Pick-off Variation at 1B

[Doug Romrell]

Offensively, when our fastest runners are at first and the defense attempts a pick-off, the we generally want our runner to take off to 2B, as the defense would have to make two perfect throws.

Defensively, when you expect the opposing team to do the same thing with their fast runners at 1B, would it be a good variant to have the catcher spring up as if to throw to 1B only to throw to the second baseman in the advancing runners face roughly half the way to second? Have any of you used this option?

This option seems appealing to me, much like the catcher throwing to the creeping in short-stop in her position rather than to 2B in a 1st and 3rd situation, because the outfielder is already in a back-up position for that throw. And, in the case of the 1B pick-off variant, you're making the ball be in front of, rather than behind, the runner.

 

[quincy]

I am having a hard time seeing the play you are describing. I would think if a runner is ½ way to 2nd but not running a good hard throw to the P will stop that pretty quickly.

 

[Doug Romrell]

quincy,

I'm not talking about a runner who is stealing on the pitch. I'm talking about a pick-off attempt (at 1B). My fastest runners are taught to take off from their lead-off positions should the catcher spring up and attempt to pick them off at 1B. They would not be half-way to 2B when the ball leaves the catcher's hand. They would just be recognizing the pick-off attempt and would just be breaking toward 2B. If the catcher were spring up as if to throw right to the first baseman at 1B, but actually throw to a creeping in second-baseman, the runner could easily be tagged roughly half-way to 2B. Of course, if the runner is stealing, this isn't a pick-off attempt at all and the throw naturally goes down to the SS at 2B.

 

[quincy]

I do not think that would work.

You might be better off pumping to 1st and if the runner goes throw it to 2nd base.

(In practice distract one or 2 of your better runners while your defense practices it. Bring back your runner and see what happens and let us know how it works)

 

[Doug Romrell]

The pump adds time for the runner and isn't quite the spontaneous throw to second that the spring up and throw to 2B is on a straight steel. She stars are lined up for this throw--the second baseman is in a perfect positioning already and the right fielder is already in a great back-up positioning. I see it as fooling the runner into a false sense of delayed steal mindset. If the runner is not straight stealing, but looking to take off on a pick-off attempt, I think this play could work fairly well.

 

[Sliced Bread]

I love these plays. We do them all the time. They usually only work once per game as the defense or offense depending on what side of the play you're on will adjust for it. I like to do them at a time when something else has happened to the other team. Ie: a passed ball, overthrow, a steal etc... If they can be executed immediately after one of these successfully, they become momentum shifters in a game.
We use our league play to work on execution of these plays, so we are confident in them come tournament play.

 

[Greenmonsters]

A catcher HAS to make a runner stop (or at least stop advancing toward the next base) BEFORE they make a pick off throw. One or more realistic fake pickoff throw behind the runner at first early in the game should either result in an out or at least discourage if not end this strategy one way or another - if the runner freezes dead, the throw can be directly to the 2B moving in toward the baseline. Obviously, this becomes a free out at higher level play (unless someone falls asleep)

 

[Bchbum54]

DD is a catcher in 10U and I have been working on a similar play. We have a name for it. HC calls it out when he notices a runner take an aggressive lead off but is hesitant to go and there are no other runners on base. Our 1st basemen, shortstop, and right, center fielders know to shift to positions as the pitcher starts her pitch. DD gives the high and outside pitch and pitcher delivers. 1st basemen knows its a quick catch and tag or throw to second, shortstop should be in position to receive and tag or chase down runner. Outfielders are in position incase of an overthrow. We ran this play 3X in All-Stars with 1 successful out. We had a close one but SS bearly missed the tag and we had 1 savy runner who made an awesome front dive back to first (DD' throw was a little off mark on that one). On her new Fall Ball team we don't have the same caliber players so I trust it a bit less but we are working on it and hopefully we will have some success with it. Oh and we haven't been burned yet with the defensive shifting early considering none of the batters swung on the pitches. I worry a little about a batter grabbing a hold of one and our defense being out of position but it's a fun play and until someone rips one out on us we will keep it in our play book.