I'm never letting myself coach third again...

[OUBobcat06]

After three years in our league we're finally competitive. Playing a team we've never beaten (mercied every time we've played them.) Tie game, top of the last inning, no outs, nobody on base. Batter drills a shot to left over the heads of the outfield. As he is rounding second, fielders still aren't to the ball. Runner hits third just as the fielders get there. Base coach sends him home. Left field hasn't made a clean transition from his glove to his hand, much less a decent throw all night. Guy throws a ROPE, runner is out by a half step. All momentum is gone. Next two batters pop-out. Other guys load the bases and score the winning run with no outs in the next inning.

I felt like throwing up. 9 times out of 10 that guy 3 hops the ball to the plate, or doesn't even get it out of his glove cleanly.

Sorry... just needed to vent.

 

[alberts35]

Sounds like the other team would have outscored you anyway in the bottom half, no harm no foul

 

[LetTheBigDogEat]

you normally get run ruled by a team whose LF cant make a clean transfer or decent throw 9 times out of 10?

 

[Waggs14]

dont stop cuz of that... in that time and place you made the right call if thats how he normally plays... if its early in a game and you no hes solid then dont send him... test people you dont know its how you learn

 

[beernbombs]

No outs with a guy on third seems like a good choice. Should not have sent him.

 

[Waggs14]

No outs with a guy on third seems like a good choice. Should not have sent him.

The fielders are just getting to the ball when your guy is at 3rd and your going to hold him when the fielder has a 280' throw to make still .... also who knows how the next batters are?

 

[killer mike]

Every team has "that" team that they can't seem to get up on. Just wait, give it time, and it will feel sooo good to get that W. Our team finally got up on the team that always beat us last year after four years! Even sweeter, it was a playoff game

 

[jackjohn]

No outs with a guy on third seems like a good choice. Should not have sent him.

I have to agree with this. Early in the game, before the 4th, send him. But late in the game, in this instance, not a good time to risk it. Nobody out, gain some momentum and put a rally together. You have just as much momentum if he's at 3rd as you do if he scores. But if he is thrown out, as he was all momentum is lost. Risk vs reward. You have 3 shots to get him in. 99 out of a 100, he should score.

 

[injury]

Hrmm tie game with no outs and the away team I'd possibly hold him up there depending on the runner, but most situations I'm pretty conservative with third. Based on what you saw I don't think sending was "wrong" either. We've got one or two speed freaks that usually couldn't stop if I wanted to hold them in that situation, but most of the rest of the team I wouldn't take the chance on the close play there. I see people running out of gas at second or first even more times than not.

You mentioned half a step did he not slide? Was the on deck batter not helping out telling him to get down at the plate?

For the guys that can't see why I might hold him...even a pop up scores him later, could also use him to get a meh grounder hit on first if the fielders are the kind to look him back and he does the on off dance, if they don't he scores there too. So unless I think I've got 2 strike outs coming to the plate or consistant line drive to short/pitcher types better safe than sorry for me normally.

I wouldn't give up coaching third, that's how you learn your team and the opponents and the style you prefer. It sucks when you take the blame on yourself, but remember none of us are getting paid out there and the guys in MLB that get paid a fortune still screw up once in a while. I do think their left field had been messing with you all game. That's why we like to show up early and stay after and such to scout the other teams so we can be on the look out for such trickery throughout the season.

 

[juggajay]

So the left fielder gets lucky and throws a frozen rope. It happens now and then.

Even if you score it sounds like the other team was going to win anyways so I wouldn't let it bother you. Just find a way to beat that team next time.

 

[JJF13]

With no outs and a tie game he gets to the base when they pick up the ball. Hold the runner on 3rd. A long pop fly, or a base hit he can still score.You have at least 3 other batters to get him in if he doesn't get thrown out running home. However, if the guy in LF isn't that good I don't blame you for sending him. . It is just one of those judgement calls that can go either way. I coached 3rd and the same thing happened when I sent one of guys in the other Saturday. Only he was thrown out by a step to a step and a half.

 

[beernbombs]

It's a learning experience for you. Sometimes, he can make it so send him is not the right play. With no outs, don't send him.

 

[just moonshots!]

Trust the guy behind him.. Works quite a bit for me..

 

[scrub]

This would be a really poor decision for all the obvious reasons IF your guys could actually hit. Since they can't, oh well. You did what you had to do.

 

[t0mmyb0y]

One rule I have for the people on my teams is never make the first out at home. No outs and runner coming to 3rd, hold him unless the defense does not have possession of the ball in the outfield. If the runner complains that he probably could have made it, ask him if he wants to sprint in and probably have to slide, or just moonwalk in after one of the next batters hits something into the outfield.

 

[MichelleG]

I did almost exactly the same thing last night. Our hitter was fast, had a full head of steam coming into third, and the guy in LC was just getting to the ball. He makes a perfect throw to the pitcher who's standing about two feet up the line for the tag. Our guy slides, the two of them collide and (luckily for me) the pitcher drops the ball and our guy is safe. (there was a huge uproar from their bench on the contact, but that's another story) Felt bad/stupid that I sent him, especially 'cause he got all scraped up on the slide.

Sorry Pete! Next time I'll hold you at three!

 

[tippin20s]

I don't coach third because I make horrible judgements. I stop all the fast guys cuz I know I wouldn't make it, then everyone gets pissed. **** it, someone else can run that joint.

 

[kobe008]

Like i tell all the runners I hold at third in this situation - If we cant get you from here then we shouldnt be playing softball.

 

[niteshadow]

In that situation, were the fielder has to make a perfect throw, it's an impossible situation. Dont beat yourself up, and just realize that next time, it might be a better idea to trust your team.

 

[bamaboy1626]

simple fundamentals of any base + ball game.... never make the 1st or 3rd out at 3rd base or home. If you can't score the guy from 3rd then his run didn't matter anyway. If you had held him, either of those would have been sacrifice flies.

 

[MauriSSio]

there is no way somebody is going to get thrown out by an outfielder (even if the fence was only 280ft away) just picking up the ball at the wall as the runner is already rounding 3rd. How fat was the runner??????? this story sounds like exageration and you probably sent him even though the outfielder was already throwing the ball and your judgement is way off.

 

[Papasteve]

Sounds to me if he couldn't score while rounding third at full speed, he prolly wouldn't have been able to tag on either of the sacrifices either

 

[tbatti]

After three years in our league we're finally competitive. Playing a team we've never beaten (mercied every time we've played them.) Tie game, top of the last inning, no outs, nobody on base. Batter drills a shot to left over the heads of the outfield. As he is rounding second, fielders still aren't to the ball. Runner hits third just as the fielders get there. Base coach sends him home. Left field hasn't made a clean transition from his glove to his hand, much less a decent throw all night. Guy throws a ROPE, runner is out by a half step. All momentum is gone. Next two batters pop-out. Other guys load the bases and score the winning run with no outs in the next inning.

I felt like throwing up. 9 times out of 10 that guy 3 hops the ball to the plate, or doesn't even get it out of his glove cleanly.

Sorry... just needed to vent.

there is no way somebody is going to get thrown out by an outfielder (even if the fence was only 280ft away) just picking up the ball at the wall as the runner is already rounding 3rd. How fat was the runner??????? this story sounds like exageration and you probably sent him even though the outfielder was already throwing the ball and your judgement is way off.

Sounds to me if he couldn't score while rounding third at full speed, he prolly wouldn't have been able to tag on either of the sacrifices either

Yeah I was wondering how many responses I had to filter through to read this.

Seriously while in motion rounding the bag the fielder just picked up the ball and threw him out with a line throw from 280ft. If he was stationary on 3B and had to tag he would have been out by 4 strides. I think someone's explanation of the facts is off here.

 

[joncon]

1. You would have lost anyway.

2. I'm an excellent base coach.

 

[MaverickAH]

Reasons to send a runner in that situation:

1. He's guaranteed to score.
2. The hitters behind him ain't worth a **** & it's your only viable chance to score.

Reasons NOT to send a runner in that situation:

1. There are no outs!
2. Trust the batter's hitting behind him to do their job.
3. It's slowpitch & the 1 run means very little when you're not the home team.
4. Maybe it's a chance you take when you're the home team. When you're the visitor, you play for the big inning. That means stopping the runner at 3B.

I too cast doubt on the OP's version of the play. No one "gets lucky" on that kind of throw unless they have the ability to pull it off in the first place! I must also say that those types of plays are usually determined long before the runner reaches home. They are usually determined by how the runner went down to 1B or 2B. Not putting your head down & hustling right out of the box is when plays like that are lost!

 

[cyoung187]

Its not the 3rd base coaches fault that the next 2 hitters couldn't get a hit. You would have lost anyway. Bad decision yes, reason you lost? No. Runner must have been slow as hell

 

[paul3]

After three years in our league we're finally competitive. Playing a team we've never beaten (mercied every time we've played them.) Tie game, top of the last inning, no outs, nobody on base. Batter drills a shot to left over the heads of the outfield. As he is rounding second, fielders still aren't to the ball. Runner hits third just as the fielders get there. Base coach sends him home. Left field hasn't made a clean transition from his glove to his hand, much less a decent throw all night. Guy throws a ROPE, runner is out by a half step. All momentum is gone. Next two batters pop-out. Other guys load the bases and score the winning run with no outs in the next inning.

I felt like throwing up. 9 times out of 10 that guy 3 hops the ball to the plate, or doesn't even get it out of his glove cleanly.

Sorry... just needed to vent.

okay, a lot of things don't make sense in this story.

1) How shallow and slow must the LF and LC be to not get to a ball hit over their heads by the time a batter has covered no less than 195 ft ( 65' bases, not factoring in the arc. )
2) If the batter can cover 3 bases in such a short amount of time, how does he get thrown out from 300' with just one base left while already having a full head of steam. ( assuming the ball got to the fence, which if it didn't see 1 again).
3) How do you get mercied EVERYTIME by a team with OF's this slow and inept based on your description.
4) If your getting mercied on a regular basis, I doubt one poor decision by the 3rd base coach is even on the radar of your biggest problems.