Legal play or Illegal
 

hello all

this weekend we will be having a aau state tournament here in virgina, i just need a clarification if this play is leagl or not. runners are on 1st and 2nd the pitcher steps off the mound and pretends like he has over thrown the ball into the outfield and starts yelling at his fielders to get the ball. correct me if im wrong is this along the lines of verbal interference and whats the penalty. just trying to understand this play a little better and remember these are 11 year olds we are umpiring.


thank you

Tim:

What you're describing is a perfectly legal play provided the pitcher doesn't committ a balk when he feints the throw. This play was made famous by the University of Miami baseball team and is now known as the "Miami Play."



Tim.

tricky... but legal

BUSH LEAGUE!!!!!!! But yes it is legal.

Legal unless...
 

They are trying it on every runner, during every inning of the game ?

Is every legal deceptive play in baseball "bush league" or just this one?

I've seen the play where F4 or F6 are pretending to attempt a play on the ball. It can be dangerously close to being interpreted as a fake tag if their faking is too close to the bag.
Fake tag in Fed. is a whole new issue.

It's only 'bush' when its used against YOUR team ;)

Hidden ball trick falls into that category also.

As does the "skunk in the outfield."


Tim.

FYI - A fake tag is also considered obstruction in Little League.


Tim.

F4 and F6 pretending to turn a double play when it's really a fly ball to the outfield in order to fake out the runner is a perfectly acceptable deception, and forces the runner to keep his head in the game. Now, if they do fake a tag, and induce the runner to slide, then we have a problem. Now they have indeed obstructed in FED, LL, and other modified OBR rule sets. In strict OBR it's just part of the game, but most youth ball is safety oriented.

The step to 3rd and throw to first play for me is the most bush and
What do these coaches think they're doing teaching their catchers to fake to second and throw to 3rd?

you must be kidding. This is attempted at least once every game or so in America, and works ~ 0.00000001 percent of the time :rolleyes: What is 'bush' about this?

If it were a bush play, they would quit trying to pull it off in the majors, don't you think? Tedious and boring to the umpire, yes. Bush, nah, not a good description.