radness
Possibilities & Opportunities!
- Dec 13, 2019
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Most likely, yes. A lead is a lead. The pressure to execute when behind is substantial. May depend on who is coming up; but not having a lead going into the bottom half of the inning is a recipe for losing a vast majority of the time.
Offense:
Vistors: Get your run in by sac bunting them across to third + one of squeeze, GB to right side/sac fly/hit, try to manufacture a second run once you get your run in.
Defense ONLY:
As HOME team, get the first batter out; you HAVE to get the out. Defending runner on 3rd with 1 out can be workable. You CANNOT give up more than the one run. If you try to get the lead runner you better get them; it is a highly risky move since they are not forced.
As VISITORS; it depends whether I got 1 run across or more than 1. If I got 1, then it is the same. Get the first runner out, try to defend 1 out, runner on third. If I got two, I can play it more straight because they runner on 2 isn't the winning run.
If the winning run gets to third or even second, then establish forces at the next base by intentionally walking batters UNLESS you have an easy out coming up or it turns the order over to their best batters. I am not loading the bases for the player who is already 4-4.
If we messed up and got zero runs, then I am walking the first batter top establish the force at third, moving infields in and doing everything I can to get the lead runner at third.
HOME has a distinct disadvantage because the VISITORS should be in front when you come to bat. And if they found a way to get more than 1 run across you are screwed big time because you can't easily manufacture bringing in the runner from 2nd.
99.9% of the time it is not getting the first batter out. 1st and 3rd with no outs is a bad time. As HOME team you have to be OK with the run scoring because you will have the same opportunity at your at bat to execurte and manufacture the run.
Good points. I'd be more willing to swing away in a high-scoring game, figuring that I'm probably going to score anyway, so why sacrifice, but the pressure of a final-inning scenario is certainly worth considering. If you're true to that philosophy, then you might also apply it in the top of the 7th of a high-scoring tie game if your leadoff hitter doubles.
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Its a great topic BIG Q !
Interesting how some coaches opt to change their strategy in itb and others plug along not changing strategy.
I like strategy, that said
find i cannot offer a one off answer to this itb question without seeing all the players.
Can share played many years without itb rule.
Where pitchers ruled.
Games common to play into double digits, even 20+ innings.
There werent as many base runners.
Playing defense with one runner on was easily as critical as itb.
Perhaps playing with that mindset i play every inning to not let the other team score.
EVER!
The logic in baseball seems to be to find a way to justify not bunting...
I have seen:
-they never bunt, so they are not good at bunting
- bases are 90' so harder to sac when everyone is ready
- it goes against their normal batting, so execution is harder
- a sac fly is as good as a bunt and I might get a hit so lets do that
- 'it isn't real baseball so I am going to be all grumpy about that'
But in the end, it is 'it isn't macho to bunt'