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Rules reiteration regarding dead balls, pickoffs, and The Hidden Ball Trick :
The ball is dead once it crosses the plate if a) the hitter does not make contact and b) the catcher does not make a clear and immediate attempt to pick off a runner. If a pick-off is attempted, all runners must tag up before advancing until such time as the pick-off play completes, either as a clean play or to the point at which an error occurs.
To clarify: on a clear pick-off attempt, all runners need to retag before advancing. The intent of this is to prevent excessive leads off a base to sacrifice the runner in order to score another runner, while still allowing for runners to tag up on a pick-off play and then attempt to advance.
The ball is also dead once fielders make a reasonable effort to return the ball to the pitcher.
Once dead, the ball remains dead until the pitcher is again set on the rubber.
I suppose this leaves the door open to a legal hidden ball trick. But we're not all lawyers and I am not going to spend endless hours closing loopholes. So officially add it to our list of "rules changes" from MLB: The hidden ball trick is not allowed. Period. Yes, I've pulled it in the past and it's all good fun. If you must, feel free to try to convince me why having it would benefit the game. But foremost, the spirit of good sportsmanship rules.
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Rules reiteration II: The basics of the infield fly rule are that when there is a man on first and second or bases loaded with less than two out and the fielder can make a fair ball out with "ordinary effort", 1) while the ball is still in the air, the umpire will immediately call that the infield fly rule is in effect, 2) the batter is automatically out, 3) runners may advance at their own risk.
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The ball order still hasn't arrived. For two weeks, we'll use a different, fat seamed ball. Enjoy, pitchers.
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