Comments on: The fake to third, throw to first move is now officially a balk

By: Minoring In Baseball

Minoring In Baseball — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 15:52:59 +0000

Lame rule change. I don’t blame some pitchers for being po’d about it.
http://minoringinbaseball.com/

By: DelawarePhilliesFan

DelawarePhilliesFan — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 15:11:57 +0000

If you outlaw pick-off attempts, you have to outlaw stealing as well – otherwise guys would take 30 foot leads and walk to 2nd on the pitch

By: seeinred87

seeinred87 — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 11:54:15 +0000

While I’m sad to see it go because I agree that it’s a fun quirk, it makes sense to outlaw it based on the general intent of the balk rule.

By: pillowporkers

pillowporkers — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 07:23:09 +0000

I suppose they’ll be using more snap throws then. I guess this won’t change much because having a lead on 3rd isn’t the greatest advantage in the world. Pitchers will adjust their pickoff arsenals accordingly.

By: pillowporkers

pillowporkers — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 07:20:03 +0000

Basically, if you have a fast runner on first, your guy on third can get a little better lead because if the pitcher goes to 3rd, the fast guy on first will now be told to go on lift even moreso than they already are told to against right handed pitchers. The pitcher has no choice but to allow the runner on 3rd a little extra of a lead.

By: Tim OShenko

Tim OShenko — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 01:05:13 +0000

How’s about they compromise to appease the purists and let the National League keep the move?

By: Jonny 5

Jonny 5 — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 22:12:39 +0000

Right handed pitchers and left handed pitchers don’t have equal chances if they allow the move to survive. That’s the problem. It benefits one more than the other by a good margin. I like the move, it’s fun. Politics suck.

By: paperlions

paperlions — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 21:07:20 +0000

Really would help if you read the story. There is no rule in baseball that says you can not try to deceive the runner; all good pick off moves deceive the runner. There were 13 acts a pitcher could do that would result in a balk, as they were deemed unfair deceptions of the runner. Now there are 14.

By: stex52

stex52 — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 20:39:29 +0000

As if the umpires knew what a balk is anyway!

By: nothanksimdriving123

nothanksimdriving123 — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 19:35:14 +0000

I’ve seen this now outlawed move actually work in an MLB game. But as for a boycott, I’m going to compromise: I’ll never watch cricket again.

By: Old Gator

Old Gator — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 19:34:32 +0000

Anything that makes a moron right enriches democracy. If you don’t believe me, read some of the comments on the Yahoo! blogs.

By: jkcalhoun

jkcalhoun — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 19:18:54 +0000

Elsewhere, Steve Busby wails.

By: dcfan4life

dcfan4life — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 19:18:19 +0000

All fakes are done to keep the runners from guessing right and for pitchers to try and limit their abilities to steal. Since most base stealers steal a lot more than they get caught, this only amplifies their advantage. This will create more runs and more action. Pitchers wont like it, everyone else will.

By: snowbirdgothic

snowbirdgothic — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 19:00:28 +0000

I never understood why there was a problem with attempting to “deceive” the runner. You’re trying to get the guy out, so IMHO as long as you’re not sending Bugs Bunny in drag out to the first base bag, anything should be fair game.

By: Glenn

Glenn — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 18:56:32 +0000

What we have lost, as “true” fans of the game, is to sit smugly when the now-banned move would happen during a game and morons started yelling balk. Now they’re right.

By: hughhansen

hughhansen — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 18:52:13 +0000

Exactly.

It’s like people forget about any sort of baseball strategy when talk about this move.

And I’m sure the percentage of succes is MUCH higher than the regular pick-off move. There are a million throws to first that aren’t even supposed to pick the runner off.

I’d be for more strict enforcement of the balk rule, however. Although if it led to more throws to first, I might rethink it. Excess throws to first can really suck the life and momentum out of a game.

By: firstcauseproject

firstcauseproject — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 18:46:17 +0000

A pickoff is an attempt to catch a player taking a lead; the third to first pickoff is the same, but relies on outright deception, which I think addresses the general intent of the balk rule. I think this is a good call.

By: mybrunoblog

mybrunoblog — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 18:26:55 +0000

Somewhere, Jeff Nelson weeps.

By: jimbroney

jimbroney — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 18:22:28 +0000

Well I’ll never watch baseball again.

By: RickyB

RickyB — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 18:01:16 +0000

Why not just outlaw all pickoffs? Someone should gather the percentages on how many times a regular pickoff “works” compared to how many times it doesn’t. Then compile the same for the third-first pickoff. I would bet the percentages are similar. The purpose of the move is more to keep runners from getting a good jump, which is essentially what most pickoffs attempt to do. And if you can’t tell, I am against outlawing the move. One of the fun quirks in the game. Sorry to see it go.

By: bigharold

bigharold — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 17:47:09 +0000

LMAO. Thanks, .. I just added another useless favorite link, … NOOOOOOOO!

By: BigBeachBall

BigBeachBall — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 17:42:22 +0000

They want to take away the only pure thing left in baseball… What a shame…

By: sneschalmers

sneschalmers — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 17:34:23 +0000

http://nooooooooooooooo.com/

By: dondada10

dondada10 — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 17:33:35 +0000

It’s such a cock tease when you link to an article from the season. Come on baseball, hurry up!

By: icanspeel

icanspeel — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 17:22:50 +0000

What about the fake throw to 2nd base? Obviously it never works since they don’t throw the ball, but it takes as much time as the fake to third throw to first.