Pick-off Options at 3B

GELLO said:

I do see the pump fake and stare down but it becomes pretty obvious they're never going to actually throw.

It’s a risk, but I want to start taking that big lead away from the other team. I’ll start working on the snap throw to the 3rd baseman trailing the runner.

I also want to work on 1st and 3rd. I just hate giving up free bases. But we are 12u and every throw is a risk.

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John 800 said:

If the runner at 3rd is over aggressive I have wondered if having the catcher decoy a ball getting behind her would work. It might work if you sell it well enough to the base runner

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bmakj said:

one of DDs previous teams did it a little different. had 3B a step or two in front of runner (ie closer to home inside of baseline, SS covering the bag. C throws a hard throw, if runner breaks on throw toward HP, 3B catches and fires back to C unless runner is within reach.. If runner breaks back to 3, 3B ducks and lets throw go through. If runner stands there dumbfounded that throw was actually made, 3B catches and tags runner.

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bmakj said:

very good and well coached 2nd year 10u team. (note, I was not that coach)

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bmakj said:

not certain they ever pulled it off in game, but I know they practiced it some. not certain if at that age 3B can quite get it to drop and let ball sail by (after years of drilling "catch the ball" into them), but I like the idea. it all really depends on 3B though.

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