[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by WestMichBlue
The manuals (both ASA and NFSH) take you inside when the ball goes outside, but never discuss what to do on a secondary play when the ball is inside.

Let's say you are in "C" (so you have runners in scoring position), the ball is hit to the outfield, you come inside to take a play at any base, or watch for leaving early, etc.

The throw goes home, so the play is no longer yours. But you can have a secondary play by the catcher or cut-off player. Now your are not in correct position to make a call - you do not have ball, base, runner, and defender in front of you.

And it gets crowded! If you get too far inside, and if the pitcher cuts the throw anywhere near the circle, suddenly you're trying to avoid runners and defenders and watching for that throw in a space that doesn't seem to be much bigger than your living room.

Going back outside does not seem like a good option. It would take too long (especially on a cut throw). You have no clue where they are going to make a play, and you could end up a long way from a tag play.

So how do you handle this? What have you been taught by clinicians?

WMB

I position myself in a holding area that is between any possible throwing lanes often using 1:30 or 10:30 as starting points and adjusting based on the position of the players, the direction from which the throw is coming and base for which I am responsible.