Strategy 10U B. Runner on third and walked the batter.

I understand it might be hard without knowing the talent on the team but give me your advise anyway. The team is classified as a 10U B team. We play with the Look Back Rule, drop third strike, completely kid pitch.

Trying to figure out our best options for when there is a runner on third and the batter walks, I want to keep that batter from just jogging to 2nd base.

With a runner on third, no outs and they walk a batter I would like to get that out from when the runner jogs to 2nd base, and concede the run. The runner on third is very likely to score anyway so why not go for the out instead of ending up with 2nd and 3rd and no outs? Worst case the girls throw the ball away and both runners end up scoring. I really dislike conceding 2nd base with 0 outs.

Would you change that strategy with 2 outs? How about with 1 out? I understand that if you get the runner rounding 1st base quickly the run would not score in a two out situation. Also with two outs the runner on third is less likely to score.

I also understand that if it is a close game and the last inning you can't let that run score also.

This is something we will be working on for the first time in practice tomorrow.

My teams have always been willing to sacrifice a run for an out. A veteran coach told me if you give up second with zero out both runners will score, so you give up two runs because you are trying to stop one. I've charted this and in the last 10 years, and up until this year this has proven to be true 100% of the time at every level below college. This season I saw a high school pitcher who has signed with a D1 school strike out 3 batters with second and third with no outs.

A couple thoughts:
I've seen catchers look at the runner on 3rd and once she is stopped fire the ball to first directly after ball 4. This doesn't get the out, but the girl can't round and go to second. The runner can't score from 3rd with the ball 60 feet away.

We used get the ball to the pitcher in the circle who looked the girl back to 3rd. Then let the runner going to second get about 5 steps (you have to check the best distance for your team) from second and throw her out. The girl on 3rd should be at a dead stop on the base, due to the LBR, and if the timing is perfect you make the tag at 2nd quickly and the runner at 3rd can't break home. Worst case scenario the SS has to chase the runner to tag her and you concede the run, but as you said you are OK with that.

Here's a tricky one that is only as good as your umpires, and I would alert the umpires before the game if you use it.
Throw the ball back to P in the circle. P keeps the ball in her glove and her bare hand away from her glove, so no one can think she is making a play or faking a throw. Stare the runner at 3rd to a stop and force her to retreat. LBR in effect she can't start toward home again. P turns her back on the runner at 3rd and watches the runner going to second. This causes the runner and coach to get antsy and she leaves 3rd base or switches directions and starts walking toward home. She now should be called out on the LBR and the batter will be returned to first. Often that runner on 3rd stands off the base waiting for the throw so she can break home, but because there is no throw she is just standing there off the base with the ball in the circle. Obviously this only works once a game unless the other team is really dumb.

I would use it with 1 out, and also 2 out for the reason you state, you should get the out before the run scores if you don't throw the ball too early creating a pickle situation.

We use a "One throw run down" to avoid pickles. I picked it up from a college coach and if you practice it and have any kind of speed in your infield it will eliminate pickles. If you want info on that let me know.

We use a "One throw run down" to avoid pickles. I picked it up from a college coach and if you practice it and have any kind of speed in your infield it will eliminate pickles. If you want info on that let me know.

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Of course we do!

Big Daddy Michigan said:

...I've seen catchers look at the runner on 3rd and once she is stopped fire the ball to first directly after ball 4. This doesn't get the out, but the girl can't round and go to second. The runner can't score from 3rd with the ball 60 feet away....

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In many rule sets this is illegal.

riseball said:

In many rule sets this is illegal.

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What is illegal about it?

I've seen catchers look at the runner on 3rd and once she is stopped fire the ball to first directly after ball 4. This doesn't get the out, but the girl can't round and go to second. The runner can't score from 3rd with the ball 60 feet away.

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Throwing to 1st wont stop the batter/runner if the team is smart. Even on a walk the batter/runner is entitled to run straight through first base without liability to be put out. F3 may have the ball but the batter/runner can simply run straight through the base toward right field and then make a wide turn toward 2nd. Now F3 has to decide to chase after the batter/runner, throw to 2nd to put them out or concede the advance to 2nd and hold the runner at 3rd from scoring.

Big Daddy Michigan said:

I've seen catchers look at the runner on 3rd and once she is stopped fire the ball to first directly after ball 4. This doesn't get the out, but the girl can't round and go to second. The runner can't score from 3rd with the ball 60 feet away.

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I'm curious what benefit there is to this, unless the runner rounds first and you get a quick tag. In high school ball last season, a team did try this against DD's team. Runner stayed at first and the other runner stayed at third. Then the runner on first stole second on the very next pitch without a throw from the catcher. So one pitch later, we had runners on 2nd and 3rd anyway.

Comp said:

What is illegal about it?

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Unless there is a play on a runner doesn't the ball have to be returned directly from the catcher to the pitcher? Since the BR has yet to reach 1st base there really is no play to be made.

In USA the rule about returning the ball directly to the pitcher only applies with no runners on base, has nothing to do with making a play. Just as an FYI, USA does not consider throwing to first in this situation as making a play as there is no possibility of making an out at 1st base on the batter/runner. However, NFHS and some others do consider the throw to first as being a play. NFHS even has a case play about the batter/runner being hit by a throw to 1st after being walked and outside the running lane. They consider it to be a running lane violation even through there is no possibility of putting the batter/runner out.

FP26 said:

I'm curious what benefit there is to this, unless the runner rounds first and you get a quick tag. In high school ball last season, a team did try this against DD's team. Runner stayed at first and the other runner stayed at third. Then the runner on first stole second on the very next pitch without a throw from the catcher. So one pitch later, we had runners on 2nd and 3rd anyway.

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You are correct. It stops the immediate "steal" of second. She could steal on the next pitch. Or the batter could line/ground into a double play on the next pitch. I was just telling OP things I've seen done to stop the players.

The odd thing is it seems like the taking second on the walk upsets teams more than the conceded steal. The pitcher often gets jumpy and the fans start yelling. The delayed steal seems to do that too, more so than a straight steal. It feels like you're pulling something over on them, or they got caught sleeping.