Best way to stop a delayed steal from 3rd??

[baseballdad]

We have teams in our minor little league that after each pitch their runner -usually on 3rd- takes a large lead (after the ball goes over the plate) and comes towards home. Our catcher runs him back to 3rd while or 3rd baseman covers 3rd. It turns into a cat and mouse waste of time and even after we throw back to the pitcher (the catcher often does this when out of position and the pitcher is near the mound) the runner will try a delayed steal.

I am trying to put together the best way for our catcher to deal with this situation and hopefully discourage it from occurring.

Probably our best option would be to have the catcher throw to 3rd and try to get the guy in a run down, but at this level that can more than often result in a bad throw or catch and the runner scoring.

I was thinking of having our catcher run the runner back to the bag, 3rd baseman covering 3rd and LF backing 3rd base up. The pitcher would cover home. After the runner is back at the bag the catcher would throw the ball to the pitcher at home plate and they would go back to their respective positions with their eye on the runner. I would also love to see the occaisional pick off throw to 3rd if we have our best players out there.

Is there a better approach?

[HYP]

We have teams in our minor little league that after each pitch their runner -usually on 3rd- takes a large lead (after the ball goes over the plate) and comes towards home. Our catcher runs him back to 3rd while or 3rd baseman covers 3rd. It turns into a cat and mouse waste of time and even after we throw back to the pitcher (the catcher often does this when out of position and the pitcher is near the mound) the runner will try a delayed steal.

I am trying to put together the best way for our catcher to deal with this situation and hopefully discourage it from occurring.

Probably our best option would be to have the catcher throw to 3rd and try to get the guy in a run down, but at this level that can more than often result in a bad throw or catch and the runner scoring.

I was thinking of having our catcher run the runner back to the bag, 3rd baseman covering 3rd and LF backing 3rd base up. The pitcher would cover home. After the runner is back at the bag the catcher would throw the ball to the pitcher at home plate and they would go back to their respective positions with their eye on the runner. I would also love to see the occaisional pick off throw to 3rd if we have our best players out there.

Is there a better approach?

IMO for rec minors. They shouldn't be allowed to steal home period. Like you said it becomes a huge waist of time.

Since they are allowed to, have catcher look runner back to 3rd, have pitcher take 2 steps toward the plate. Have the catcher throw a strong throw back to the pitcher. Runner should not have the time to get home. Ocassionally, have the catcher pump fake a throw to 3rd or to the pitcher. This will get the runner to commit one way or the other.

One problem that could allow the delay to work is if the catcher doesn't look at the runner at 3rd and if he justs lobs the ball back to the pitcher.

[AgentX]

A strong throw back to the pitcher is best.

If the runner is still in a big lead, the pitcher should run at him. Often kids at this age will freeze like a deer in the headlights.

When the runner commits (either to home or back to 3rd), have the pitcher throw there.

It won't stop the problem, but it will make runners on 3rd think twice about pushing their luck.

[CoachW]

What age is this?? There are a few things you can do here.

You do want to be sure the catcher looks at the runner and 3rd to be sure he isn't committed coming home, if he is run at him, if not throw to the pitcher, if he then tries to run home have the pitcher run so he takes him towards third base, don't allow him to get ahead of him going hime, if he does throw home, but you want to throw the ball as little as possible, use your legs to make him go back. Also, another thought, fi you want to try something a little more complicated, have your SS come to 3rd base right after your 3rd baseman stays with the runner going home, if the runner continues towards home with the 3rd baseman have the catcher run at him and throw to 3rd base and tag him out. The biggest thing is to be 100% sure he doesn't score since most of the time that run is important.

CoachW

[TG Coach]

Look the runner back to third. If he doesn't move, pump fake him. That will get him moving in the wrong direction. Then get the ball back to the pitcher. To ensure a decent throw back to the pitcher, have him take the throw a few steps in front of the mound. Then the pitcher keeps an eye on the runner while he gets to the rubber. The second baseman should be backing up throws back to the pitcher.

[AgentX]

What age is this?? There are a few things you can do here.
aif you want to try something a little more complicated, have your SS come to 3rd base right after your 3rd baseman stays with the runner going home, if the runner continues towards home with the 3rd baseman have the catcher run at him and throw to 3rd base and tag him out.

I like this idea.

The other thing you can do is have the pitcher run at the runner to receive the ball from the catcher.

Rec minors are usually 9 and 10yos.

[Dakai]

OK, first of all in the minors that is bush league. Talk about making a mockery of the game..sheesh, aren't these kids 9?
I might try this: Have the catcher hold the ball. Don't do a darn thing, just wait. Eventually the other coach will have to concede that his runner cannot score and call him back to third. Do this enough, causing a 2 or 3 minute delay in the game each time, and the other coach will start hearing it from the parents.
I try to fight ignorance and stupidity with the same thing...its all they understand.
Catching coach has an article on this called "You call that baseball?" that really hit home with me.

[AgentX]

OK, first of all in the minors that is bush league. Talk about making a mockery of the game..sheesh, aren't these kids 9?
Have you ever seen kids this age play kickball or wiffle ball?

They're kids.

[baseballdad]

Thanks guys. I see the pattern and a few fun tricks to throw in.

I agree it is bush league for the coach to encourage this waste of time- its not the kids fault for sure. It did rattle our catcher so I guess it accomplished something. But on the one delayed steal they tried we pegged him at the plate. :)

[JTODAD]

I coach a major league team(10-12) and our all star team. We pretty much did what Coach W listed in his post and no one stole home. We practiced the drill everyday until it was natural for the boys.

[shake-n-bake]

In majors LL (12u) or better competition, I'd say make a play on the runner. That is depending on the situation. In minors it's a dicey play that'll usually end up in the runner scoring. I too am really against having players at that level stealing home. As a coach, I'd much prefer to take my chances and give the hitter the opportunity to pick an RBI. I've talked to opposing coaches pre-game and come to an agreement on that.

One way to prevent the runner from taking off is to chase him back, have the 1B cover home and then throw to the pitcher while on the rubber - What a huge waste of time though to do this over and over and over ...... With darkness, time, weather, walk-o-rama, and lots of high scoring innings, it's hard enough to get anything resembling a complete 6 inning game in.

This is sort of a trick play, so take it for what it is. Have the C chase the runner back (half-heartedly), 1B cover the plate, and 3B intentionally not in a position to receive a throw from the catcher. The 3B has to sell this. Have the SS creep in behind the runner. Often the runner will focus on the C and taunt them by increasing / decreasing / increasing their lead. When the throw goes back to the pitcher have him make 1 pump fake to freeze the runner then throw behind him (providing he hasn't come so far down the line that he's more likely to break for home). Like I said, it's not exactly fundamentally sound baseball, so I view it as sort of counterproductive to spend a lot of time practicing it. But, if you've got two of your better players @ P and SS (which is often the case at that level) it'll work (once).

[Dakai]

Your right shake,I was just being an A@@. there are a ton of things you can do. Its just in minors you shouldn't have to.

[Ursa Major]

Gad, I hate that play at that level. I've always wished I were an ump there, so after I see it twice and see the circomulutions that the defense has to take (catcher runs up the line, first baseman covers home), I'd call both coaches out and tell them to knock the crap off because they're not teaching anything remotely related to baseball.

The quicker method is for the pitcher to step toward the middle of the third baseline to take the throw about 30 feet from the plate, and then walk backwards to the mound watching the runner. This will stop about 90% of runners. Otherwise, your catcher has to alternate between pump faking to the mound, lobbing normally to the mound, and gunning the ball to the mound. If he throws a lob or too then pumpfakes, he's got a good chance of getting the runner breaking. But, he has to be patient and not throw immediately to third, because the runner has a head of steam and will beat the return throw; he has to run at the runner until he stops and then throw to third. (Oh, and the pitcher has to cover the plate.)

[baseballdad]

We practiced the pitcher coming in, catcher pump fake to 3rd and throw from catcher to pitcher technique last night and it worked like a charm. The pitchers were a little to aggressive in trying to run the runner back after they got the ball. They got quite a few out but I don't want them wearing themselves out in the game situation. As usual great ideas. Thanks.

Eventually I want to add the SS covering 3rd play too!

[Jake Patterson]

Have the catcher step out in front of the plate and walk him back a few steps and hold the ball. Throw the ball back to the pitcher once the runner returns to the bag. You will have several long delays of the game. In the middle of an inning tell the other coach that this is how you are going to handle it if he continues with the "Little League dance" at third, ..."we can keep doing this until it gets dark, or we can just play the game..." I'll bet that'll work.

What he's doing teaches very little.

[AgentX]

What he's doing teaches very little.
Most rec coaches grow through the divisions along with their kids, so very few are able to teach required skills before they reach the level where they're required.

I teach secondary leads in coach pitch, but I'm probably the only coach in that division who does. Once the kids move up to minors, coaches learn that they need to teach it, but by then the circumstances are ripe for kids to dance off of the bag looking for an errant throw.

It goes away after this level, but can be annoying. Adapting to it makes good coaching sense, as does using the opportunity to teach your infield to put on its first practiced play. I'd use it as an introduction to that, because it seems to translate nicely into the first-and-third plays that they will face the rest of their baseball career.

[shake-n-bake]

Have the catcher step out in front of the plate and walk him back a few steps and hold the ball. Throw the ball back to the pitcher once the runner returns to the bag. You will have several long delays of the game. In the middle of an inning tell the other coach that this is how you are going to handle it if he continues with the "Little League dance" at third, ..."we can keep doing this until it gets dark, or we can just play the game..." I'll bet that'll work.

What he's doing teaches very little.

Sorry, I must have misunderstood the original post:confused:

I thought bbdad was describing something like we faced a couple years ago. If our C did anything less than physically chase the runner all the way back to 3B (or make a throw - risky play), he wasn't returning to the bag. And as soon as the throw left the C's hand he'd steal. We had a team in our league go 18-0. They had some good ball players, but won a fair share of those games taking bases on every bush delayed steal you've ever thought of, and probably some you even haven't.

My bad. I didn't realize the topic was about teaching the otherwise proper way to learn to handle this play. That'd be different, but it isn't the best way to stop a delayed steal in minors LL. The literall best way is probably to do what you suggest - hold the ball, create an obvious delay, and call the other coach out - that teaches a lot more.