Strategy question bases loaded

[loucatfan]

Saw this happen and my team (13U) misplayed it. What would you do?

Game tied. one out.Bases loaded. Pitcher sees he can pickoff runner at first and makes throw. 1st base runner knows he has been caught leaning and immediately starts to second to try and get in a run down. 1st baseman is not close enough to tag him or run him down. How do you tell your kids to play it?

I think I know what they should do in the future but a person whom I respect would play it different so I would appreciate any thoughts you guys have .Thanks

lou

 

[teach them linear]

Have the 1b man walk to the second base bag watching the runner on third with the ball in his hand.

 

[Tskware]

Originally posted by teach them linear:
Have the 1b man walk to the second base bag watching the runner on third with the ball in his hand.

Yep, how else would/could you play it? Can't have two runners on 2b.

 

[loucatfan]

Originally posted by Tskware:

Originally posted by teach them linear:
Have the 1b man walk to the second base bag watching the runner on third with the ball in his hand.

Yep, how else would/could you play it? Can't have two runners on 2b.

That is what I came up with but also first giving the out fielders and pitcher time to back up the Catcher,first baseman,second baseman, and first baseman.

I agree the key is simply to walk to second and be ready to pivot and throw to home the instant the runner on third places himself in no man's land. I think the key is to not fall for a run down play which our kids did thinking they could instantly spot the runner coming in from third , stop the run down and throw home to get him out. NO NO NO. bad idea . Did not work and won't work most times.
Thanks for confirming what I now think is the easy and best way to play it.


Lou

 

[JonathanW]

I think it depends, on when (inning) in the game you are, and how easy/tough scoring runs have been, & what the score is (up/down/tied). Higher scoring game (especially if not last inning), trade the out for the run; but in a lower scoring game I think you have to try for the quick & easy out, but keep an eye on the runner at 3rd and be ready to abandon the runner and go home with it.



I coach a middle school jv team (so 11-13 yr olds), and had a situation a couple weeks ago, that I'm still not sure if I made the right call. The other team had just tied the game 4-4, with 1 out. Time had run out, so if they scored the game would be over. Runner on 3rd. I had my best strike thrower in the game, but he had walked one that inning & given up 2 hits (he came in that inning). I think they had their 3-4 hitters up, and one of the next 2 batters had hit one over our CF head earlier in the game. So not wanting them to win the game on a ground out, I elected to intentionally walk the next 2 batters to load the bases and create the force at home. Next batter is walked, game over!

 

[Comebakatz3]

Not sure I would have walked the bases loaded there. It is going to be hard no matter what to get an out at home. I think you try to get the hitter out first. Infield should play in to prevent the score. Your pitcher has some play with this guy because if he walks him then he sets up a double play, which is just as good. If he gets a strikeout then you can play the game straight up and try to get the last out, which odds are in your favor. If he gives up a walk then you try for the double play. Not easy to do, but still possible. I'd think the last think you would want to do would be to walk two guys in a row to get a force at home. That, IMO, puts too much pressure on your pitcher. He can't give up a walk, the infield is in so there is not a likely DP chance, and anything deep in the infield or beyond wins them the game. I think if you walked the first guy, or he reaches, and then he steals second then you might try to walk the next guy to force a play at home or a double play.

May not have been the best call, but I respect you for giving it a try. That's a very hard role to fill and you have to make decisions quickly. Would have been genius had it worked out for you, but I don't know that it put odds in your favor.

 

[teach them linear]

better option would have been with the infield in to pitch out of the zone and give the hitters a chance to get themselves out first, an unintentional intentional walk. most kids that age don't have the patience to wait for a pitch they can handle and there is a good chance if they are thinking you are pitching around them they miss the opportunity to drive a ball that "misses" in the strike zone. Plus you can pitch in at that point because if you plunk em it serves the same purpose. They are likely as anxious about getting a walk off as you pitcher was about throwing strikes with the bases juiced. I would say based on my experience most 13yo hitters in the 3 hole will beat you there but you really do have a much better chance against the 5 hole so your play wasn't awful imo.

 

[CatsFanGG24]

For Lou - I think the right play is to walk in the 2nd, but in all reality, picking behind the runner with less than 2 outs at that age group is inviting chaos to occur...I'd say the greatest odds with that happening would be to get an out and also give up a run.


For JW - tough to say without knowing the talent level and what kind of plays have been put in defensively. I think I would have most definitely walked the first batter to get a double play in order (13 yos can turn it, 11s, maybe not)...I'd also have to trust my 1st and 3rd D...corners in with 1/3, middle pinched to turn 2...if he steals and we fail to get him or back pick at third, I walk the next guy, corners remain in - double play everywhere.

I don't think the double intentional walk to the 3/4 hitters is a bad move at all...and depending on your defense, it could've been the best move you had.