Do coaches still spend time on rundowns(pickles)?

[Lance Steckler]

i created a few drills that we run the girls thru in winter practices. It does help to explain what the #1 and #2 goals are on both defense and offense before starting to work on drills. Light goes on if you will.

And wear helmets!

 

[Towny9]

Running at them also shortens the throw, making it more likely to get an out.

So why no pump fakes? I've heard the reason before and I believe it, I just can't remember it. Is it because it just makes the play go too long?

When you pump fake it puts the receiver on their heels and they can’t get going full steam to catch it on the run and close down the rundown. The rundown is more efficient if the thrower gets them running full out in one direction while the receiver calls ball and gets going in the other direction. The pump fake throws the timing of this all out of wack.

 

[PJR202]

Two throws max in a rundown or you are doing it wrong.

No pump fakes either.

Late comment I know, but this is exactly what our HC taught this year. I don't recall ever working on it as a kid. I thought you just went back and forth until you got them or they scored or returned to base. So when we worked on them, I asked questions right along with the kids. HC said, "you get two throws. If you throw more than that, you've failed."

Same thing. no pump fakes. Just yell "now!" when you're throwing to 3B. As soon as they pull away from the 3B tag attempt, the next throw goes toward home and that player runs them back to 3B and it's done. As he said "the GOAL is to get them back to the base they left."

And for the record, we got exactly TWO pickle opportunities after the lesson and managed to contain both. Didn't get the tag on either, but everything was done correctly.

Stressful to watch though..lol

 

[lynx]

You have to work on rundowns with all players at least 1 time per week.....the little things like those and your 1st and 3rd situations....relays/ cutoffs positioning and bunt coverage situations.....daily things to work on that can lead to big innings if not worked on

 

[DryHeat]

Yes, they do spend time on pickles, especially the practice after they screwed one up in a game...

 

[KrisHur]

DD's team was just working on them last night. The girls seemed to have a lot of fun practicing them without game pressure.

 

[JoeA1010]

Rundowns are the worst thing I watch at travel ball tournaments. Defensive players first have to recognize that a rundown exists. As someone said above, the mistake made most often is that the throw is made too late and the runner dives back safe into the bag. Players also often fail to sprint at the runner with the ball, so the distance is never cut down. I could go on, but I would estimate 60% of runners end up safe, when it should be less than 5%.

 

[CoachJD]

Rundowns are the worst thing I watch at travel ball tournaments. Defensive players first have to recognize that a rundown exists. As someone said above, the mistake made most often is that the throw is made too late and the runner dives back safe into the bag. Players also often fail to sprint at the runner with the ball, so the distance is never cut down. I could go on, but I would estimate 60% of runners end up safe, when it should be less than 5%.

What I see (not travel) is the opposite: Throws are made too early (not sprinting at the runner is part of that), before they get the runner to commit to going back, and it's a free base.

 

[JoeA1010]

What I see (not travel) is the opposite: Throws are made too early (not sprinting at the runner is part of that), before they get the runner to commit to going back, and it's a free base.

Yes, I see plenty of that, too. If they don't sprint at the runner and make a throw, then yes, it's too early and the runner can just easily go back (or forward) to the base. I suppose I would say that if the defense starts to execute a rundown by sprinting at the runner, then the throw is usually too late.

 

[CoachJD]

Yes, I see plenty of that, too. If they don't sprint at the runner and make a throw, then yes, it's too early and the runner can just easily go back (or forward) to the base. I suppose I would say that if the defense starts to execute a rundown by sprinting at the runner, then the throw is usually too late.

Gotcha, and yes, I agree.

I'm not sure if it's more fear/hesitance to throw or not knowing the best time to throw (imo, best time to throw is immediately after the runner turns her shoulder/commits to the base IF the person with the ball cannot catch her/make the tag herself).

One thing I've noticed is that chase down tags, if they can catch the runner, seem to work better than catch and tag, especially since the runner is often running through the tag and the ball is often not secured very well.