Ways to avoid a tag at home??

[Jr10234]

After several close plays at home this year, including collisions, I'm curious how others are successful.

Assuming a catcher is lined up with one leg across the foul line, facing 3b, a runner attempting to slide around the catcher will get tagged out, I have yet to see INT called on a catcher if they leave "the backside off plate" open.

I was wondering if staying on your feet and jumping over the leg or sliding in front of the catcher to interrupt the throw might be more successful, as I have yet to see a lose play go to the runner.

Thoughts? Aside from conceding the out and removing the INT discussion, there must be a way for the runner to have a chance.

 

[CoachKevin]

Well if it has been several plays like this at the plate, maybe you should hold those runners at 3rd. Practice hook slides/ slide by's whatever you want to call them. Slide really late and brush the plate with the hand

 

[David Carter]

What age? It does really burn me that catchers are not taught proper mechanics, just last game had bases loaded ball back to pitcher this is going to be an easy flip to catcher for force out right....wrong my runner is breaking hard the catcher sets up on top of the plate ball gets to her in plenty of time then because of instinct or brain freeze instead the catcher turns down the line gets down on a knee and shove the glove out, my runner was completely confused it looked like she was just going to run through the plate figuring the catcher would catch the ball for the force then step up and look for other base runners off their bags well she is almost on top off the catcher now and does what she has always been taught slide, turns into a half slide half bowl over the catcher while my base runner is shorter she is much stronger and the catcher gets the worse end of it limping off the field after 5 minutes on the ground.

All that to say I teach my girls to simply slide to the plate if the catcher has the ball hook slide or slide by she is probably out anyway if she does not have the ball you need to get to the plate and the fastest way is down the line they should be coming from foul territory so the straight line is already slightly outside the third base line. At higher age levels I like the slide by with hand out technique the best if you want to teach them tag avoidance

 

[Comp]

As to the original post, you are describing obstruction, not interference. Defense obstructs the offensive, offense interferes with the defense.

 

[starsnuffer]

It's only obstruction if the catcher does not have the ball yet. The description of the play was not clear on this.

-W

 

[Jr10234]

My error, I meant obstruction hasn't been called, I wanted to remove that from the equation/discussion.

Also, this isn't a team related issue. I see many more catchers playing the position properly and many more batters diving around catchers to get home.

I suppose aside from the Ichiro matrix move, if its close and the catcher is playing the position well, the runner will likely be out.

 

[Jr10234]

Yesterday it was successful: batter went in standing up bracing for collusion instead of trying to get around the catcher who was waiting for the ball and had the line (and best angles to the base) covered.

 

[kenb63]