Defensive Strategy: Walk with a runner on 3B

[YOCOACH]

At 12u I had the pitcher hold the ball down by her leg and watch the runner advance to 2nd with SS covering 2. When the BR got within 3-4 steps to the base, the pitcher would fire the ball to the SS as she comes off the bag for the tag. Then SS would fire home. Took a lot of practice to get the timing down but once they had it, very rarely would we not get the out and either a doubleplay or keep that runner at 3rd after C ran her back. Never had a problem after that until they held them at first. Next time around we ran a cut play and usually got the BR out at home. I had F4 sneak in behind and slightly to the right of the pitcher looking out from the C position. BR would go to steal 2nd on the next pitch. C fires to F4 who is right behind P and she would turn and fire home for the out. Again a lot of practice but it was worth it.

 

[PA SB Dad]

I hate continuation plays, and I'm glad it stops at the older age levels. You see this at 10U tournaments and lower level 12U tournaments. The better 12U teams don't bother with this because unless the catcher is a stud, they will get 2B on the next pitch.

As a defensive coach, at 10U, early in the game, if you have a runner at 3B and less than 2 outs, R3 will in all likelihood score, either on a WP, PB, play at 1B, error, or an actual clean base hit. Just have your defense get the batter-runner midway between 1B and 2B (just have your pitcher run at her with the ball and tag her!). Get the out, give up the run you would have given up anyway, and start fresh with no one on base. With 2 outs, you might get lucky and get the out before R3 scores. An opposing coach who continues to run this play and gives up an out when he doesn't have to is doing you a favor.

 

[CPEM]

At 12u I had the pitcher hold the ball down by her leg and watch the runner advance to 2nd with SS covering 2. When the BR got within 3-4 steps to the base, the pitcher would fire the ball to the SS as she comes off the bag for the tag. Then SS would fire home. Took a lot of practice to get the timing down but once they had it, very rarely would we not get the out and either a doubleplay or keep that runner at 3rd after C ran her back.

Ran into a variation of this last night. I had R1 on 3B, 1 out, BR gets a walk, I give the signal to keep going to 2B. When the BR was about 10 ft from 2B, F1 pumped as if to throw to F6 covering 2B, and then immediately looked and pumped to F5 covering 3B. BR stopped on the pump, saw that the throw wasn't coming, and continued on to 2B. R1 didn't bite on the pump fakes and remained at 3B. Immediately the DC started yelling at the umpire that BR should be out because "she hesitated!!!!" I saw the umpire getting ready to call my BR out and I reminded him that the LBR was no longer in effect once F1 pump faked to 2B. Besides that, the BR is allowed to stop once, and then immediately proceed to either base and it is not a violation of LBR. Much to the chagrin of the DC, he agreed and I had runners on 2nd and 3rd with 1 out.

Had F1 waited a little bit longer, I think she would have been able to get a tag out on my BR as you described, and quite possibly held R1 on 3B. My next practice is Saturday, I'm going to try what you wrote. Thanks for your help.

 

[smddad]

At 12u I had the pitcher hold the ball down by her leg and watch the runner advance to 2nd with SS covering 2. When the BR got within 3-4 steps to the base, the pitcher would fire the ball to the SS as she comes off the bag for the tag. Then SS would fire home. Took a lot of practice to get the timing down but once they had it, very rarely would we not get the out and either a doubleplay or keep that runner at 3rd after C ran her back. Never had a problem after that until they held them at first. Next time around we ran a cut play and usually got the BR out at home. I had F4 sneak in behind and slightly to the right of the pitcher looking out from the C position. BR would go to steal 2nd on the next pitch. C fires to F4 who is right behind P and she would turn and fire home for the out. Again a lot of practice but it was worth it.

DD's team practiced this and pulled of the DP at 10U a few years back. Word got around quick and we didn't have to deal with the continuation after that.

 

[humpty]

Maybe I'm over thinking this but what is the best way to get the bb runner to 2b without a lbr violation from runner on 3b.

 

[Katsfan59]

Had a similar situation this past weekend. Not a continuation play but they had runners on 3b & 1b with 1 out, bottom 5, we're down 6 to 1. 8 run rule is in effect. Runner steels 2nd. Would you try to get the out and allow run to score? Our catcher already had thrown out two earlier so a good chance to get the out with a throw. If successful score would be 7 to 1 with no one on and 2 outs. Our HC decided to let her steel and not make a play. OK, but now he says to get the out at 1st instead of home. So any ground ball would score the run anyway? Next batter hits a double to right center scoring two runs, now down 8 to 1. They eventually scored the 8th run next inning and won. I would rather get the out and let the run score in this situation.

 

[JAD]

Ask yourself this question.....runner stops at first, next pitch the batter is taking and the runner from first is stealing are you throwing down to second....if your answer is NO, all you are doing is simply delaying the inevitable in hopes of getting one strike ahead of the batter which I guess is a strategy.

I agree with David, by throwing to 1B you are just prolonging the inevitable. If you want to try to make a play on the base runner taking 2nd, have your 2B, step up and take a throw from the pitcher as the base runner is headed to 2nd. She might be able to tag the runner and make a throw home if the runner on 3B takes off.

 

[Carty]

You may be prolonging the inevitable, but you are helping your pitcher get ahead if she throws the first pitch for a strike. Better to be 0-1 with runners at 2nd and 3rd, then 0-0.

 

[CJ D]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but we had a play for this that never failed once. We'd have our P stare down the runner. As soon as she turned at first, our 2B would run in around 20 feet from 1B and receive the ball from the P in the baseline. 2B main responsibility was watching runner at 3rd. If she broke, play was made at home. Otherwise, out was recorded on runner trying to advance to 2nd. Worst case, runners at the corners with option on next pitch to throw short to SS or pump fake and fire to 3rd.

 

[mogsoftball]

With runners on 1st and 3rd we run a play where when the runne ron 1st goes to tak 2nd on the pitch our SS runs to 2nd but about 4 or 5 feet in fornt of the base and our catchers firs to her. If the runner on 3rd is going she fires back to home, if the runner leads off and freezes she fires to 3rd for the rundown. The intent is never to get the out at 2nd.

it has woorked 4 or 5 times this year where the runner on 3rd broke as soon as catcher let the ball go.