Smartest Coach in the World
 

I had a game today where a coach employed maybe the smartest play I had ever seen. R1 & R3 with two outs. Instead of stealing second base, R1 takes off for short right field and stops a few feet in front of F9. F1 steps off and hold onto the ball for about 30-45 seconds. When R1 starts toward second base, F1 throws late and R3 scores. I don't see any possible defense for this. The defensive coach wants the runner called out, but there is no basis for this. He informs me that if this happens again, he will instriuct his F1 to simply hold the ball and bring the game to a halt. What would you do if this happened? I would think that we could somehow penalize the defensive team for making a mockery of the game if his F1 refused to throw the ball.

This is not new. The proper handling of this situation by the umpire has been debated for years. If nothing else, the defense should just pitch. Chances of a double play are high.

Skunk in the outfield. Not a new play. But it seems to be regaining some steam recently.

Skunk on the bench play.

What is this "mockery of the game" rule? :confused:

This is a perfectly legal play. Only umpires who like to make up their own rules like "mockery" on a perfectly legal play.

If there is no basis for calling the runner out, then the runner is not breaking a rule and can't be making a mockery of the game, if that rule exists.

As a defensive coach I tell my pitcher to get on the plate and pitch, if they want their runner to start from right field, good for them. At younger levels that steal at second is going to happen with a player on third. Odds are in favor of offense, if defense makes play on the runner, (at the younger levels).

On a skunk in the outfield play, a well coached team will take R3 off the bases 80% of the time, thereby making a mockery of the play (and the coach).

The enjoyable way to handle this would be for the umpire to get something in his eye and call time. About 6 times.

Just kidding, just kidding.... :D

And there are probably only 20% well coached teams in america at the younger levels, which means by the latest gallop poll 65.334% percent of the time advantage goes to the offense.

Or in the 3rd base coaches box.

I would be very careful trying to use 'mockery of the game' to justify making calls. Part of the game is to try to use deceit and deception to your teams advantage. I remember in high school there was one team who used all these ploys, most worked the first time they tried them and very seldom after. As officials we do not need to interject ourselves into legal plays when we have no business doing so.

I personally enjoy seeing these type of plays because it makes the game fun, that's just me.

My strategy against this.
 

After reading about this and doing some thinking, here is what I have come up with to do about this:

We don't prepare for things like this in practice because I would rather spend time on baseball activities that will make my players play the game the right way. Let's first assume this scenario:

R1, outs don't matter. The runner takes a normal lead from first when the defensive coach decides he wants to talk to his pitcher. He requests and is granted time. After his conference on the mound play resumes with R1 once again taking a normal lead. I think we can all agree that this type of thing happens all of the time.

Now let's look at the situation from the original post. R1 has gone into short right field and is standing in front of F9. When he stops he is no longer advancing toward second base so it can be assumed that he has taken his lead. At this point, as the defensive coach I will request time. It should be granted because the runner is not advancing and we are not making a play on him. If the request is denied, then the umpire must also deny any future requests where the runner has taken his lead. If this is the case, any time I am on offense and I sense that the opposing coach wants to have a conference or replace a pitcher, I will make sure that my baserunner is at lease a step off the base and the umpire will not grant time.

I know some of you will say that this will just prolong the game because the offense will do the same thing when the ball is put back into play, but I would be using this conference to instruct my players as to exactly what I want them to do in this situation.

How would all of you handle this?

Just have the pitcher step off and start walking toward the skunk all the while keeping an eye on R3. The R1 will eventually have to start directly towards 1B or 2B in a direct line. If R3 Breaks for home then throw home. If the pitcher is any good he should be able to nail him. Or just tag the skunk before R3 scores.