Who do you have cover 3b in this situation?

[Jr10234]

Just today watched this exact situation. Runner rounded 2 and seeing the third baseman (who did not field the ball), watching the play, kept on toward three. Overthrow to 1, right field backing up throws a perfect ball to the the left fielder who moved as the bunt developed. Got the lead runner at 3. Great heads up at a u14 game.

 

[Steve Huff]

Catcher should cover third, SS should cover 2nd because 2nd may have to field the ball at first if First crashed on the Bunt. We have our girls throw back door on the girl rounding 2nd and throw to third if she was going to 3.

We have our 3b cover home as to keep our pitcher out of harms way. If that runner gets from second to Third then gets to home then there is a bigger problem that we have to address.

I don't like having my outfielders cover bases in that situation, they don't get a lot of practice in that situation or any base covering situations for that matter.

It truely makes since to teach the right way from the begining of our young daughters softball carrers. If we teach them one way in the begining and then change them later then they would have lost valueable experience at learning the right way.

96Coach

Very good 96Coach! JR10234, I don't agree with teaching the outfielders to cover, but I do believe in teaching them to be involved in every play. So if 3rd base was empty and they see it, they can rotate to cover. As kids get more advanced, the outfielders get deeper. They get even deeper yet, say in the bottom of the 7th with a runner on 1st base. So having such an assignment would be challenging. The correct way to to have the 3rd baseman cover if they don't field the ball, and have the catcher and pitcher cover if the 3rd baseman fields the ball. If there, there will probably be no play. However, catcher should be first option!

I don't follow the "3rd baseman covers home" comment very well on a 1st to 3rd play. But, in practice, every outfielder, on every play, should be looking to backup and cover. The key is getting them to think before, not react in the aftermath.

 

[Jr10234]

I agree Steve, the 3rd baseman usually plays another position so she didn't have much practice(or any) with that scenario, just lucky LF was heads up and crashed as she saw the situation unfold, as you suggested.

 

[oswegoponysoftball]

It depends on the type of defense you want to run:

- You can run a traditional bunt D

- 1 back bunt defense - This is where the 1st baseman stays back and 3rd charges all bunts. In that situation 2nd will cover 2nd, 1st will naturally cover 1st , pitcher covers bunts on the 1st base side and the SS will cover 3rd.

- 3 back bunt defense - This is where the 3rd baseman stays back and covers 3rd. Pitchers covers any bunts to the 3rd base side. 1st baseman creeps and charges , 2nd baseman covers 1st and SS covers 2nd.

 

[Cannonball]

Ok, so apparently we have a lot of ideas on "the right way." I've coached the same from 10U on to high school and at each level, my players have been able to practice this drill:

Runner on 1st. Pitcher throws pitch and coach squares to bunt but has ball in his hand. When ball crosses plate, coach tosses ball. (Catcher throws caught ball away and is ready to play.)

• A. Toss bunt down the 3B line
• B. Toss ball to charging 3B
• C. Split charging 3B and Pitcher
• D. Toss ball toward pitcher
• E. Drop ball out in front of plate but about 3 feet out.

Left field is backing up 3rd at appropriate distance. CF is backing up 2b but with angle from throw from 1st to 2nd. RF is backing up 1st.

Now, the players have to read.

If A or B, pitcher covers 3rd. If C, Catcher has to read. If the pitcher has a chance to field the ball, catcher takes off for 3rd. If D, 3rd covers. If E, catcher fields the ball - pitcher and 3rd must read each other and most times, 3rd gets back to cover.

On this drill, communication is the key. Whomever is fielding the ball has to call "ball." Whomever has 3rd has to call "3rd." If no one calls 3rd, catcher must dictate who takes 3rd. We practice this a lot.

Now, we play a game. Runner on 1st will play live. I will tell infielders to close their eyes and I give the runner a signal. Open hand is big and so they are going "big" Or, in other words, they are going to 3rd. If fist, then fist is closed and so runner is staying close to 2nd. If double fist, I want the runner to round big to force a throw to 2nd.

Next, we continue same signals to runner but then runner closes his eyes and I ask 1st base to open his eyes. I then use signals for the 1st baseman to throw the ball which includes throws to 3rd and 2B but also include overthrowing 2nd and 3rd so that the backups know exactly what to do if that happened in a game.

I apologize for the long post. Now, you can all get a good laugh at what we do.

 

[Greenmonsters]

Ok, so apparently we have a lot of ideas on "the right way." I've coached the same from 10U on to high school and at each level, my players have been able to practice this drill:

Runner on 1st. Pitcher throws pitch and coach squares to bunt but has ball in his hand. When ball crosses plate, coach tosses ball. (Catcher throws caught ball away and is ready to play.)

• A. Toss bunt down the 3B line
• B. Toss ball to charging 3B
• C. Split charging 3B and Pitcher
• D. Toss ball toward pitcher
• E. Drop ball out in front of plate but about 3 feet out.

Left field is backing up 3rd at appropriate distance. CF is backing up 2b but with angle from throw from 1st to 2nd. RF is backing up 1st.

Now, the players have to read.

If A or B, pitcher covers 3rd. If C, Catcher has to read. If the pitcher has a chance to field the ball, catcher takes off for 3rd. If D, 3rd covers. If E, catcher fields the ball - pitcher and 3rd must read each other and most times, 3rd gets back to cover.

On this drill, communication is the key. Whomever is fielding the ball has to call "ball." Whomever has 3rd has to call "3rd." If no one calls 3rd, catcher must dictate who takes 3rd. We practice this a lot.

Now, we play a game. Runner on 1st will play live. I will tell infielders to close their eyes and I give the runner a signal. Open hand is big and so they are going "big" Or, in other words, they are going to 3rd. If fist, then fist is closed and so runner is staying close to 2nd. If double fist, I want the runner to round big to force a throw to 2nd.

Next, we continue same signals to runner but then runner closes his eyes and I ask 1st base to open his eyes. I then use signals for the 1st baseman to throw the ball which includes throws to 3rd and 2B but also include overthrowing 2nd and 3rd so that the backups know exactly what to do if that happened in a game.

I apologize for the long post. Now, you can all get a good laugh at what we do.

It needed to be longer, unless no one ever bunts to the 1B side of the mound!

 

[Cannonball]

The OP was about who covers third. I have an indept routine that I created for my infielders that focuses on bunts, bunt coverages etc. for all involved. I call it "multiple infield." So, in my practices, everyone gets to practice bunt coverage. Note that bunts to 1st that were short were not covered and so, the catcher's coverage and footwork was not listed here. I did the post off the top of my head to meet the request of the op. I'll do better next time!

 

[Cannonball]

I don't know that I have ever seen "elite teams" just conceed 2nd base.