Is the hidden ball trick legal?
The hidden ball trick is legal in most rulebooks, but it depends on the pitcher. If he's on or near the rubber without the ball, it's a balk and every runner moves up.
I’ve written about which kinds of deception I’ll use as a coach and which ones I won’t. Before you decide where the hidden ball trick falls for you, though, it’s important to know the rule.
The play usually goes like this. After a pickoff throw to first, the runner dives back. The first baseman fakes a throw to the pitcher, keeps the ball in his glove and wanders back to the bag. The runner takes his lead. Tag.
It’s legal in most rulebooks. But everything depends on the pitcher. If he stands on the rubber, or straddles it, without the ball, it’s a balk. Every runner moves up a base, and the trick just cost you.
High school is stricter: The pitcher can’t be within about five feet of the rubber without the ball. So he has to stand somewhere obviously off the mound and look like he’s waiting for a throw.
The ball also has to be live. If anyone called time, it doesn’t become live again until the pitcher is on the rubber with it. That means there’s no trick after a timeout. A runner can’t be tagged out on a dead ball.
There’s a third problem, and it isn’t in the book at all. We’re talking about youth baseball here. You just made a 10-year-old cry in front of his parents — in a meaningless pool game, against a coach you’ll see six more times this summer.
You could do it. Whether you should is a different question. At the very least, knowing the rule means it won’t get run on you.
Would you run it, or is that a line you won’t cross?
Which rulebook? Official Baseball Rules 6.02(a)(9): balk if the pitcher stands on or astride the rubber without the ball. NFHS 6-2-5 goes further: within about five feet of the rubber without the ball is a balk. Little League matches OBR in Intermediate (50/70), Junior and Senior. Majors and Minors use illegal-pitch rules, with different requirements and penalties. The ball must be live. After a time out, it isn't live until the pitcher is on the rubber with the ball.
Runner on first. The first baseman has the ball after a pickoff attempt and keeps it in his glove. The pitcher walks back and stands on the rubber without the ball while the runner takes his lead. The first baseman tags him. What’s the ruling?
Still have a question? Ask Coach Fungo.
“If you're going to try it, make sure your pitcher knows to stay well off the mound.”
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