In this video we will continue our Baseball Trick Play series.
If you missed the first video, make sure to watch that one as it sets up the parameters
of what we are classifying as a trick play and explains this video series.
In this video the two plays we deal with are tricks the offense, the team up to bat, can
use and end with a bonus play.
The first one is designed for Little League but the concept would apply to regular baseball
as well.
It works in Little League better because youth players often are not taught to be alert at
all times when the ball is live.
Especially right after a strikeout, the defense tends to relax and take a break when runners
are on base and the ball is live.
Smart baserunners can take advantage of that.
Now in this play the “trick” depends on you knowing the Little League rules better
than your opponent.
I’ll let it play out and then explain how and why it works.
So we see a runner wait until the pitcher and middle infielders are not paying attention.
Even if the pitcher is on the mound and standing on the pitcher’s plate, this still works.
It comes down to knowing the rules.
In Little League you can’t leave the base until the ball reaches the batter.
BUT that is only one half of the rule.
We know when he can first leave, but when must he remain?
Tthe rule in Little League states.
When a pitcher is in contact with the pitcher’s plate and in possession of the ball and the
catcher is in the catcher’s box ready to receive delivery of the ball, base runners
shall not advance until the ball has been delivered and has reached the batter.
That means until both the pitcher and the catcher are ready to pitch and receive the
pitch, the runner can still advance at risk of being put out.
Coaches and teams that do not know the rules will cry out in vain.
“He was on the rubber.
He was on the mound.”
All to no avail as they didn’t take time to actually read the rule book.
Hopefully the umpire did!
The risk is that the umpire isn’t paying attention and decides to send your runner
back.
He isn’t ever called out for leaving early, so the risk is low.
The second trick play does depend on the opposing team either being caught napping or running
a poor bunt defense that allows for this to work.
So like I said in video one, we are adopting a wide definition of the term trick as baseball
rules prevent most so-called tricks.
Here there is a runner on 2nd or 1st and 2nd.
The batter squares to bunt.
If the 3rd baseman charges to field a bunt and the shortstop doesn’t break for 3rd,
the runner on 2nd is free to advance to the vacated base.
The batter simply pulls the bat back and takes the pitch.
This trick relies on a smart base runner at 2nd who knows what the goal is.
It also depends on a mistake by the defense or a team that wasn’t coached on bunt defense.
That is why I labeled this for Little League even though it technically can work in any
league.
A fake bunt sign and a steal if 3rd is open.
If the play doesn’t work, know one even knows you were attempting it.
At the start of this video I told you I would end with a bonus trick play.
This is actually more accurately described as cheating I went back and forth on whether
to even add this but decided to put it here as it’s helpful to know what your opponents
might attempt AND if you umpire, what players might do when you're not in correct position.
There it is.
A player completely misses third base, and he gets away with it for two reasons.
One, almost everyone in the park is naturally focused on where the primary play is happening.
Every player on the field or in the dugout, fan in the stanze, and in this case, even
the umpires are focused on the opposite side of the field.
This play could still work if the umpires see it as it also requires the defense to
appeal that he missed the bag.
What are your thoughts on these trick plays and what baseball tricks do you think we should
cover in our next video?