Major League Baseball decided to do away with repeated pickoff attempts over to first base a few years ago and hasn't looked back. Under the current rules, if a pitcher disengages with the rubber more than three times during an at-bat, it results in a balk and the runners are able to move up a base. In practice, this is most apparent when there have already been two pickoff attempts during an at bat and runners are able to take enormous leads knowing that if there's a third try all they have to do is make it back safely and they'll get to advance. Or they can just take off with a huge headstart toward the next station.
The rules tweak has made games move quicker and inspired more action on the bases. But no single moment more exciting and bizarre than the one during yesterday's Tampa Bay Rays-Los Angeles Angels game.
