Stealing home on the catcher

Segment 20 in "trick or treat" month.

With a runner on 3B, the catcher must look the runner back and then return the ball to the pitcher. However, like anything, the more you do something the more you take it for granted. The catcher very often will assume that the runner at 3B retreats to 3B when the ball is caught. But, if he isn't careful there could be some chicanery on the end of the play.

Here is how it works.

Typically the play is run with a righthanded batter in the box so it can impede the catcher's view a little bit. If the catcher doesn't check the runner and or lobs the ball back to the pitcher then the play is a distinct possibility. As the runner at 3B walks to a secondary lead he anticipates the catcher doing what he has already demonstrated he will do. When the catcher receives the ball the runner simply doesn't retreat when the ball is caught. The runner holds his ground only to get full speed again when the catcher cocks his arm to throw the ball back to the pitcher. If the catcher lobs the ball back to the pitcher it is a bonus but not a necessity. If the catcher drops to a knee to throw the ball back, again a bonus!

In order for the play to be successful the runner at 3B must absolutely anticipate the catcher and his tendencies. Like anything in baseball, predictability can be taken advantage of. The catcher's predictability is his demise in this scenario.