(VIDEO) The high school team from Southaven High School in Mississippi turn to an old pickoff play known as the “Ol’ Wichita Pickoff” to help propel them to the State 6A Championship. Just a shame that the attendance for this game consisted of about 11 more fans than a typical Miami Marlins game…
The perfect play at the perfect time. See the video below…
The Wichita pickoff apparently consists of a remarkably brazen move where the pitcher fakes a pick off to second base, then has the shortstop point to the outfield as if trying to tell a confused outfielder where the ball was sitting. Instead, the pitcher is still holding the ball, with the base runner suddenly caught if he dares think that the throw back to the bag did go awry.
Yet this particularly pickoff play was more than just a gimmick, it also came at a remarkably important point in a state championship series. The trick pickoff was used by Southaven (Miss.) senior pitcher Wyatt Short against Gulfport (Miss.) Harrison Central High during the opening game of the best-of-three Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A state title series. In fact, the play came in the top of the seventh inning, with the unnamed Harrison Central runner standing on second base and representing a prospective go-ahead run.
Maybe it’s time for Major League Baseball teams to try this play. Question is, would it be as effective in the bigs as it is at the H.S. level and could a major leaguer really be fooled by this this trickery?
