Minor-league pitcher reveals how he fooled a runner into the hidden-ball trick
Andrew Joseph 21 hrs ago
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The hidden-ball trick is rarely pulled off in professional baseball - mainly because the baserunner and base coaches should be paying attention.
That didn't stop the Rochester Red Wings, the Twins' Class AAA affiliate, from giving the trick a try against the Charlotte Knights this week.
Third baseman Jermaine Curtis caught Charlotte's Kevan Smith as he took a step off third base. A baffled Smith was immediately called out, and the announcing crew had to watch to replay to even know what had happened.
But it was pitcher D.J. Baxendale who got Smith to put his guard down moments before the trick was attempted.
Baxendale described his strategy via milb.com:
"I come from a baseball family," said the pitcher, whose father, Greg, has been a scout for Cleveland and a collegiate coach. "I've kind of been stressed with the rules, so I knew as soon as he kept the ball, I had to stay off the dirt and just kind of sell it, walk around, stretch a little bit, just do anything I can to make that guy take that extra step off, make him think I'm getting ready to pitch. I was probably 10 to 15 feet off the mound, and then making that slow walk up toward the mound, I think that made him feel comfortable over at third, just enough to take that step off.
"It all fell into place spontaneously."
Poster Comment:
This was a third base put out, and the runner should have stayed on the bag.