These situations vary from base to base but there are few general rules that apply to all situations. First, runners should always tag up on a foul ball as it's the only way to advance on that play. Once a runner has determined that a ball is going foul, he should immediately tag up and make a determination about whether to advance or not. Second, runners should always freeze and/or get back on a line drive. This can be an easy double play ball for the defense if the runner doesn't react properly. The runner should only advance once he determines the ball will get through. Third, even though it seems obvious, players will forget and tag up or not run on a fly ball or pop up hit with two outs. Get in the habit of reminding them with a verbal command, "Two out, run on anything", meaning any hit ball.
Runner on Third
The rule for the runner is to tag up on all fly balls. If the ball is caught the coach may determine that he wants to send the runner. This can't happen in most cases if the runner is not on the base and ready to run when the ball is caught. If the ball is misplayed, the runner will still score easily.
The only exception to tagging up at third is on a shallow fly ball hit to the infield or shallow outfield where the runner won't be able to score on a caught ball. In this situation the runner should be moving back to the base as he sees the pop fly. As he or the coach reads that he won't be scoring on the play if the ball is caught, he should begin to move off the base towards home and go as far as he can and still easily get back to third after the ball is caught. If the ball is not caught, he is then in position to score on the play. This can be a tough play for the runner and third base coach to read, so the runner should always move back to the base until he or the coach has determined that the best chance to score is to move down the line.
One key in trying to make this decision is to try and determine who is most likely to catch the ball. If the infielder is closer to the play and running with his back toward the infield, tagging may be the best option as you still could be able to score as the infielder's momentum is taking him toward the outfield. If he misses the ball and the outfielder isn't right there, the runner still may be able to score. If the infielder or outfielder is able to catch the ball while facing the infield, there won't be much chance to score while tagging up. In this case the runner should move down the line in anticipation of a misplayed ball. This is a difficult play for the runner to make a decision on. For young players the goal should be get them to tag up on all fly balls and then as they get older work on when to leave the base early in anticipation of a misplayed or dropped ball.
Coaching Note: Many coaches are more aggressive sending a player from third when the fly ball results in the second out. With a runner on third and one out, be aware of who is on deck, how fast your runner at third is, and how well the outfielders throw. The combination of these three items should help you determine what type of chance you're willing to take on a fly ball.
Related Baseball Drills
Shallow Fly Balls
Team Cut-offs
Runner on Second
It's always nice to get a runner to third base with less than two outs because of the ability to score a run from there without having to get a hit. So it might be worth the risk to try and get him to third base on a fly ball that will result in the first out. Coaches love to score runs without the aid of a base hit and getting a runner to third with less than two outs increases the chances of scoring that runner. With a runner on second and one out, there is less to gain by tagging up and getting to third and therefore not worth the same risk. In this situation you want to be sure the player can make it to third. The last thing you want is a runner being thrown out at third for the third out. With two outs he's already in scoring position at second and it's most likely going to take a base hit to get him home. So there's not much reason to risk being thrown out at third. Now in youth baseball where errors and passed balls can result in a number of runs, you'll have to weigh those options depending on the game.
It makes sense to be careful when trying to advance to third on a fly ball, but what can be difficult is the decision on whether to tag up or not. On a ball hit to the outfield that is not caught, the runner who is tagging up at second may only be able to make it to third instead of scoring on the play. If the runner is confident the outfielder is going to catch the ball (routine play), and he can make it easily to third, then tag up. Otherwise he should come off the bag and increase the distance from the bag as he gains confidence that the outfielder cannot catch the ball. These are judgments made by runner and can be difficult decisions. There are situations where a runner will be off the bag and will have to return to second when the catch is made and other times where a runner will be held at third instead of scoring because he was tagging and the ball was not caught. As a coach try to realize that these situations can be some of the most difficult for players to learn and get a knack for.
Right field vs. left field
One fact to keep in mind is the difference in throwing distance to third base from right field vs. left field. The throw from right field is much longer and makes tagging up and getting to third base much easier than the same type of fly ball being hit to left field.
Runner on First
In most cases the runner on first will not tag up on a fly ball. The throw from the outfield to second base is the shortest throw from most of the outfield and leaves little chance for a runner to advance from first successfully. On a ball hit deep to the outfield the possibility for advancing is much better, but the possibility of things going wrong outweigh the benefit of taking the extra base. Having the batter rounding first base while a runner is tagging up at the same base is never a good thing. In addition a ball that is dropped by the outfield could actually be picked up quickly and a force out made at second. Finally the runner may only be able to advance to second or third on a ball he normally might be able to score on. The hitter is also held up as he can't advance until he is sure the runner will be moving on to the next base. In youth baseball you may want to make it easy on the players by telling them to never tag up at first base unless the ball is foul. As they get older there will be situations where you will want them to tag up. Runners on first and third is a good example where you might want the runner at first to tag up. In this case having both players break on the catch and reading the throw can provide an opportunity for at least one of them to advance.
0 comments:
Post a Comment