Hidden Ball Trick - Execution

Execution

Typically, the hidden ball trick is carried out when the runner has beaten the throw to second base after a successful steal attempt. There are a number of ways that this play can be executed:

• The second baseman mimes throwing the ball to the pitcher, or goes to the mound and appears to give the ball to the pitcher, but actually hides the ball on his person. When the runner then takes a lead off second base, the second baseman tags the runner out.

• The second baseman, shortstop or other nearby fielder will pretend to drop the ball into the outfield for an apparent error (after hiding it on himself). If executed correctly, the runner will begin running for third, setting up the easy out.

However, if the pitcher is standing on or astride the pitcher's rubber during any of these attempts, the hidden ball trick is illegal and a balk is called. This makes the hidden ball trick far more difficult to successfully pull off.

Third baseman Matt Williams has used a different technique. On more than one occasion, he has asked the runner to step off the base so that Williams could sweep the dirt off it, then tagged out the runner when the runner complied.

Passing the ball to another player during suspension of play is not a valid hidden ball trick, as it is not possible to tag a runner out this way: play does not resume until the ball returns to the pitcher on the pitcher's mound.