- Mar 22, 2010
- 129
- 28
Working through some early season wrinkles as a first year 12U coach and wanted to get your opinions on defensive schemes with runner on third and less than two outs when batter walks.
Defense of Continuation Play with runner on third
- Thread starter Itsabouttime
- Start date
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This is a classic 1st and 3rd situation. First I would tell your catcher to get the ball back to the pitcher immediately, no hesitation. Second, I would have your 2nd baseman come up into the baseline about halfway between 1st and 2nd base in order to field a ball (from pitcher or catcher) in case the runner going to 1st has any plans to break for 2nd. In this setup the 2nd baseman can either tag the runner breaking for 2nd and/or throw or run at the girl on 3rd who decides to break to home. If the girl who was just walked stops at first and the pitcher has the ball in the circle the threat is basically over.
Next batter is up but now you have runners on 1st and 3rd which requires a siimilar defensive strategy. The specifics on how to handle a 1st and 3rd will vary by team and personnel. Our team has the 2nd baseman cut the ball being thrown down to 2nd on a steal but I've seen teams use the SS or even pitcher, really depends.
Next batter is up but now you have runners on 1st and 3rd which requires a siimilar defensive strategy. The specifics on how to handle a 1st and 3rd will vary by team and personnel. Our team has the 2nd baseman cut the ball being thrown down to 2nd on a steal but I've seen teams use the SS or even pitcher, really depends.
My middle school, 14U and younger teams do what Coach Tom described. The only difference is I call the play before the batter walks. We decide where we want to get the out. If it is late in the game, we are up 3 or more runs, variables are in my favor, pitcher is pitching well, etc. then I may well give up the run and get the baserunner that makes the turn at first in a rundown and get the out there. Bases empty, one or two outs and still up two or more runs is a situation I'll take rather have than give up on that runner turning and going to second unopposed and having no outs and runners on 2nd and 3rd. If we are close or tied then your play has to be on the runner at 3rd. Hopefully she breaks home when the throw goes to the 2nd baseman and we get her sliding at home or in a run down. If we get really lucky we get the second out on the runner trying to go to third or catch her in the middle between 2nd and 3rd. Not saying we execute these all the time but I don't like giving the runner 2nd base on a walk. Once you get to 16U and better teams the rounding 1st and going to 2nd goes away as the girls can throw at a high level.
Itsabouttime,
Here are four plays I use at the younger age levels.
Good Luck!
Sean
A walk/steal is when the batter reaches 1st base on a walk. The batter takes off to second base with a runner on 3rd base. We will have 4 separate defensive plays to defense this play.
Sting
Pitcher gets ball back from catcher and
waits for runner to take off for 2nd base.
When runner is about halfway to 2nd base
the pitcher turns and fakes a throw to 2nd
base. Then spins around and checks the
runner on 3rd base.
OUT
For this play we would be ahead in the
game by several runs. We would have
the pitcher hold the ball and then throw
to the SS covering second base. We want
to throw early enough so the play isn’t
close at 2nd base. We don’t care if the run
scores. We need to get the OUT!
Look Back
For this play we will have our pitcher get
the ball and stand in the back corner of
of the pitching circle closest ot 2nd base.
The pitcher now stairs at the girl on 3rd base.
If the runner is off the base and standing still
she should be called out for the "Look Back" rule.
If she goes back to 3rd base we will then throw to
the SS covering 2nd and get the quick out. We
would then look to throw home immediatley.
Rabbit
Pitcher gets ball back from catcher. The
pitcher is going to throw the ball to the
2nd baseman about 15-20 feet away from
1st base in the runners path. The second
baseman tags the runner and then looks to
throw the ball home immediately.
Here are four plays I use at the younger age levels.
Good Luck!
Sean
A walk/steal is when the batter reaches 1st base on a walk. The batter takes off to second base with a runner on 3rd base. We will have 4 separate defensive plays to defense this play.
Sting
Pitcher gets ball back from catcher and
waits for runner to take off for 2nd base.
When runner is about halfway to 2nd base
the pitcher turns and fakes a throw to 2nd
base. Then spins around and checks the
runner on 3rd base.
OUT
For this play we would be ahead in the
game by several runs. We would have
the pitcher hold the ball and then throw
to the SS covering second base. We want
to throw early enough so the play isn’t
close at 2nd base. We don’t care if the run
scores. We need to get the OUT!
Look Back
For this play we will have our pitcher get
the ball and stand in the back corner of
of the pitching circle closest ot 2nd base.
The pitcher now stairs at the girl on 3rd base.
If the runner is off the base and standing still
she should be called out for the "Look Back" rule.
If she goes back to 3rd base we will then throw to
the SS covering 2nd and get the quick out. We
would then look to throw home immediatley.
Rabbit
Pitcher gets ball back from catcher. The
pitcher is going to throw the ball to the
2nd baseman about 15-20 feet away from
1st base in the runners path. The second
baseman tags the runner and then looks to
throw the ball home immediately.
Last edited:
- Jul 28, 2008
- 1,084
- 0
Funny, we were just working on this today in practice.
The correct way to handle this is to throw the runner out at second and then throw the runner out at home. It can be done, although it is difficult and may be very hard for the young kids to do. But, nevertheless, that is the correct way to play this.
You should at teach the correct method, along with the other gimmicky ways to handle this, even if you may not use it.
You should at teach the correct method, along with the other gimmicky ways to handle this, even if you may not use it.
We teach our kids to defense this situation is a manner similar to what Coach Tom describes. With a runner on 3rd and ball 4, the ball goes to the pitcher, who throws the ball to 2nd baseman, who has moved up intot he baseline between 1st and 2nd base.
At this age, the coach will send the runner from 3rd home to test the 2nd baseman's arm. After throwing out a runner at home twice when the coach tries this play, they will hold the runner at 3rd and have the runner on 1st steal on the next pitch. When your catcher throws out a runner or two that will also get their attention.
At 14U most of this silliness stops as the catchers will throw out more runners stealing and your infielders will have the throws in a quick enoguh time frame that you will occasional get a 1-2-1-4-2-6 Double play and clear both base runners.
At this age, the coach will send the runner from 3rd home to test the 2nd baseman's arm. After throwing out a runner at home twice when the coach tries this play, they will hold the runner at 3rd and have the runner on 1st steal on the next pitch. When your catcher throws out a runner or two that will also get their attention.
At 14U most of this silliness stops as the catchers will throw out more runners stealing and your infielders will have the throws in a quick enoguh time frame that you will occasional get a 1-2-1-4-2-6 Double play and clear both base runners.
We do all 4 of these play with various degress of success. Each one is determined by the particular situaion. There are 2 things though, that we'll always do.
1. Have the catcher throw the ball back to the pitcher as fast as possible.
2. Have our 1st baseman line up about 2 steps from the bag (towards 2nd) and her heels should line up with the front edge of the bag. Than she puts her hands on her knees and bends at the waist. She now is making it more difficult for the runnerto take 2nd and legally not obstrusing the runners path.
1. Have the catcher throw the ball back to the pitcher as fast as possible.
2. Have our 1st baseman line up about 2 steps from the bag (towards 2nd) and her heels should line up with the front edge of the bag. Than she puts her hands on her knees and bends at the waist. She now is making it more difficult for the runnerto take 2nd and legally not obstrusing the runners path.
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