how would you defend

[bmakj]

minor fall tune up tournament, 14u. 5th inning, goes to ITB. Visiting team fails to score (had 2nd and 3rd no outs, next batter weak pop fly at edge of grass, no chance for tagging, then next batter hits rocket down 3B line, F5 catches and tags runner trying to get back to 3B to end half inning).

home team at bat, gets runners on 2nd and 3rd no outs.

I would have
-put F4 and G6 about 20 feet from HP a couple of feet inside each baseline
-put F3 and F5 behind their bags, about normal distance, maybe a step more, from the lines
-pulled in OF to edge of grass

thinking, medium to long fly ball, runner on 3B tags, game over. same for any ground ball that is not fielded cleanly in the IF (except runner can leave earlier). and bunt kills you as well (that is what ended the game, P struck out one batter, then next one bunted beautifully, runner was crossing home by time ball was picked up by fielders.

 

[quincy]

1st I think I would walk the batter to load the bases.

Depending on age I would try to get a read on runner on 3rd. Do not underestimate how bad some players run bases. So I might leave OF alone. IF would sneak in a little bit.

 

[JumboJack]

I think it also would depend on the pitcher batter matchup.


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[GunnerShotgun]

You need your pitcher to get one out and go from there.

There isn't something magical you can do as a coach to help your team at that point.

 

[Eric F]

Just strike out the next 3 batters. Simple.

 

[bmakj]

I was just really questioning the idea of leaving your OF at standard depth, when any fly ball they cant get to from the edge of the grass nearly certainly scores the winning run (girls on 3rd was reasonably fast, and team had pretty good baserunning throughout game, in game really came down to baserunning, theirs was just a wee bit better than ours). and with no outs, pretty certain they had a suicide squeeze on, based on how quickly girl from 3rd scored (literally across plate before defense touched the ball. with no outs, that is pretty low risk (since you probaby just end up with 2nd (batter who bunted) and 3rd (runner from second) with one out instead of two.

 

[Top_Notch]

First, load the bases. Second everybody way in. Third, best strike out or ground ball pitcher. Then hope for the best.

 

[BB875]

Yes, put the next batter on to load the bases, pull the entire infield in, position outfield to a depth they can still throw home, and take your chances. I'd pitch low in the zone to hopefully force a GB. Go back to normal with 2 outs. Maybe have a mound visit so everyone is on the same page. Of course, much of it depends on age and development too. Fun stuff to talk about!

 

[CoachJD]

So the correct move is to walk the next batter... but this is 14u and we don't know what the pitchers are like.

If you have a pitcher that walks a decent amount or a pitcher who isn't used to these pressure situations, you're now trusting her to face three (maybe less if you get lucky with a double play) straight hitters without walking or hitting one. Can she do that? Can she do that without just throwing BP to the hitters?

You brought up the bunt. Gotta take that into account. If I think the next hitters will bunt, I'm more likely to walk the next hitter (and the 3B is playing way, way up anyway) to set up the force at home.

You asked about OF though: Can't play any deeper than what gives you a decent chance to throw the runner out at home.

 

[bmakj]

best GB /weak contact pitcher was done, pitched the 4 previous innings, was fatigued

runner from third got home before bunt was even fielded, force/no force did not matter. needed IF playing way up the line to begin with, not crashing.

and that is basically what I meant by putting OF on edge of grass, from their, they can still retreat to field shallow OF fly balls (only ones we had a hope of beating runner with throw home on), and still hopefully plug holes left in IF by moving someone way up the base lines to field GB and throw home (or look back and throw one).

and I agree with not walking next batter, right now, cannot count on pitchers not to walk someone or give up base hit for three batters in a row.