Situation Question

[#19Catcher]

Catching question, what is the correct play for the catcher? 14U A level ball, 5th inning, 3-3 ball game, 1 out, runner on 3rd. Runner on 3rd takes a normal lead given the situation & we have an elite pitcher who can work out of a jam...

-ball is bunted to her 1-2 feet from the plate middle of the field. What is the correct play?

 

[Otis]

If that runner on 3rd is a rabbit you would almost have to be perfect to get a double play going to 1st and then back home.. And there is no way you want to let the runner on 3rd score that late in a tight game...especially if you have a pitcher who can work herself out of a jam. Your catcher could try faking a throw to 1st to see if the runner on 3rd takes the bait and have a potential rundown. Otherwise I eat it and hope to get a strikeout on the next batter for the 2nd out.

 

[#19Catcher]

Thank you for your reply Otis, that girl, if my memory serves me correct-was a rabbit...they pretty much all were-no "cornbreads" on that team. I was thinking the same play but wondered if throwing to first then back home was the "best" given chances are that run on 3rd has a high probability of scoring and better to try to get out of the inning unharmed, no runs scored and eat the one of it don't work...at least giving yourself a fighting chance at it. Still wondering out loud....hahaha

 

[#19Catcher]

Out in Left, no not thinking pitcher should field...obviously the catchers ball. I think I agree with you especially on the more you work on it.

 

[GOINGDEEP]

Several ways I'd run this play in A ball. We had a catcher with a gun so this is what we did.

Catcher is going to make the throw, coming up with ball she should either pump towards 3rd to stop the runner or force her back, then we going to first for the out. Pitcher is coming to back up home or cover, and be set up for the potential rundown. First base would immediately throw back home after the out.

Now if the runner wants to get herself in a pickle ( rundown ), she's toast. Our girls LOVE a pickle play. We run pickle drills every practice and very rarely lose that face off.

 

[chinamigarden]

We ran the play with the pitcher fielding the ball faking the throw to first and then either throwing to the catcher or third depending on what the runner did. Last summer we got the lead runner 50% of the time. The pitcher held the ball most of the other times

 

[David Carter]

I think the key to your situation is the fact that the ball is just a step or two from the plate. When the catcher fields the ball the runner is not going to be even half way up the line yet and if is is straight in front she has a clear path.

I would probably fake the throw to third and if the runner stops go to first, if the runner takes more than two extra steps beyond her normal 3 or 4 step lead I would fake to first and then turn and get her in a rundown.

Honestly this is going to be such a snap judgement it is hard to fault any decisions, barring the runner never stopping and running down the line to home as catcher throws to first, the catcher has to check the runner for just this reason.

The coach should set the boundaries though, if there are five minutes left and the offense is home team he might call for a no throw to first. If the defense is home and the top of his line up is due up maybe they feel like taking a chance on the double play. Also who is up next is it the 7,8 and 9 hitter, maybe a no throw since pitcher should be able to get them out. Again coach should never complain about what his catcher does if he is not calling the defense in that situation.

 

[JAD]

We would call a play in this situation and do one of four things....1) check the runner at 3B and make the out at 1B if the base runner is less than 1/3 of way down the baseline. 2) bring 1B down the base line, make the throw to 1B and hope to get a tag on the bunter and hold the runner at third, 3) player fielding the bunk makes a "fake" throw to 1B after checking the runner at 3B, 4) hold the runner at 3B.

Note: It is important that the fielders check the runner before making the throw - including the fake throw. If the runner breaks on contact, and has good speed, making a "fake throw" to 1B and turning to find the runner may be too late.

 

[Greenmonsters]

Critical to the scenario is where your 3B is positioned relative to the runner and the base. Assuming she charged the bunt, fake throw to third. If runner heads back, throw to first. If the runner on 3B holds her ground and no one (3B or SS) is close enough to keep her near the base, you have to be willing to eat the ball or give up a run for the second out. But eating it doesn't mean that you can't fake throw to 1B and check the runner on 3B again and go for an out there if 3B or SS have moved into good position.

Two additional thoughts. 1) If you conceed 1B to the batter/bunter, you'll more than likely have 2 runners in scoring position after the next pitch. 2) If your "elite" pitcher allowed the runner to get to 3B and, presumably, already has allowed 3 runs in the game, I'm not confident that conceding the batter/bunter first base doesn't compound the situation given #1 above.

 

[#19Catcher]

Thanks all for the responses, lots of great knowledge being presented and something to sit down and work with my daughter on...seems to be lots to consider with less than a second to act. @Greenmonsters, the pitcher pitched 21 innings this weekend, no earned runs, 21 strikeouts and 1 walk. No earned runs in the game in question, to include the girl on third or the three that scored previously. Our defense let us down that game, to include the play my daughter made in this situation-which was do nothing or eat it. We need to learn from it, practice it, move on, and next time it comes up do better.