Is the hidden ball trick legal???
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4yr,
Yes, the "hidden ball trick" is legal.
Generally, the defense is holding the ball at one of the bases while wanting the offense to believe that the pitcher is holding the ball. To be legal the pitcher cannot be within approximately 5 feet of the pitching rubber without the ball nor can he make any movement that would be normally associated with his pitch. If he violates either of these restrictions, it's a balk. Otherwise, the play would be legal.
NFHS Rule 6-2-5
Yes, the "hidden ball trick" is legal.
Generally, the defense is holding the ball at one of the bases while wanting the offense to believe that the pitcher is holding the ball. To be legal the pitcher cannot be within approximately 5 feet of the pitching rubber without the ball nor can he make any movement that would be normally associated with his pitch. If he violates either of these restrictions, it's a balk. Otherwise, the play would be legal.
NFHS Rule 6-2-5
As Pilsner states it is legal...
That being said it rarely works at high levels and can hurt you if improperly done.
Last season, I had 2 attempts at the hidden ball trick and both ended up balks.
That being said it rarely works at high levels and can hurt you if improperly done.
Last season, I had 2 attempts at the hidden ball trick and both ended up balks.
Can't balk if the pitcher is walking around the mound on his way back to the rubber, I've seen t done successfully at the big league level many times.
Cant balk "if" the pitcher stays away from the mound......and it dosesnt work "if" a runner keeps his eye on the ball........and "if" the base coach is doing his job...all we have is a stand off until someone throws the ball back to the Pitcher........
I dont speak for the big leagues.....I dont work them....all I see is HS and college and its rarely tried and when done rarely successful........
I dont speak for the big leagues.....I dont work them....all I see is HS and college and its rarely tried and when done rarely successful........
Just a few numbers from the "Big Leagues"....
1876 through 2005
Successful executions of Hidden Ball Trick: 232
(another 33 executions are unsubstantiated)
Most prolific at pulling it off: George Stovall, AL 1st baseman with Cleveland and St. Louis did it 6 times from 1910-1913 and Frank Crosetti (SS) of the Yankees did it 6 times from 1936-1940. Gene Michael (SS) of the Yankees pulled it off 5 times from 1968-1970.
A quick glance of the list of victims of the ruse appears to reveal that no player ever got caught more than once except for one...Ozzie Guillen. He got caught 3 times. (twice in one season-1989).
The number of successful instances has gradually decreased over the years. Just 13 since 1990 and only twice since 2000. Coincidentally, Mike Lowell (3B) of the Marlins has pulled off the last two. Once in 2004 and once in 2005.
Source: retrosheet.org
1876 through 2005
Successful executions of Hidden Ball Trick: 232
(another 33 executions are unsubstantiated)
Most prolific at pulling it off: George Stovall, AL 1st baseman with Cleveland and St. Louis did it 6 times from 1910-1913 and Frank Crosetti (SS) of the Yankees did it 6 times from 1936-1940. Gene Michael (SS) of the Yankees pulled it off 5 times from 1968-1970.
A quick glance of the list of victims of the ruse appears to reveal that no player ever got caught more than once except for one...Ozzie Guillen. He got caught 3 times. (twice in one season-1989).
The number of successful instances has gradually decreased over the years. Just 13 since 1990 and only twice since 2000. Coincidentally, Mike Lowell (3B) of the Marlins has pulled off the last two. Once in 2004 and once in 2005.
Source: retrosheet.org
quote:Originally posted by pilsner:
Just a few numbers from the "Big Leagues"....
1876 through 2005
Successful executions of Hidden Ball Trick: 232
(another 33 executions are unsubstantiated)
Most prolific at pulling it off: George Stovall, AL 1st baseman with Cleveland and St. Louis did it 6 times from 1910-1913 and Frank Crosetti (SS) of the Yankees did it 6 times from 1936-1940. Gene Michael (SS) of the Yankees pulled it off 5 times from 1968-1970.
A quick glance of the list of victims of the ruse appears to reveal that no player ever got caught more than once except for one...Ozzie Guillen. He got caught 3 times. (twice in one season-1989).
The number of successful instances has gradually decreased over the years. Just 13 since 1990 and only twice since 2000. Coincidentally, Mike Lowell (3B) of the Marlins has pulled off the last two. Once in 2004 and once in 2005.
Source: retrosheet.org
The most amazing part of this is that someone is keeping track of this stuff!
fvb10:
In baseball you can find statistics on everything. Aint it a grand old game?
The hidden ball play. The reason I think it has not been as successful recently as in the past IMHO is that coaches are teaching their baserunners how to avoid the situation in the first place. Once the runner is on the base he is taught to stay on the base until the pitcher is actually on the rubber. If this is taught at every level, the hidden ball trick will never work. But when players on the opposing team consistently dance back and forth on a base while the pitcher has the ball and is walking to but has not yet reached the mound, the hidden ball trick will probably work.
In baseball you can find statistics on everything. Aint it a grand old game?
The hidden ball play. The reason I think it has not been as successful recently as in the past IMHO is that coaches are teaching their baserunners how to avoid the situation in the first place. Once the runner is on the base he is taught to stay on the base until the pitcher is actually on the rubber. If this is taught at every level, the hidden ball trick will never work. But when players on the opposing team consistently dance back and forth on a base while the pitcher has the ball and is walking to but has not yet reached the mound, the hidden ball trick will probably work.
God bless those stat geeks at SABR (society of american baseball research)...and here is a great website for those stat inclined..
http://www.baseballreference.com/
http://www.baseballreference.com/