Leaving Runners On - Losing the Game

We had a rough weekend. There were only seven teams in the tournament. We were in a pool with teams that were of similar level as us. Had we won our two pool games, we would have had the only bye in upper part of the bracket and would have had a less congested path to the championship game, as the two best teams (very good teams) were clearly going to end up in the lower part of the bracket.

Well, we ended up losing both our pool games, and I will take the blame for not being more gutsy.

WE LEFT TOO MANY RUNNERS ON!!! Seems to always happen!

REAL ISSUE:

I was coaching 1B. My assistant (an energetic young lady who played D3 this past spring) was coaching 3B. Last inning with the score 3-4 (we're down 1). We have runners at 2B and 3B with a weak batter up to bat with 1 strike on her, two outs. The runner at 3B just signed two weeks ago D1. She's a pick-up player. I called time out and walked over to my assistant coach and said, "This girl (D1 signee at 3B) is likely the best player at this tournament. She's a fantastic base runner, and here she is at 3B with a weak batter batting. Let's have her (runner at 3B) attempt a delayed steal. If she ends up in a pickle, she's fantastic at that." She replied, "Let's just let XXX hit." I said, "Okay." and walked back to 1B. I had no subs, as we were batting the entire roster in pool play. Well, the girl struck out and the game was over.

I think we need to take more chances with our base-runners! Particularly with the lead base runner is far better with her weapons on the bases than the batter is with her batting.

In your mind, what were the chances of the runner pulling off a delayed steal of home? And what is the hitter's batting average?

Once you get to 14U and above and the level of competition is pretty good, IMO, attempting a delayed steal would be a very low percentage play - unless you see something in the defense ahead of time that gives you an opportunity. Otherwise, your player at third would have to be far more athletic and skilled than everybody else on the field, or the batter would have to be very sub-par (like a .180 hitter on the season), in order for the delayed-steal option became the favored strategy. Perhaps sometimes that is the case.

CoogansBluff said:

In your mind, what were the chances of the runner pulling off a delayed steal of home? And what is the hitter's batting average?

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In a delayed steal, or even a pickle, this runner is fantastic at executing it just the way she should. The batter would not have batted had it been bracket play--very poor hitter (mainly due to nerves). I really feel that I should have made the decision to try it. It was a mistake on my part.

OILF, Very low chance in most situations? Maybe, but that wasn't the case here.

And, you are right, I should have gotten my assistant's opinion, then stuck to my gut instinct. This particular base-runner loves to get the defense to throw on her, as it creates opportunities for herself.

By the way, this gal was nationally ranked as a freshman in the triple jump in track--very explosive with her long muscly legs and hind end.

I made a mistake not sticking to my gut instinct!

Doug, I disagree with you in this situation. As a coach you should be coaching to teach all the players the correct way to play the game. A delayed steal of home is a very low % play and will not be used against better competition. It also tells your batter you don't think she can get the job done.

Especially early in the seasons and fall ball, these games are primarily developmental and you need to give your batter opportunities to perform in these situations with runners in scoring position. She didn't execute this time but maybe that experience helps her next time she is faced with a similar situation. Have confidence in all your players and give them the opportunity to grow and succeed. Also, I agree with OIlF, have faith in your base coaches otherwise put someone else there.

Personally I think you are killing yourself over ONE decision.

You said you left TOO many runners on base.

To me this suggests you were not aggressive enough earlier in the game and put yourself in a position where you felt that what is a low % play might be your best chance of scoring an important run.

We run until they prove they can stop us even what is pretty average speed to be honest. Especially early we are out looking to see what their catcher and SS can really do. We also like to see how they are going to react to the fake bunt/race SS to third play - we get a lot of free bases on that play.

In that spot, batter has to put a ball into play. Even if you didn't feel that the team you were playing was strong, it's still the right call to give your batter the opportunity, given that you'd put her in the lineup. It's fall and it's pool play, so batting the roster is the way to go.

I'll sometimes fret a wee bit over a decision made in pool play, but in the fall, there's no need to beat yourself up over the decision to give a kid a chance....as long as she didn't go down looking.

DR - If you want to dictate how the game is played, YOU should be giving the offensive signs (nothing precludes doing this from the 1B coach's box!).

With no substitution options, a 1B coach calling time to go over and consult with the 3B coach, who is giving signs, will typically be perceived as showing a lack of confidence in BOTH the batter AND the 3B coach. Regardless, its a clear signal to the defensive team to be alert for a trick play.

Assuming you're playing 18U as you reference a D1 player, a delayed steal of home is an extremely low percentage play even if the runner is Ricky Henderson. A suicide bunt is a marginally better option IMO - even if its botched, your runner still has the pickle option to try to Houdini out of. If you really want to try to shock the defense to try to force an error, have your runner on 2B "steal" 3B and then retreat. If you want to make a complete circus of it, have the runner on 2B "steal" to shallow left field.

Greenmonsters said:

DR - If you want to dictate how the game is played, YOU should be giving the offensive signs (nothing precludes doing this from the 1B coach's box!).

With no substitution options, a 1B coach calling time to go over and consult with the 3B coach, who is giving signs, will typically be perceived as showing a lack of confidence in BOTH the batter AND the 3B coach. Regardless, its a clear signal to the defensive team to be alert for a trick play.

Assuming you're playing 18U as you reference a D1 player, a delayed steal of home is an extremely low percentage play even if the runner is Ricky Henderson. A suicide bunt is a marginally better option IMO - even if its botched, your runner still has the pickle option to try to Houdini out of. If you really want to try to shock the defense to try to force an error, have your runner on 2B "steal" 3B and then retreat. If you want to make a complete circus of it, have the runner on 2B "steal" to shallow left field.

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It was 16U. The D1 wasn't D1, but a 16-year-old who has recently verbally signed with D1 school.

I was giving the signals (wristbands) from 1B. I just wanted to get my assistant coaches opinion on my thinking to maybe try a delayed steal of try to draw a throw to 3B for a pick-off attempt.

Look, the real problem was having a batter in the line-up that was as weak a batter as this gal was. It's part of the trade-off involved in batting the roster in pool-play.

That isn't the real problem. The real problem is you didn't score more runs than the other team.

You are now going to hold this girl accountable for losing the game because she happened to be the last out. They scored 4 runs. How many of those could have gone differently had a play been made or how many runs could you have scored when the other batters left runners on the base that you are seemingly forgetting about?

Don't be so short sighted that you blame this kid for losing a game...

Slappers said:

Don't be so short sighted that you blame this kid for losing a game...

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Sounds to me like he's blaming himself?

Anyway, I would have tried it, but not if I was coaching 1B, which is why I coach 3B and tell my AC's exactly what I want on the base paths.

You have to trust your AC's, or at least put up with them not being you and you not being able to coach 3B, 1B and the dugout lol! You put your 3B coach in that position for a reason, let her do her job. If you want a play on, call it.