Hidden ball play, bush league?

[darbypitcher22]

Saw it used in a game this weekend that took a potential go ahead run out of scoring position and ended an inning. Teaches your base coaches and the baserunner a valuable lesson. Never take your eyes off the baseball until its returned to the pitcher, and even then don't take your eyes off the ball if its still in play.

[CircleChange11]

Saw it used in a game this weekend that took a potential go ahead run out of scoring position and ended an inning. Teaches your base coaches and the baserunner a valuable lesson. Never take your eyes off the baseball until its returned to the pitcher, and even then don't take your eyes off the ball if its still in play.

How realistic is it for a runner to never take their eyes of the ball?

If I as a defender shield the runner's vision while I "act" like I'm putting the ball in the pitcher's glove, or as a fielder if I act like the ball got by me as they are sliding into the base, etc ... I intentionally block the runner's view and/or take advantage of when he cannot possibly look.

I'm back to my original opinion that runners just need to "be perfect". Hidden ball tricks work primarily because it is not possible or not reasonable to expect the runners (and coaches) to know exactly where they ball is at.

Example: Stolen base attempt at 2B, SS covering 2B backup. SS picks the ball in the dirt but too late to make a tag, so BOTH he and the SS and 2B act like the ball got past and so does the CF as he's running toward RF to "pick up the errant throw".

1. The runner can't possibly see the ball.
2. The 3B coach could never really be able to tell because the fielders and runners would be blocking his view.

We don;t like to admit it, but there are times when it is not reasonable to expect the runner to know where the ball is at all times.

IMHO, as coaches, we say these types of things because getting caught with these type of plays is embarrassing.

They are called "hidden" ball plays for a reason. When executed very well, they are difficult to be stopped ... particularly that originate in a rather mundane situation where the most common human reaction would be to shift focus toward the "next play" and just assume the completion of the previous play. Baseball has so many plays and so many things to do in between pitches and things of that nature that "being on" all of the time is simply not a realistic human option.

I'm back to just yelling "be perfect" to my players, as sort of an exaggeration on how we as coaches really look at things.

[skipper5]

I'm back to just yelling "be perfect" to my players, as sort of an exaggeration on how we as coaches really look at things.

Yes. Well said.