Trick pickoff play at 2nd (FED)

[David Emerling]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

One example can be found in 2.22.1 -- where the case play was changed several years ago from the fielder yelling "I've got it" to "Get back" to decoy the stealing runner.

In your opinion, do you think they changed the wording from "I've got it!" to "Get back! Get back!" because, in the first case, the fielder is not addressing the runner whereas, in the second case, he is? Therefore, saying "I've got it!" would not be considered verbal obstruction?

Because, if a runner retreated, thinking that the batter had hit a pop-up when the fielder says "I've got it!", wouldn't that "change the pattern of play"? In other words, would the runner have not retreated had the fielder not said, "I've got it!"?

I'm just asking.

In the trick pick-off play at 2nd, it seems to me a key element of the ruse, to get the runner to attempt to advance to 3rd or wander off the bag, is the cacophony from the defense of "Get the ball! Get the ball!" ... while, all the time, the pitcher is holding the ball. They are senseless verbal exclamations.

In the fake pop-up play, it sort of makes sense to say "I've got it!" when the ball is actually thrown to the fielder - even though the defense is clearly trying to pretend that the batter hit a pop-up. But, yelling "Get the ball! Get the ball!" seems to make no sense when there is no need to get the ball.