Runners on 2nd and 3rd

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Jun 18, 2012
3,183
48
Utah
Back in 2012, redhotcoach said, "The 'Angle down.'" The last couple of years in NCAA clinics I have been to they talk about it being the "hot new trend" with some teams. Runner on 2nd or 3rd with no baserunner behind them goes on contact forcing the defense to make multiple choices."
 
May 4, 2009
874
18
Baltimore
I don't speak for anyone other than myself and if other teams do it then fine. But if I have good defensive players I want the other team to give me a quick out at home and I don't want to miss the opportunity to score when I have runners on second and third. I want to put the pressure on the other team to check my runner and throw to first. There then has to be two throws and two catches to get my runner who now can slide to the back side of the plate.
 
Feb 8, 2009
272
18
If you have decent base runners seems like a good strategy. One thing to consider is the runner possibly running into a 6-3 tag-throw DP on a sharp ground ball to F6.

I presume the runner on 2nd would hold on a ball hit to the left side with no force at 3rd.
 
Dec 3, 2008
161
0
If we run an "angle down" with runners on 2nd and 3rd (which depends upon the situation) our batter will continue all the way to 2B and force a first and third situation.
 
Feb 19, 2010
1
0
Back in 2012, redhotcoach said, "The 'Angle down.'" The last couple of years in NCAA clinics I have been to they talk about it being the "hot new trend" with some teams. Runner on 2nd or 3rd with no baserunner behind them goes on contact forcing the defense to make multiple choices."

I haven't coached much softball, but have coached lots of 18u baseball, and we virtually always use this "play".

Your baserunners must be crystal clear that they MUST go on downward contact, and MUST get in a rundown if they read that they'll be an easy out at the plate.

Here's an example of the R2/R3 contact play from major league baseball:

top 7th, tie game, yanks have r2/r3 1 out (following Jeter's 2-strike sac bunt!)

O's sec. baseman Andino is playing "in"-- in the baseline

r3 [Russell Martin--a SLOW runner] goes on downward contact and is out on a "great scoop and tag by Weiters"

[Martin going on contact pressured a MLB sec. baseman into bouncing his throw to home]

Ripken: "but look, it's a pretty close play on a hard-hit ball right at the infield...if it's hit to either side of him they score that run"
Video: NYY@BAL Gm1: Andino, Wieters get go-ahead run at home | MLB.com
__________________

Ripken gets it. But not all broadcasters do. Last summer I was watching a Yankee game with their regular announcers. The Yankee R3 was thrown out at home on the R2/R3 contact play. Michael Kay (who never played the game) criticized the R3 for making a bonehead decision. Ken Singleton corrected him. Kay didn't seemed convinced.
The reason I mention this is that when you run this play and r3 is thrown out, trust me, the spectators and maybe even the opposing coaches usually think that either you or your R3 messed up.
 
Last edited:
Nov 18, 2013
85
0
Indiana
I haven't coached much softball, but have coached lots of 18u baseball, and we virtually always use this "play".

Your baserunners must be crystal clear that they MUST go on downward contact, and MUST get in a rundown if they read that they'll be an easy out at the plate.

Here's an example of the R2/R3 contact play from major league baseball:

top 7th, tie game, yanks have r2/r3 1 out (following Jeter's 2-strike sac bunt!)

O's sec. baseman Andino is playing "in"-- in the baseline

r3 [Russell Martin--a SLOW runner] goes on downward contact and is out on a "great scoop and tag by Weiters"

[Martin going on contact pressured a MLB sec. baseman into bouncing his throw to home]

Ripken: "but look, it's a pretty close play on a hard-hit ball right at the infield...if it's hit to either side of him they score that run"
Video: NYY@BAL Gm1: Andino, Wieters get go-ahead run at home | MLB.com
__________________

Ripken gets it. But not all broadcasters do. Last summer I was watching a Yankee game with their regular announcers. The Yankee R3 was thrown out at home on the R2/R3 contact play. Michael Kay (who never played the game) criticized the R3 for making a bonehead decision. Ken Singleton corrected him. Kay didn't seemed convinced.
The reason I mention this is that when you run this play and r3 is thrown out, trust me, the spectators and maybe even the opposing coaches usually think that either you or your R3 messed up.


My parents know I run this all the time so they don't say much. I make it known. In early practices that we are an aggressive team on the base paths. Do I get burned occasionally yes....but the return is high so I keep doing it.
 
Aug 2, 2012
16
0
This fall I attended a coaching clinic held at LSU. John Tschida was the lead instructor and he taught "angle down" strategy. When he was working with LSU's players demonstrating aggressive base running. By making the LSU players play fast they made a ton of mistakes and the runners scored often. Now these girls didn't forget how to throw overnight just forced to react to confident aggressive base runners.

This spring I want to try this strategy and see if it works as good for rec ball. Angle down sure had the D1 girls off balance.
 
Nov 4, 2013
37
0
Somebody already mentioned Patrick Murphy's ground ball go but I will just mention it again and add to it. Murphy runs it not only with runners on 2nd and 3rd but with a single runner on 3rd and with runners on 1st and 3rd. He also runs something he calls 2 outs 2 bases. Whenever there are two outs and the ball is put in play the runners always go two bases. Doesn't matter if it's hit to the OF or back to the pitcher, the runners take off thinking two bases. If you youtube Alabama highlights you can see this happening all the time. They get a ton of runs from just being aggressive. Plus, the girls on our team have a ton of fun playing this way.
 
Jun 29, 2013
589
18
Interesting, I can't imagine the 2 outs 2 bases theory will work very long, though. Once they've been scouted everyone in the nation will react and get some easy outs I like aggressive baserunning, but that's a risk I'm not willing to take with 2 outs and a good hitter coming up unless its in the outfield.
 
Mar 26, 2013
1,934
0
The rationale behind the 2 outs 2 bases strategy is most balls put in play result in an out which ends the half inning and they're being proactive to take full advantage of a misplay. They back off the 2 bases on base hits that only allow 1 base.
 

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