 sometimes we might see a base runner get too large of a lead for a pitcher's comfort and that pitcher will turn an attempt to pick off the base runner whereas other times the pitcher might ignore the runner. The runner will break for a second and the defense will be able to put him out anyway and in that case he will have been considered caught stealing. So let's look at the difference between these two terms of being picked off and of being caught stealing. This may be the difference between these two terms might be something that never actually pick up on but it's an important difference to know perhaps if you are the one who is keeping score. So the rulebook really defines caught stealing more so than being picked off. Caught stealing is when the runner is attempting to advance to the second base or any base and he is put out in that attempt to advance or the attempt to steal the base and so what it constitutes an attempt basically the rules say that any move any move toward the next base is considered an attempt to advance. So let's say here that we have our base runner so say Marc Katze here is leading off first base and he gets his lead off here we might imagine this kind of imaginary line going down his body and if at any point if he even flinches toward second base then he will if he's put out then he will be considered caught stealing. So if he if the pitcher turns to pick him off and Marc flinches even an inch before diving back to first base if he is put out then he will be caught stealing rather than put out whereas if he makes no such movement if he's perfectly still and he does attempts to dive back into first base and he still put out at that point he will have been considered being picked off rather than being caught stealing. So the important thing to remember is that it's really completely up to the physical movement of the player there's nothing to do with if perhaps that was the player's intention or if in your judgment you thought he was going to steal it has nothing to do with that even if the coach has the steal sign on and you know it it's completely up to this this any movement toward next base is considered caught stealing any move any non movement or a lack of movement and being caught off the base and being put out would be being picked off.