Critique Please - Topic 2: Out to the bases

[BigUmp56]

Hey John,


It's not very often that I work a big diamond game solo, so I'm by no means an expert on the "one man system." I will tell you that when I have to work solo I don't get anywhere near as far out as you do with multiple runners. I would have taken that play at third from the working area just to the left of and near the front of the mound. By getting all the way up the line near the cutout on this play you're setting yourself up for trouble, in my opinion.

Suppose the ball had squirted away from F5 on the play leaving R1 to attempt to advance to the plate. You're going to have to turn tail and head back to the plate to take the play from the inside. In and of itself that's not so bad, but to do it you'll have to turn your back to the BR who's at least at second by now, or further. There's too much to miss by doing that. Now, had you stayed closer to the mound, if the ball was mishandled at third leaving a play to develop at the plate you could have begun to cheat back to the plate ahead of the runner keeping the BR in your peripheral vision as soon as the ball got away. I understand wanting to focus most of your attention on the runner closest to the plate, but in a one man I think you should keep the field in front of you with trailing runners on base.



Tim.