10U, runner on 3rd, post pitch, how do you defend?

[Taylor0131]

In 10U fastpitch base runners put alot of pressure on the defense with big leads and runners going halfway then retreating or delayed steals. With an agressive runner on 3rd who is getting big leads after the pitch how do you defend to keep the runner close to third without running your catcher to death after every pitch. Good baserunners will go halfway looking for a pass ball or a catcher who is not paying attention and just lobs the ball back to the pitcher to which the runner will advance home or a catcher who will throw over the runners head back to 3rd and the runner will then advance home or a pitcher who is not attentive to the runner on the return throw and allows the runner to score on the delayed steal. Whats the best strategies, position of 3rd baseman, shortstop, etc??

 

[ctfastpitch]

Any way you defend it, you need to execute well (a challenge with 10U). Unless she is way off the bag, and there is a reasonable shot at getting her at 3B or in a rundown (practice those rundowns!!!), I wouldn't burn my catcher out chasing her back to 3B. After the pitch, I would have the catcher give her a hard look, and if there is no play then get the ball quickly back to the pitcher in the circle. Catcher stays at home to guard against the delayed steal. With the ball in the circle, the runner has to commit one way or another. If she is still way off the base, the pitcher can run at her and make her commit.

If either the pitcher or catcher decides to make a play on the runner, she should run at her until she commits to a base and is leaning that way. Then throw ahead of her and either make the tag, or get her in a rundown. At that point, make sure F3 and pitcher are backing up home, and F7 is coming into 3B.

Set up the situation at practice, and keep working it.

BTW, I have also seen intentional overthrows to 3B with F7 backing up and throwing home when the runner goes.

 

[CoachKevin]

I know it's part of the game, but I hate the 3rd base delayed steal in 10U. You know you could have your catcher just stand in front of the plate while the runner is off the bag. She doesn't throw it back to the pitcher until the runner is almost back to 3rd.

 

[Comp]

Have F6 move over to cover 3rd, and have F5 move down the line parallelling the runner. Runner is not nearly as likely to get to far away from the base if they have a defensive player standing very near them for a tag if the ball is thrown.

 

[CobraAssist]

Comp - That is how we originally started to defend this issue. Actually caught a few girls napping. Recently, however, we've just gotten to where the catcher is baiting the runner. Our catcher just looks a her out of the corner of her eye and sort of makes it look like she's not paying any attention. Gives the runner a false sense of security. She makes firm throws back to the pitcher, and our pitchers have been taught to catch the ball and immediately look at the runner. If she goes, we're throwing them out. 2 solid throws will get that runner everytime. We use the same technique on delayed steals of third as well. Don't get me wrong, a bad throw, and it's all over, but we got tired of all the running around. Plus, if you have a catcher that will make a throw, it makes a difference.

Josh

 

[SnocatzDad]

Main thing to do in this situation is teach 3rd base how to cover to prevent a delayed steal and/or a squeeze. F5 should be playing 6-15 feet ( depending on arm strength, length of lead, and likelyhood of a squeeze) up the foul line towards the batter from third in this sich and a few feet off the line. The way to cover this to prevent a delayed steal and have a better chance of getting an out is for F5 to move straight towards the foul line, do not retreat to the bag, Retreating to the bag makes both throws longer on a delayed steal and eliminates the clear lane that the catcher has to throw to F5 as she moves to her right.

 

[lostbayou21]

Our catcher would eyeball the runner, maybe pump fake once, then shoot it back to the pitcher in the circle who would turn quickly toward the runner but without the throwing motion. We've gotten a hestitation call on a number of occasions and our pitcher has also made snap throws to the shortstop covering to get the out. We do this with a lead runner on any base. It's not hard if you work on it at practice. You have to have quick, accurate throws and reliable gloves. We find the pitcher has a better angle and this approach doesn't wear on the catcher nearly as much.

 

[TNTCoach]

A baser runner who gets halfway down the 3rd base line should be able to be thrown out almost every time...even at 10u. The biggest problem I've seen with the coverage on lead offs at 3rd is that f5 will go to the base after the pitch leaving too much space between f5 and the runner. If the catcher throws down the runner will break toward home on the catcher's release. It is almost impossible to throw out at that age group. On aggressive leadoffs you need to "shadow" the runner with f5. This not only makes the runner susceptible to being tagged out on quick throws to f5, but shortens the distance for a return throw to the catcher if the runner tries to delay off of the catcher's throw down.

You can also run a pick off play on overly aggressive lead offs at 3rd. If the runner gets halfway down the line(as you described it) you continue to shadow with f5 but bring f6 behind her to the 3rd base bag. On this designed play f5 peels off of her shadow while the catcher runs the runner toward 3rd making the throw to f6 when the runner is 5 to 6 feet from 3rd base. F6 can now easily tag out the runner.

I practice this and it ends the silliness in a hurry. Here are some other things on this pick off play. Make sure you cover home with f1 or f3 if you run this play. Practice the point that the runner needs to be ran back to before the catcher throws to f6. If it is too early the runner will break forward. Too late and the runner will easily make it back to the bag and put you back in the same conundrum (expending energy with the catcher chasing the runner). Practice your catcher using a "dart throw" on the rundown.

If you practice this and get the kids to understand and make good decisions on when to release the throw you should be able to get an out the majority of the time. It will quickly end the silliness that goes on with leadoffs at 3rd that you see in the younger age groups.

 

[marriard]

No one does this to any of our teams now... And the teams that try we consider this giving us free outs.

Apart from the excellent advice here (we often bring F6 over as a shadow as well), the first couple of runners the other team gets on in the game we will snap throw down to first. You get a close call or an out there and almost every team we have played stops being aggressive. And for teams that don't play us regularly we get a lot of outs at first on the throw. Also because our RF knows the snap throw is coming, we get a lot of outs at second as well on the occasional bad throw when a lot of runners try to advance without really knowing where the ball went.

We also teach the girls to be aggressive. If they are going to run at someone, they do it at full speed and suddenly. You will be shocked by how many runners are not expecting this. We had two runners trip over when our catchers sprinted at them last weekend and at least one who couldn't turn and run back to the base fast enough.

Of course the easiest way to defend it is a good hard throw to the pitcher standing at the front of the circle. Our pitchers and catchers know how to play a hard game of catch.