international tie breaker strategy

[gvm]

international tie breaker
runner steals 3rd base. now there's a runner on 3rd,0 outs if the girl on 3rd scores? it's game over.
batter hits a ground ball to 2nd base, the 2nd basemen threw to 1st. (game over)...
what strategy do you use in that situation? very good pitcher,very good chance of getting a couple strike outs herself. should you work the batters,hope for some strike outs? and if there are walks? let them load the bases? bring in your infield? what are good defenses for the international tie breaker????

 

[chinamigarden]

Steve Huff started a thread on the various strategies for international tie breaker. Lots of good ideas there, do a search and you should find it fairly easy.

 

[SAMBU101010]

Why the throw to 1st?? Need to call time and make sure all infielders are in and are told without exception they must make the play to home to stop run, or check runner then to first. I load the bases to create a force at home in that situation as the only run that counts is the one on third if they score. A lot of variables here. I would not walk two weak hitters/players to create a force and throw to a good player though. This is definitely a bunt situation as well for the offensive team with a runner on 3 and no outs. If I'm on offense, I bunt or slap. Just my thoughts.

 

[gvm]

Why the throw to 1st?? Need to call time and make sure all infielders are in and are told without exception they must make the play to home to stop run, or check runner then to first. I load the bases to create a force at home in that situation as the only run that counts is the one on third if they score. A lot of variables here. I would not walk two weak hitters/players to create a force and throw to a good player though. This is definitely a bunt situation as well for the offensive team with a runner on 3 and no outs. If I'm on offense, I bunt or slap. Just my thoughts.

the girls were told that every play was to 1st !!! and unfortunately on that play(the last play,of the last game,in a double elim. tournament) the 2nd basemen just did what she was told to do? but it was a long long ride home....
my thoughts were to work the batters and hold that runner.(because if she scores,it's game over)and hope there's not a passed ball. but if there is a ground ball, or a walk,it's not the end of the world because if we end up with bases loaded? we have a force at home??? worst case??? we are talking about 10-12 year olds,not college and pro players...

 

[chinamigarden]

You can't expect flawlessly execute something in a game, that they have never practiced. If the girls are always told to get the out at first, thats what they are going to do. Coach needs to practice various situations including checking the runner, as well as eating the ball and making no throw to any base.

 

[marriard]

Hopefully this is a younger team or a rec team we are talking about...

I have a list of priorities I want to teach to my team in practice. At the younger ages this sort of play would likely never get into a practice because it is low on my list and there are much more important things to work on.

In the game for a less experienced team this is something I would call a time out on and go through what I would like them to do. And if they execute, great - if they don't well that is OK as well. It is a new situation they haven't seen before and you can't be disappointed they didn't execute something they haven't practiced or couldn't override their instincts or whatever. Experience will help them make the right play the next time.

Some things are easier to learn through experience than it is on the practice field - or alternately because there is so much we need to teach a team, game experience IS the only way to learn a lot of situations. The first time it happens is probably not going to go the way you would like.

My second season 10U travel team I expect to make the right play without being told (though I would still call the timeout to make sure). They have never specifically practiced this in practice (similar but not quite like this) but they have all seen this type of situation enough that they have the experience to try and execute the play properly. During their first season I would have expected maybe 1/2 the players to get it right early in the season even after the time out.

 

[gvm]

Hopefully this is a younger team or a rec team we are talking about...

I have a list of priorities I want to teach to my team in practice. At the younger ages this sort of play would likely never get into a practice because it is low on my list and there are much more important things to work on.

In the game for a less experienced team this is something I would call a time out on and go through what I would like them to do. And if they execute, great - if they don't well that is OK as well. It is a new situation they haven't seen before and you can't be disappointed they didn't execute something they haven't practiced or couldn't override their instincts or whatever. Experience will help them make the right play the next time.

Some things are easier to learn through experience than it is on the practice field - or alternately because there is so much we need to teach a team, game experience IS the only way to learn a lot of situations. The first time it happens is probably not going to go the way you would like.

My second season 10U travel team I expect to make the right play without being told (though I would still call the timeout to make sure). They have never specifically practiced this in practice (similar but not quite like this) but they have all seen this type of situation enough that they have the experience to try and execute the play properly. During their first season I would have expected maybe 1/2 the players to get it right early in the season even after the time out.

it was a travel team,but a daddyball travel team. we lost 4 games that went into extra innings with the score tied 0-0. and we lost because we never tried to stop that runner? we had good players but no one to teach them how to defend that(including myself) that's why i asked.... i was just wondering what the more experienced teams do in that situation.

 

[marriard]

it was a travel team,but a daddyball travel team. we lost 4 games that went into extra innings with the score tied 0-0. and we lost because we never tried to stop that runner? we had good players but no one to teach them how to defend that(including myself) that's why i asked.... i was just wondering what the more experienced teams do in that situation.

Call the time out, go through the play and then remind them where you need the throw to go. Up to the players to execute.

We do a lot of 'lead runner' drill in practice. That helps a lot when you need to make a critical play at a base other than first.

 

[gvm]

ya we never ever worked on getting the lead runner?
only "play is to 1st" ... :confused
and that strategy didn't work out so well. well,here's to a brand new season. so thank you for your help !!!

 

[marriard]

ya we never ever worked on getting the lead runner?
only "play is to 1st" ... :confused
and that strategy didn't work out so well. well,here's to a brand new season. so thank you for your help !!!

To be fair to your coaches it is a progression. Once the team is able to consistently get the easy out at first, then you can move on to trying for lead runners (or if you have consistent heads up players who going to be available for a play at second/third). It generally isn't the throw - it is teaching the players to cover the base quickly so the play can be made. Nothing worse than trying to make a play to second and there is no one at second to cover the bag and you end up getting no one.

There are two drills we use for this

- Three bounces/three steps. General guide for infielders - if the ball bounces more than three times or they take more than three steps then it is VERY unlikely they will get the lead run so take the easy out at first (unless the ball is hit to a force at a base).
- We have our catchers be the field captains for this. They are the ones who can see the entire field and they are the ones screaming out the base the throw should go to ("TWO, TWO, TWO" for example). The team knows to listen to them and they are so loud you don't really have a choice. They even drown out the parents

Maybe this is the season your team is ready for this step.