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That Stupid Fake-to-Third-Throw-to-First Thing

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr May 10 2012 01:17 PM

... may finally work on someone: it's likely to be picked off by MLB this offseason. NEW YORK (AP) — Yankees reliever Rafael Soriano stepped toward third base and bluffed a pickoff throw, then twirled and made a soft toss to first. No dice, the Tampa Bay runners didn't fall for that ol' trick — they'd seen it too often. Starting next year, no one might ever see that exact play again. Major League Baseball is poised to pick off the much-maligned move, the fake-to-third, throw-to-first ploy that often succeeds only in getting the whole ballpark to shout "Balk!" "I think they should get rid of it," Yankees reliever Boone Logan said. "Us lefties can't do that. If we do, they call a balk." "Besides, how often does it work? Maybe once in never," he said. The Playing Rules Committee has approved a proposal to make it a balk, too, with MLB executives and umpires in agreement. The players' union vetoed the plan for this season to discuss it further. MLB is allowed to implement the change after a one-year wait — no telling whether that would happen if players strongly object. Under the new wording, a pitcher could not fake to third unless he first stepped off the rubber. If he stayed on the rubber, as Soriano did Wednesday night, it would be a balk. Most every pitcher now makes the move the same way Soriano did. "Some people think you're just trying to deceive the runner at first, that you have no real intention of getting the guy at third," Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "You're not trying so much to get a guy off third. You're not going to do that very often," he said. "But it can be a huge deterrent for the runner at first." Scioscia is a member of Commissioner Bud Selig's panel for on-field issues. Would Scioscia be sorry to see the play tossed? "I don't know if 'sorry' is the right word. It means you'll just have to find another way to control the running game," he said. Scioscia's team has had great success using what some clubs call the "horn" play — the name comes from managers extending their index and pinky fingers in a "Hook 'em Horns" gesture, indicating opposing runners at first and third. Last August, with Los Angeles leading 6-4 at Yankee Stadium, New York put men at the corners with two outs in the ninth inning. Rookie Jordan Walden bluffed toward third a couple of times, then did it again and trapped Curtis Granderson off first for the final out. This year, the Angels struck again in the Bronx when starter Ervin Santana faked to third and nailed Brett Gardner at first. The play is specifically addressed in the Official Baseball Rules under Rule 8.05 (c), which states: "It is possible, with runners on first and third, for the pitcher to step toward third and not throw, merely to bluff the runner back to third; then seeing the runner on first start for second, turn and step toward and throw to first base. This is legal." Hence, no balk. Not yet, anyway. "Major League Baseball and the players decide what the rules of baseball are. We just enforce them," longtime umpire Jim Joyce said. New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson, chairman of the Playing Rules Committee, points out "it's evolved over time what's acceptable on what you can do at different bases." A bluff to third is legal, for example, but the same fake to first is not. Fleet San Francisco leadoff man Angel Pagan isn't too worried about whether the move is made illegal. "I've been dealing with it my whole career," he said. "They're always trying to do something to trick you." Same first-and-third trap they pulled in Reggie Jackson's day. The Hall of Famer is known for his slugging, yet he also stole 228 bases. "I wish they wouldn't get rid of it. That play's been part of the game forever," he said. "But I guess that's part of change." A pickoff move that's been part of baseball strategy for years might get picked off next season.

Frayed Knot May 10 2012 01:19 PM Re: That Stupid Fake-to-Third-Throw-to-First Thing

I saw Turk pull it off twice in one inning!

Ceetar May 10 2012 01:28 PM Re: That Stupid Fake-to-Third-Throw-to-First Thing

bah. keep it. just what we need, more balk rules. that said, be consistent with it. If it's a balk now, call it one. is it? and why can't you fake to first throw to third?

Edgy MD May 10 2012 01:30 PM Re: That Stupid Fake-to-Third-Throw-to-First Thing

Good memory, Knot. I remember more when Mets have been caught by it. I remember Strawberry falling for it, and I think Carter fell for the hidden ball trick in the same season (1987?). I'm OK with it being kept too. Lefties have a disadvantage? Well, they have five times the advantage with holding runners on first.

Ceetar May 10 2012 01:34 PM Re: That Stupid Fake-to-Third-Throw-to-First Thing

I don't think they have that much of a disadvantage. step off, fake throw to third. If runner at first is going on movement, you'll have time to turn around and fling it there anyway. I wonder what the numbers are for successful fake to third throw to firsts versus E-1s allowing the runner at third to score?

Benjamin Grimm May 10 2012 01:52 PM Re: That Stupid Fake-to-Third-Throw-to-First Thing

I'm not convinced that there's any need for a balk rule at all.

soupcan May 10 2012 02:09 PM Re: That Stupid Fake-to-Third-Throw-to-First Thing

If memory serves I believe I saw Dennis Cook do it and picked off both the guy on first AND the guy on third.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr May 10 2012 02:11 PM Re: That Stupid Fake-to-Third-Throw-to-First Thing

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I'm not convinced that there's any need for a balk rule at all. Same. Not sure if the guy's going to throw over? Okay, then you stay on/near the base. Feel like stealing? Well, good luck.

seawolf17 May 10 2012 02:17 PM Re: That Stupid Fake-to-Third-Throw-to-First Thing

Why is it need to be "abolished"? If you can't do it without balking, then don't do it. If you can't call it right, then go back to umpire school until you can.

Ceetar May 10 2012 02:40 PM Re: That Stupid Fake-to-Third-Throw-to-First Thing

re-reading this it really just sounds like they're cleaning up the wording to make it like it was probably originally intending. you have to step off to throw to a base. If you step towards third without stepping off, which is what Soriano does in the article above, that'll be a balk, as it probably should've been all along. Where is the original wording? If you're just faking anyway, how is it different than faking to the plate? It's purposely deceiving the runner, which is the point of a balk rule to begin with. This is way more a balk than say flinching. I'm not sure the balk should be eliminated, but it'd be nice to see things like dropping the ball not ruled a balk.