[PeteBooth]

Originally posted by David Emerling

This discussion came up in another forum in reaction to a play that occurred in the World Series.

Play: R1 less than 2 outs. Grounder hit to F4's left. The ball is just out of F4's reach and it goes into rightfield as hit. F6, however, plays the role of the pivot man at 2nd base and pretends that the ball had been fielded by F4, he pretends to catch the toss and continues on with these theatrics and actually fakes a throw to 1st, as if completing a double play. All this occurs as R1 is approaching 2nd base. Clearly, the purpose of the deception was to get R1 to slide.

Now, I know there is no fake tag provision in MLB baseball.

But if you saw this decoy in a FED game, would you rule obstruction? Would you put this in this in the same category as a fake tag? And if so, what if R1 doesn't fall for the deception and is thrown out attempting to advance to 3rd?

By the way, in the World Series, F6 never *physically* got in R1's way and R1 did not fall for the deception and continued on to 3rd base on the hit.

David, decoys are ok even in FED.

Here's a FED case play to illustrate

FED case play 6.2.4E

With R2, on second, F1 wheels and fakes a throw to second on a pickoff attempt. As R2 dives back to the base, F4/F6 run into short center field as if chasing an errant throw. R2 seeing this, takes off for third base where he is thrown out by F1.

RULING: This is LEGAL and is NOT considered unsportsmanlike conduct. R2's base coaches have the responsibility to keep R2 informed.

I know the aformentioned is not EXACTLY your play but it prooves that decoys in FED are acceptable. It's up to the base coaches to keep their runners informed.

Pete Booth