Runners on 2nd and 3rd

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Jan 31, 2011
453
43
I heard this same strategy from Sharon Dryesdale (pretty good coach, I would say!) . Angle down off the bat, you go! Worse case is you have runners in same position if they make the play at the plate. Why give them the easy out at first base? Think about it and it makes sense.
 
Sep 21, 2011
61
0
Actually, worst case is a double play. It can be a viable strategy but it depends on the situation (inning, score, runners' speed, defense's alignment, etc.).
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
He would be the 1st to admit the strategy has failed and cost the Team. He thinks that the runners knowing they are going and take off immediately on angle down off the bat makes up for the failures.

Like everything else you are going to be in trouble if you do not work on it in practice. The runner going home has to be taught to hold up if they are going to be an easy out at home so the batter can get to 2nd.

I like the idea and plan on trying to see how it works.
 
Aug 29, 2011
2,581
83
NorCal
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.
 
Jan 24, 2011
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Howard Dobson, currently LSU’s hitting coach, stated that when there are runners on 2nd and 3rd they are always going when the ball is hit on the ground. It doesn’t matter how many outs, game score, runners, batter, etc. They are going, no exceptions.

The runner on 3rd base responsibility is that if they are going to be an easy out at home is to hold up before the plate so the batter can make it to 2nd.

This makes sense to me.


This is pretty much how I have always coached it. There really isnt too much risk or downside.
 
Oct 13, 2010
666
0
Georgia
I've always told the runner at third to go if the ball is hit to the right side, and wait for the throw (while leading off as far as safely possible) when hit on the left side. Freeze if hit to the pitcher. Good base runners can "fake" going on a ball hit to SS or 3rd and sometimes distract the fielder enough to get the runner to 1st safely. If you are going to concead an out, why not get a run in at the same time. A ball hit back to the pitcher is an out every time, especially in college. If I were on defense, I would be happy to take the out without any runner scoring (even if it means runners are still on 2nd and 3rd) every time.

Having said that, I will say that it does depend on the situation. With less than 2 outs and a fast runner on 3rd, I would probably have the batter bunt and the runner go on the down angle of the ball. But a bunt is easier to place where you want it, so it's not as risky.
 
Jan 31, 2011
453
43
Obviously, every coach has to decide if this aggressive play fits into his/her style. When my team was 10U, I took it one step further (doesn't have the logical reasoning behind it however). Even with a single runner on 3rd base I said if the ball comes off the bat angled down, you go. I wanted to force the defense to make a play. You gotta get a good jump with the pitch and as soon as you see the ball angle down, go full out with no hesitation and slide...We practiced it over and over throwing in some pop-ups and I tried to make it fun. Almost every defense does the "look her back and go to first base" in that situation. Just tossing out an idea.
 
Dec 3, 2008
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0
Unless it's a hot shot at an IF, it's going to be a close play at the plate...close enough that the runner isn't going to be able to pull up and get in a rundown to allow the batter to make it all the way to second base. I'm not against the philosophy, but I disagree that the worst-case scenario is that you still end up with runners on 2nd and 3rd.
 

02Crush

Way past gone
Aug 28, 2011
791
0
The Crazy Train
Sounds cool. At my young age we coach the 3rd base runner to draw attention to themselves in order to give the Batter runner 2-3 extra steps towards first. Then once the defense turns to make a play....GO and Get down when you get there! We call it playing the game. When you say it the 3rd baseman is none the wiser to the command and we have fun. It scores us runs, gets the runner from 2 to three half the time and the Batter runner on 1st more often then not. We usually end up without an out in this scenario. Down here in 10U we find far to many girls are worried about the scoring potential of the runner on third rather than playing for the more consistently gained out at 1st. It is for that reason that we play into that and try to get a score and get the BR on base too. Will change when we are older.
 
Last edited:
Jun 11, 2013
2,619
113
Not going cost us a tournament this weekend. We had 2nd and 3rd one out tied 1-1. Infield playing back even at 3rd. Grounder in the hole. For some reason R3 did not go on contact, dd was on 2B and thought it was going to get through and ran forcing kid on 3rd to run late and they got her at the plate. We did wind up 2nd and 3rd as runner moved up on throw home, but next batter K'd. Would up losing in 2nd ITB inning where our 1st,4th and 5th (my dd) hitter K'd only time for each in whole tournament. Then found out my DD's best friend on team and our best player by a lot will skip 12's next year to play 14's. To make matter worse we had to play consolation games against bad teams right after. I think it was the lowest point for her so far.
 

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