Pickle 3rd and home, runner at 2nd???
- Thread starter ZBsdad
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Go to third the runner caught in the rundown might score or be out or end up on third. By taking third you have a runner there no matter what
If we have a runner at third... all other base runners take giant leads
- Jan 24, 2011
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This is the correct answer
It depends on the game situation if it is the last inning and 2 outs you just lost the game. Since all the catcher does is run the runner back to third at which point someone is out since two players can not occupy the base.
If it is any situation with 2 outs you have just run yourself out of the inning.
ON THE OTHER HAND...if it's the last inning and the game is tied and there are no outs you MUST have the runner go take third and give up the out, you now are guaranteed a runner at third with one out as your worst case scenario (which any coach would take in a heartbeat).
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- Jan 24, 2011
- 1,156
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WELL OBVIOUSLY , you cant do this with two outs. With two outs , what the runner on 2nd is doing doesn't make any difference
The other obvious thing you can't do is put your runner at second half way because then as soon as the out is made she is now hung up as well.
Just out of curiosity would you have the girl actually on third or would you give her the leeway to be an few inches from the bag and if the runner is obviously safe coming back to third break for second.
Guess this is basically just a factor of you are willing to give up an out to have the runner at third without really thinking to hard.
AND while it is obvious to us if you are coaching a bunch of 10 and 12 year olds they will remind you in a heartbeat you said go to third if the girl is in a pickle, I am just saying you need to put as much emphasis on the NEVER with two out part
Just out of curiosity would you have the girl actually on third or would you give her the leeway to be an few inches from the bag and if the runner is obviously safe coming back to third break for second.
Guess this is basically just a factor of you are willing to give up an out to have the runner at third without really thinking to hard.
AND while it is obvious to us if you are coaching a bunch of 10 and 12 year olds they will remind you in a heartbeat you said go to third if the girl is in a pickle, I am just saying you need to put as much emphasis on the NEVER with two out part
A good baserunner on 2B will take a big lead off 2nd during the pickle. If the final play is at home plate, the runner on 2nd takes 3B. If the play goes back to 3B, the runner stays at 2B. A good defense will always run the player in the rundown back to the lower base. If the 3B coach thinks the girl in the pickle is going to get thrown out he should send her towards home plate so the runner on 2nd can take 3B.
Got to go with JAD on this one. There seems to be a misconception about run downs in softball. There simply isn't enough space between bases to get an elaborate "pickle" going.
In softball, there is a girl at home, a girl 15 feet behind 3B, and a girl covering 3B.
A good catcher will run the girl back to 3B until she commits to going back to 3B and then will toss the ball to whoever is covering 3B. Then, it is a bang-bang play. But, good teams practice one throw run downs all the time. There is a specific way to throw the ball, and a specific way to position the glove, etc. A good 14U team can do this with their eyes closed.
Against a really good team, 3B isn't going to look at the umpire to find out if the runner is out. She will immediately attack the runner at 2B and go for a DP.
Of course, against a bad team will throw the ball into right field sooner or later.
So, if I'm coaching the defensive, I would appreciate you being silly enough to send the runner to 3B.
In softball, there is a girl at home, a girl 15 feet behind 3B, and a girl covering 3B.
A good catcher will run the girl back to 3B until she commits to going back to 3B and then will toss the ball to whoever is covering 3B. Then, it is a bang-bang play. But, good teams practice one throw run downs all the time. There is a specific way to throw the ball, and a specific way to position the glove, etc. A good 14U team can do this with their eyes closed.
Against a really good team, 3B isn't going to look at the umpire to find out if the runner is out. She will immediately attack the runner at 2B and go for a DP.
Of course, against a bad team will throw the ball into right field sooner or later.
So, if I'm coaching the defensive, I would appreciate you being silly enough to send the runner to 3B.
2 runners cannot legally occupy a base, but that does not make it an automatic out if 2 are standing on it. The defense still has to put the correct runner out, which would be the trailing runner.
Most of the teams my daughter has played on taught the runner at 2nd to go ahead and advance to 3rd, that way if the runner in the pickle did for some reason get put out you still had a runner standing on 3.
Most of the teams my daughter has played on taught the runner at 2nd to go ahead and advance to 3rd, that way if the runner in the pickle did for some reason get put out you still had a runner standing on 3.
