Runner on 3b and batter walks

[tim_s]

in over 100 games the past year and half I have NEVER seen the runner on 3B in a first n third situation get called for look back rule. Its like the umpire is only focused on the runner rounding 1B. In almost every circumstance the girl at third is creeping.

We have practiced defensively for this using our fastest and slowest girl running even going as far as telling the runner on 3rd not to leave until the throw. In 9/10 with pitcher at back of circle snapping to two for a tag and throwing home to turn it the girl at home is safe regardless of her speed.

so offensively we send them to two with eyes on pitcher if she throws they are taught to get in a pickle.

Defensively we teach the catchers to fake throw as hard as possible to second base and snap to third hoping to draw the runner off. We have found that works far more often than anything else as long as there is a good fake from the catcher. However its becoming so common of a play we also teach the girls offensively at third to stay still the fake/snap back is coming.

In games that are decided by 1-2 runs I hate taking an out to give up a run. Id rather have my pitcher work the zone high looking for pop ups/fly outs till you get two outs.

throw to the bag? we bring 2b up in the baseline 1/3-1/2 of the way to the 1B bag, and make the throw there.....enough time for me to see what runner on 3b does, if she's not moving i'm calling it out to the umpire.....catcher tells P when/if to make the throw to 2 or to 4.......but closer to 1b in the baseline, not to the bag......the throw from pitcher to there and from there to home is much, much shorter than all the way to the bag......we've run it in games twice, once got the DP, once had both runners retreat as soon as they saw what was setting up......

 

[Quigs10]

Ok...Ill ask...being a long time baseball guy...why even have the LBR ? Baseball doesnt. I know its different game and different base lengths so 90ft is the biggest deterrent from s batter just walking and keep going.

In baseball we've used and had to defend the "Tiger" play as we called it. 1st and 3rd and runner at 1B would just walk off and stop half way ir even fake like they tripped and fell down and make P or defense do something. Why couldnt softbalk just have no rule and just let the defense figure out what to do? Why penalize or limit the offense?

 

[Westwind]

throw to the bag? we bring 2b up in the baseline 1/3-1/2 of the way to the 1B bag, and make the throw there.....enough time for me to see what runner on 3b does, if she's not moving i'm calling it out to the umpire.....catcher tells P when/if to make the throw to 2 or to 4.......but closer to 1b in the baseline, not to the bag......the throw from pitcher to there and from there to home is much, much shorter than all the way to the bag......we've run it in games twice, once got the DP, once had both runners retreat as soon as they saw what was setting up......

In the play @SESwildfire is talking about, at 16’s and 18’s, I would expect my runner to be past the second baseman before you can stop her.

That’s why teams that see this a lot time the throw to 2nd from the circle to try to get the quick tag and then the runner going home which they never do. Remember, if your second baseman has the ball, the runner at three can be far off the base with her bellybutton facing home. If the pitcher has the ball in the circle, the runner has to be on the bag or at least headed back to the bag at third.

The bandits ran this play in the 16u PGF championship last year but in that case they just advanced the runner to 2b.

 

[Westwind]

I’ll add everybody thinks they can defend this play but nobody can when it’s run right.

 

[uncdrew]

So this weekend it happened twice, both times in different games with my DD on the mound.

In the first game, ball was returned to pitcher and she fired to second for the tag out, letting the run score. That cleared the bases, gave us our first out and gave them a run. We then got two more outs and inning over. Seems it worked perfectly, as the runner on third probably would have scored anyway during the inning (we're a 10U team).


Next game it happens and our 2B and SS were napping and my DD had no one to throw to. So now it's runner on 2b and 3b with one out. Luckily she struck out the next two batters and inning over.

Kind of odd how it worked out best in both situations. But I asked her to get with the coaches and talk through a strategy. I don't really like the girls not knowing what to do.

 

[SESwildfire]

In the play @SESwildfire is talking about, at 16’s and 18’s, I would expect my runner to be past the second baseman before you can stop her.

That’s why teams that see this a lot time the throw to 2nd from the circle to try to get the quick tag and then the runner going home which they never do. Remember, if your second baseman has the ball, the runner at three can be far off the base with her bellybutton facing home. If the pitcher has the ball in the circle, the runner has to be on the bag or at least headed back to the bag at third.

The bandits ran this play in the 16u PGF championship last year but in that case they just advanced the runner to 2b.

I would see it more like this. ball four girl is still sprinting to first, catcher throws to 2nd base who is positioned 1/2 down the line. runner on 3rd scores and runner on first ends up on second or even third depending what happens at the plate. I know if im coaching 3B and the catcher throws anywhere but Pitcher or 3b my player is headed home.

This past weekend we played one of the upper tier teams in pool play who on first and third attempted a direct throw from catcher to SS (who was sprinting towards the incoming throw) and home again. Would be the same exact distance as 2b described above only the girl would have the better position for the throw home They executed it perfectly with hard precise throws, but so did my runner. Girl safe at home on a close play and I ended up being up a run, with a runner in scoring position. In a game that was tied through 4 innings every run matters.

 

[WI Dad]

At practice
Learn to protect the plate from the other team scoring~
(this is a 1st & 3rd type drill)

*Put a runner on 3rd base
( have them 1,2 or 3 steps off bag if you like)
*Have the pitcher throw to 2nd base.
(as if theres a runner going there)
*Same time runner takes off for home.
*Have infielder at 2nd immediatly throw home.

Repeat
Repeat
Repeat
Helps develop instinct.
Defense learns timing!

Then add another runner at first. For a more game like situation. This will add more thinking curve (which can cause slower reaction)
* Goal dont let other team score!

Some players go through a learning curve developing instinct reacting to plays.
Where there is a time consuming process
Look - think - react - throw.
Which needs to be just
THROW !


Little kids do pickle type shenanigans with runners teasing.
Softball players throw them out!

Throwing is faster than running!
Practice beating the runner!

This guy gets it, we play at a high level and when it's first and 3rd first is walking to second to bait the throw, sometimes even with 2 outs to get that run in. Sometimes the runner will even bow out close to the infield grass.

I have seen other teams just eat teams up with this, and get the team throwing the ball around to where that runner that was going to second actually ends up on 3rd.

How you defend this is as above you practice it, you have your shortstop walk the runner back to first and watching the girl at home and if she takes off for home gun it home, big thing is never throw behind the runner, and never give up free bases.

 

[ArmWhip]

Ok...Ill ask...being a long time baseball guy...why even have the LBR ? Baseball doesnt. I know its different game and different base lengths so 90ft is the biggest deterrent from s batter just walking and keep going.

In baseball we've used and had to defend the "Tiger" play as we called it. 1st and 3rd and runner at 1B would just walk off and stop half way ir even fake like they tripped and fell down and make P or defense do something. Why couldnt softbalk just have no rule and just let the defense figure out what to do? Why penalize or limit the offense?

There is no leading in softball, so there has to be a rule which requires the runner to get back on the base. In baseball the runner is always 'live' and can take off for a steal at any time.

 

[ArmWhip]

In 14U and 16U we had a catcher with a rocket arm and she was very good at selling the fake throw to second. She nailed multiple runners in games quite often. If the runner at third leaned toward home on the fake throw she was in danger of not being able to get back to the base.

 

[radness]

In 14U and 16U we had a catcher with a rocket arm and she was very good at selling the fake throw to second. She nailed multiple runners in games quite often. If the runner at third leaned toward home on the fake throw she was in danger of not being able to get back to the base.

Active Catchers can control the runners/game!