Swinging and missing on purpose. Thoughts??

[Gambler Bob]

I was watching a high school game a week ago. I can't say for sure but it looked like the one team was swinging and missing on purpose when the runner on first base was stealing. The batter would swing very late, I would say the ball was in the catcher's glove when the batter swung. I understand that the team swinging and missing on purpose was trying to slow the catcher down.

First question. Is there a rule about swinging late to slow down a catcher trying to throw out a runner stealing?

Second question. Is this pretty common, or is this something you would teach?

I don't have a daughter on either team. We just went to watch the game because it was two of the top H.S. teams in the state playing.

 

[grcsftbll]

I've seen it a lot in 12U where DD plays (GA). It doesn't bother me. It seems like a distraction tactic that the catcher should be able to work around. If a team did it more than once or twice in a game I'd think they were kind of sad though. Those tricks are fine occasionally but if that's how you coach the girls to play all the time, to just win by tricks if you can, that seems like poor coaching to me.

 

[marriard]

First question. Is there a rule about swinging late to slow down a catcher trying to throw out a runner stealing?

No rule

Second question. Is this pretty common, or is this something you would teach?

Reasonably common. Has never seemed to be all that effective in my experience - when the other team did it I always felt like we were getting a free strike and a chance to throw a stealing runner out.

Not something I would teach.

 

[Lozza]

What I’ve seen common in Aus is batters will fake bunt. They won’t give up the strike by swinging but will take it to advance the runner.

 

[2br02b]

This seems ridiculous to do when they could just be showing bunt to pull the fielders out of position for the steal..

 

[fuzzy2651]

We played a team this weekend that in one AB with a runner on first, the girl showed bunt and was waving the bat all around. First time I've ever seen that

 

[mudrunner]

LOL yea the old bunt bat wag is pretty common around here in the younger ages. I can't say that I know if it's effective or not but it looks ridiculous.

I don't know if I've ever seen a late swing & a miss on purpose. I have never been a fan of the fake bunt/steal, and it's overly used around here for no real reason. Why take a strike & start the batter out in the hole?

 

[2br02b]

LOL yea the old bunt bat wag is pretty common around here in the younger ages. I can't say that I know if it's effective or not but it looks ridiculous.

I don't know if I've ever seen a late swing & a miss on purpose. I have never been a fan of the fake bunt/steal, and it's overly used around here for no real reason. Why take a strike & start the batter out in the hole?

We've told our girls if they do that, they are not hitting the next game. Bush league.

 

[Ken Krause]

This sort of thing is one of the reasons I teach catchers not to run across home plate to make a throw. If they rely on it and a team does a late swing they won't get the throw off.

A couple of other reasons, by the way, is they could step on the plate and slip, especially if it's wet, and it takes too much time. Pop up where you are and make the throw.

 

[uncdrew]

I thought you were going to describe this:

Really fast pitcher, batters simply can't catch up. So with two strikes, they swing (and miss) at a ball they think the catcher will drop and immediately run to first to try to get on by the dropped third strike rule.

That's actually kinda head's up ball. Not sure my 10U girls could pull it off, and not really something I want to waste practice time on.