Quote:
Originally posted by David Emerling
Just out of curiosity - where were the runners? I'm assuming 1st and 2nd, or bases loaded.
Also - was your 1st baseman holding the runner? He should not have. The best way to do that pickoff play is to make it a "timing" play - where the fielder breaks for the bag then the pitcher makes the move.
Our team calls this a "backdoor pickoff" - it's whenever we attempt to pickoff a trail runner. We use that term as a reminder to the fielders that, should the runner end up in a rundown, our fielders are not to throw the ball -rather- to simply force the picked-off runner toward the advance base, thus flushing the more advanced runners of the base. Our ultimate goal is to put out the most advanced runner.
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You got a good lesson in how common it is for umpires not to understand this rule. My guess is - if you asked 10 youth league umpires about the legality of a pickoff from the windup, you would get a split of about 50/50 on the topic.
David Emerling
Memphis, TN
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We were getting spanked at the time. Made a pitching change, bringing in my son. The coach from the other team is a jerk and I would have loved to pick off his runner with a rule he didn't know about! He entered the game with a runner on first. We were holding the runner on because we've never practiced this as a team. I had only worked with my son at home on the correct move from the windup. I told him on the mound during the pitching change to act like he forgot (or didn't realize) there was a runner on first when he entered the game. It didn't work, but we do plan on working on it more in the future. Just to have in our bag of tricks. I like your play and we'll definitely implement it at some point.
Based on my survey so far, your ratio seems about right. But, the ump I spoke to yesterday that was unsure, said he'd definitely check into it because he likes finding out subtle differences in the rules between OBR and FED.