I was watching the Cubs broadcast today when I thought I heard Kasper say something about how the old "fake to Third, throw to First" pickoff move is now illegal.

Anybody else hear this?

http://www.closecallsports.com/2013/01/official-po pular-fake-to-3rd-pickoff.html

1B (Fake to first): Illegal [same as 2012]
2B (Fake to second): Legal [same as 2012]
3B (Fake to third): Illegal [new]
HP: (Fake to home): Illegal [same as 2012]
Disengage: (Fake to any base after legally stepping off the rubber): Legal [same as 2012]

Yup. And people are pissed off, too. They just keep taking away from the pitchers.

concealed78 wrote: Yup. And people are pissed off, too. They just keep taking away from the pitchers.

Jake Peavy is very vocal on this.

I don't get it  How often does that move actually work?  The last time I saw a player get picked off this way, I think Jack McDowell was on the mound.

Donaldo wrote:

concealed78 wrote: Yup. And people are pissed off, too. They just keep taking away from the pitchers.

Jake Peavy is very vocal on this.

I don't get it  How often does that move actually work?  The last time I saw a player get picked off this way, I think Jack McDowell was on the mound.

The success rate is not the point, it's more about taking something away from the pitchers. How often do pick-off moves work? 1%? 2%? 0.05%? It's still something that helps the pitcher.  Here is Peavy's take:

Peavy believes he's at a disadvantage already because he's right-handed.

"It will have to be on the forefront of my mind because I do like to use that," Peavy said. "Holding runners is a big part of my game. It should be a big part of anyone's game, and it's not as easy for right-handers as it is for left-handers.

"This is another advantage to being left-handed, to being able to look at first base and for us not being able to fake to third and throw to first. Certainly it's something that I have to be conscious of."

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-02-18/spor ts/chi-chicago-white-sox-pitcher-jake-peavy-pickof f-balk-20130218_1_pickoff-move-sox-s-peavy-rule-ch ange

Remember when they told pitchers they couldn't go to their mouth unless they were off the mound?



http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/downloads/y2013/official_ba seball_rules.pdf

I try to keep up with all the rule changes & re-memorize the rule book every Spring. I still read from my hardcopy but print out the rule changes & include them.

But, that's why you see running backs like Emmitt Smith & Matt Forte bitching about the new rule "to prohibit running backs from delivering a blow with the crown of their helmets in an open field".

But most of the time, the ideology behind rule changes is more lawyers & focus groups than logic instead of making the game better.

concealed78 wrote: http://www.closecallsports.com/2013/01/official-po pular-fake-to-3rd-pickoff.html

1B (Fake to first): Illegal [same as 2012]
2B (Fake to second): Legal [same as 2012]
3B (Fake to third): Illegal [new]
HP: (Fake to home): Illegal [same as 2012]
Disengage: (Fake to any base after legally stepping off the rubber): Legal [same as 2012]

Yup. And people are pissed off, too. They just keep taking away from the pitchers.

I'd like to know why a pitcher can fake to second, but none of the other bases.  Did MLB just roll the dice to randomly pick a base and roll a 2?  What is it about 2B that makes it OK?

tonusaitis wrote: No pickoff moves in baseball, can't hit anybody or run back a kickoff in football anymore.....  It's getting ridiculous to the point where I'm going to stop watching professional sports altogether.  These silly rule changes are pissing me off.

There's NO REASON AT ALL why pitchers shouldn't be allowed to do each and every one of these pickoff moves.  NONE 

If the pitchers can't do any pickoff moves anymore then leadoffs should be made illegal, too.  The runners should have to have a foot on the base until the ball is released from the pitcher's hand just like my son's 8 year old baseball league.  Hell, why don't they make basestealing illegal, too?  Let's take ALL of the fun out of the game! 

And if you can't hit anybody with your helmet in football anymore, why doesn't the NFL stop goofing around and just bring back leather helmets?  Put their money where their mouth is?

I'm almost ready to start a thread in the rant section about this.  This is bullcrap. 

Do it!!!

Actually, leather helmets or no helmets might actually be better. The current hard plastic shells make players invincible. Maybe less protection would make them slow down a bit. Tho of course I wouldn't want a 340-pound fatass landing on my head either.