Did my DD catcher make the wrong play?

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

May 15, 2016
926
18
Top of the seventh inning, tie score, two outs, runner on 1st. Runner takes off from first. DD sees she has plenty of time to make a throw down to second. She makes a good throw to the first base side of 2nd and the ball beats the runner there. Unfortunately the shortstop did not move in time the cover the throw, and was not at 2nd when the ball arrived. Ball goes into the outfield and the runner makes it to third.

The batter then strikes out two pitches later, so no harm done in the end.

After the game to coach started yelling at DD for making that throw.

My question, is any there a reason, in this situation, that a catcher should not make that throw to second?
 
Mar 20, 2014
918
28
Northwest
Not in my opinion - if the shortstop would have been doing their job then your DD would have been the hero. Catchers can't hesitate to make those throws - a strong catcher keeps that runner on the base and makes the coach think twice before sending them which is what you want. Wrong player yelled at IMO.
 
Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
When that's happened on our team HC has said catcher makes the throw, it's the job of the fielder to be there to receive it. He'd get onto SS or 2B (whoever was supposed to be covering).
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
That error is on the SS...only reason not to throw down in that situation would be if the winning runner was at 3B. Also, where was the CF on that play? If the throw goes past the bag into center, a good backup should have prevented the runner from taking another base.
 
Last edited:
Aug 19, 2015
1,118
113
Atlanta, GA
That's crazy. SS is the one who screwed up here. She should have been anticipating the throw. Maybe she and DD need to have a pow-wow to discuss what situations warrant a throw-down so that SS can already know when she's likely to attempt it.
 
May 15, 2016
926
18
That error is on the SS...only reason not to throw down in that situation would be if the winning runner was at 3B. Also, where was the CF on that play? If the throw goes past the bag into center, a good backup should have prevented the runner from taking another base.

The runner on 3B situation is what my DD talked about when we got home.

The CF was doing what many Little League players do, not playing with their heads in the game. Our SB team has 4 B level travel players, 2 town team players, and the rest are Little League players. Makes for an interesting mix.

BTW, the SS plays for a travel team that is supposedly better than the team my DDs play for.
 
May 15, 2016
926
18
That's crazy. SS is the one who screwed up here. She should have been anticipating the throw. Maybe she and DD need to have a pow-wow to discuss what situations warrant a throw-down so that SS can already know when she's likely to attempt it.

Not to be overly simplistic, but shouldn't the SS be covering anytime the runner at first is taking off for a steal? Is this something that warrants a discussion?
 

CoreSoftball20

Wilson = Evil Empire
DFP Vendor
Dec 27, 2012
6,215
113
Kunkletown, PA
Cant wait for a fielder to be at the bag...fire that thing. If nobody covers, that's on the fielder.

Like JAD said, unless the winner was on third, then you wouldn't make the throw. But otherwise, fire away.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,475
Members
21,445
Latest member
Bmac81802
Top