walking the runner back

[sru]

Rowdy, it not always about getting the runner out, it can be used to slow a game down, steel momentum and run the clock down.

 

[init4thegirls]

The runner is just trying to make the defense mess up. It was so annoying to me as a catcher. I was absolutely not gonna run up the base path after every pitch. I would look em back a time or two. After that i would act like I wasn't paying attention for a few pitches and pop em. They usually cut that crap out when they know you'll throw at them. They'll at least shorten the lead where they aren't a threat to score.

Glad to learn the time strategy involved here. It annoyed me more than anything when I played, but we might need to kill a few minutes sometime.

 

[oswegoponysoftball]

There are pro's and con's to walking back and throwing back from a catchers perspective. I teach my team that if you get a good lead and the catcher wants to throw behind you ... take off and go to the next base. That applies to all bases including home. So if my girl takes a nice lead off of your team at 3rd and your catcher wants to throw ... my girl is going home. Now with that being said I believe that rule of thumb may not apply to all situations. One has to look at how well the opposing team can throw and catch. But since you said its a 12U team ... that's my story and I am sticking to it.