoff throw to 1st, first baseman catches an intentional high throw but faked as if the throw had gone past him, he and RF'er run after "overthrow" that wasn't, runner takes off for 2nd, easy throw is made and the runner is tagged out.
Trivia: Does anyone remember the significance of who the runner was?