Steve A. posted:Clearly the play can be executed & also be effective. The question is this: With about a million things to work on in a given practice time, where do you rank the "Let's get all the pitchers & 3B together & generate signs to add to the mix & work on 3B pickoffs?" If you answer the rank is about 999,999 out of a million, you would be correct.
If you have a pitcher who is remotely competent, with a runner on 3B, if he goes from the full windup, he glances over at the runner prior to starting the delivery. This checks the "Jackie Robinson" jockeying as he just steps off & throws to 3B if the runner gets way down the line. If he is in the stretch, it is a non issue. Just step off & throw to 3B.
The problems come in when you have timing of different leg lifts (assuming RHP), the 3B is in motion to the bag, the runner is coming back in & the throw needs to be borderline perfect to hit a moving 3B target & avoid disaster. The play is a loser, overall. If it was a "good" baseball play, you would see more of it.
Agree totally with lack of practice time to work on everything that needs to be worked on. There NEVER seems to be time to work on everything, whether it be bunting for that one player, or that awful throwing habit of another, or better exercise/eating habits pre game, or ... past year my youngest(14yo) really came into his own on the mound, including a really nice move to 1st, and a decent one to 2nd. I don't know how many he caught going too early, whether it be to 3rd, or 2nd. He does everything right, runs at the runner till he commits, throws just in time...right into the dirt. Didn't get around to practicing those throws to any degree till the year was over.
Don't know that I agree with the mindset of, "If it was good BB play, it would be done already." Innovators try new stuff, whether it be using analytics, or shifts, using "openers", or that goofy "moving your front leg multiple times before coming to a pause" on a pitching motion that drives me to distraction.