Baseball/softball knowledge test...

[RossDawg82]

Well then yes if your team sucks and your catcher cant make the throw to second in the air, you would then want to possibly fake throw. My response before was assuming that the team was decent enough to pull off a play. I have seen it where you have a shortstop or second baseman play the spy role. If your spy has a good enough arm then I would throw through every time and trust that my middle infield is focused enough to watch the runner. The catcher also has a responsibility to see the runner on third. If he is far enough away from the bag then I would hose him. This is an easy question if your team is talented. Not so much if we are talking middle of the road high school ball.

[engie]

In my experience, the percentage of success is much, much higher than 10%, and is even higher than 50% if the throw goes through to 2B.

The issue is that a good catcher isn't easily baited into making that throw to second with a runner at 3B cheating down the line or otherwise looking to score. Even if the call from the dugout is to throw to second, a catcher is still glancing down at 3B prior to the throw, and it's remarkable what body language/instincts tell you on that play after you've practiced it a million times. Very, very susceptible to a pump fake there if you are leaving early enough to score assuming it's going to be cut by the 2B/SS. And on a steal and stop -- you can pumpfake and go after the runner at 3rd -- and if that one scampers back to 3B, you've still got the guy at 2nd strung out between the bases -- and you've essentially neutralized the threat to score at 3rd. On that play, we were always taught to give it to the pitcher to avoid making the long throw to either base -- and let them walk the runner back to first and into a single throw rundown -- or just let him have first again depending on situation.

[chainedup_Dawg]

You also have to think about the next batters up. Hell, if it's the bottom of our lineup, I'm giving up 2B if I have to and going after the batter or even the next batter to put a force at any base in play and throwing off speed/keeping the ball low in the zone to induce a groundball. Really there are no wrong answers as all of those plays work to an extent and have worked in the past. You are only wrong if it doesn't work when you call it! All you can really do is analyze the situation i.e. runners, next batters, inning, who do you have coming up in your lineup unless it's the bottom of the 9th, batter, arm strength, etc...the list goes on and make the call you feel comfortable with.

[HereComesTheSpiral]

Agreed, except ours was a 2B read because the 2B already has his lead shoulder to plate and has a better view of the runner at 3B

Our SS had the better arm so we would run the play through him, but you are right about the body positioning of 2nd.

[engie]

Our SS had the better arm so we would run the play through him, but you are right about the body positioning of 2nd.

It can go either way. Neither should be looking at the runner at 3rd on the play -- but listening/trusting the 3B to make the correct call.

An advantage of running the 2B in front already mentioned, the advantages of the SS are that he's more outside the line of the throw causing less chance of confusion when you actually suspect that it's a straight steal with no real intention of scoring and you plan to hose the guy at second(this would be done with a very "trusted" batter at the plate). 9/10 of catcher throws sail toward right -- and it's easy for the 2B to get in front/block the SS view of the ball (throws to right side of 2B) and basically handcuff them.

[blacklistedbully]

Well then yes if your team sucks and your catcher cant make the throw to second in the air, you would then want to possibly fake throw. My response before was assuming that the team was decent enough to pull off a play. I have seen it where you have a shortstop or second baseman play the spy role. If your spy has a good enough arm then I would throw through every time and trust that my middle infield is focused enough to watch the runner. The catcher also has a responsibility to see the runner on third. If he is far enough away from the bag then I would hose him. This is an easy question if your team is talented. Not so much if we are talking middle of the road high school ball.

The most talented catch of all time in MLB at CS was only 57%. EVERYONE ELSE in the history of MLB is under 50%, and the average is somewhere close to 25% or less. ANYBODY's catcher is going to have a less than 50% chance of catching the runner at 2b, unless the runner is just too slow.

[smootness]

The most talented catch of all time in MLB at CS was only 57%. EVERYONE ELSE in the history of MLB is under 50%, and the average is somewhere close to 25% or less. ANYBODY's catcher is going to have a less than 50% chance of catching the runner at 2b, unless the runner is just too slow.

It's already been stated that you can't use MLB numbers and extrapolate them out to strategy in even college baseball. And you can't do it with softball, either.

Runners are less disciplined and slower on average in college/HS than they are in MLB, at least the ones who run routinely. If you have a really good catcher in HS baseball, he's going to be throwing out a lot of runners.

[blacklistedbully]

It's already been stated that you can't use MLB numbers and extrapolate them out to strategy in even college baseball. And you can't do it with softball, either.

Runners are less disciplined and slower on average in college/HS than they are in MLB, at least the ones who run routinely. If you have a really good catcher in HS baseball, he's going to be throwing out a lot of runners.

Catchers in softball also do not have major-league arms. I can't concede this point to you without some supporting data.

[blacklistedbully]

From mysoftballcoach.com:

The main thing to remember about throwing out runners is that this is a speed play. The runner is going to reach the next base in about 3.5 seconds. The ball is in the air approximately 2 seconds via the pitch and the throw from the catcher. That means your catcher and shortstop have about 1.5 seconds to catch the ball, throw the ball, receive the ball, and apply a tag. Any extra movement or hesitation will be very costly.

It is damn near impossible to throw out a decent runner if there is any hesitation. If your runner on 3rd is properly coached, and has decent speed, she should be able to take a good enough lead that will allow her to make sure the ball is released from the catchers hand, then race home to score on a throw to 2nd. In softball the base paths are smaller, but the leads about the same. Even if a ball is cut off a few feet in front of the bag and thrown home, it would take a perfect, strong throw, a clean catch by a catcher blocking the plate well and applying the tag. Even then, it is likely to be an extremely close call, with a higher % of success for the offense than the chance your hitter is going to get a hit to score the run.

[smootness]

Catchers in softball also do not have major-league arms. I can't concede this point to you without some supporting data.

Softball is just an entirely different game, for several reasons.

[blacklistedbully]

Softball is just an entirely different game, for several reasons.

I should have separated the baseball & softball aspects from the beginning. My knowledge & experience comes primarily from coaching fastpitch softball. Also, the thing that got me going on it was the fact that it's a question for my daughter to answer for the coach of a summer-ball team who has offered her a spot on his club this summer.

[Political Hack]

I'd bunt.

[sleepy dawg]

As others say, it depends on who's coming up. I'd let him steal, the don't let the next guy hit... Throw junk to strike him out or walk him. Again, this assumes some bad ass hitter isn't up next.

[tcdog70]

Catchers in softball also do not have major-league arms. I can't concede this point to you without some supporting data.

In your case, probably what Engie said is correct. Fire the ball back to your pitcher and let the pitcher hold the runners or throw one out. it is probably different for every team depending on their strengths or weaknesses.

[Jack Lambert]

Two outs, runners on 1st & 3rd. If the runner on 1st attempts a steal, who should the catcher throw to?:

A) The pitcher
B) The 2B
C) Fake throw to 2B and throw to 3B if runner at 3rd has big lead.

A.

[blacklistedbully]

A.

Yep, I do believe this is the correct answer, and the thing I'd want my catcher to do, unless I literally had a batter up who we had not been able to get out.

If I truly believed we had a less than 50% chance to get the batter out, I'd call a meeting at the mound before the first pitch, instruct my center fielder to be sure to back up a throw to 2b, have my left fielder ready to back up a throw to 3b, have my 2b cut in front of the bag, tell my catcher to keep the ball low, even aim for a low throw to my 2b playing between the bag and pitcher's mound, tell my pitcher to back up home plate in case of a run-down, tell my 3b to yell, "going" if the runner at 3rd breaks for home, which would tell my 2b to go ahead and take the throw from my catcher and immediately throw home. If 3b doesn't yell, "going" my 2b lets the throw through to my SS covering 2nd and 2b keeps an eye out for a late break by the runner at 3rd. If there is a late break, my 2b yells, "home" and gets in position to support a possible rundown between 3rd & home. If throw goes through to SS, she makes the tag first, then immediately goes home on a late break from 3b, not waiting for call,and also not engaging in a rundown between 1st & 2nd if the runner from 1st pulls up. If runner at 3b doesn't break and runner from 1st invites a rundown, I tell my girls to go ahead and engage. but with the plan to always come off it if there is a late-break from 3b.

Sounds like a lot, but my girls have practiced this, and would be reminded, prior to the play, what each of their roles and priorities are.