Trickery has no place on the field??

[IACoach]

Trickery like this anyways - I have never seen anything like this. My DD's team is playing (14U) and we have a runner on second. After a pitch the catcher throws back to the pitcher. Runner retreats to second. The opposing coach starts yelling "where's the ball! where's the ball!" and all the fielders start scrambling in circles. The he yells "get it in! get it in!" and everyone starts running to center field. Third base coach is telling runner to stay on the bag and she did. They stop finally and everyone is like - "What?"

I am assuming they were hoping to get a look back violation since the pitcher just stood in the circle with the ball in her glove? Hoping to get the runner off the base and confused about whether to go or not? Or, maybe just throw her out going to third? Either way I thought this was ridiculous.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I have seen a similar play. I am not certain that I remember it. Something about the throw down to second and the second baseman acts like it sailed over her head and SS and the fielders start running after it.

 

[Comp]

I have seen similar versions of it on several occasions. There is even a fairly good local high school team that has employed it from time to time. Its a pretty lame play, but nothing illegal about it. If you think trickery shouldnt be allowed, should the 3rd basemen then not be able to fake a throw to 1st with a runner on 3rd trying to catch the runner off the base? Should pitchers not be able to throw curve balls, drop balls etc, after all that is attempting to trick the batter into swinging at a bad pitch?

 

[IACoach]

I know it is not illegal but did feel it pushed the limits of ridiculous due to the length of time they tried to sell it ad the whole team being involved - coach and all. I would probably have really been pissed if we would have gotten an out on it!!

Would you have given them a look back if the runner came off, paused, went forward, paused - kind of confused? Just curious, I know it is one of those "have to be there to call it" plays.

Why is the fake tag illegal then? Is that not trickery?

 

[Comp]

Fake tag is a form of obstruction and is specifically covered by the rules.

As for the play you have described, if the pitcher had posession of the ball in the circle, was not making a play and the runner left the base after touching it in the meley going on out in the outfield yes you have a lookback violation. Once a runner stops on base and the lookback rule is in effect they may not leave the base. If they are off the base and the lookback rule goes into effect they are allowed 1 stop and then must immediatly advance or return.

 

[IACoach]

OK - so it really isn't a matter of it being a fake tag, it is about touching the runner without a ball and obstructing. I get it - thanks!

As far as Look Back - that is what I thought - thanks again!

 

[ktm rider]

In my opinion this is just a obscure part of the game. As a former college baseball player I can recall running the hidden ball trick multiple times with about a 50% success rate.

 

[CoachKevin]

Just be glad you had a 3B coach and runner that was paying attention. I don't have an issue on the play itself, there are many trick plays out there. I probably wouldn't run that play, but we run others (not like that tho)

 

[coach james]

I'm not a big fan of these kinds of plays.

 

[chinamigarden]

That sounds a bit goofy, but trickery has a big place in the game. Ever had a batter square to bunt but she is not bunting? How about a ss pretend to be catching a pop up to try to freeze a runner? Ever see a pitcher throw a change up???

The list goes on and on, but acting like a fool in order to try to trick someone, thats a bit far.