Thoughts on a common deviation - (2 man) PU covers 3B on a extra base hit?
 

I'm not advocating for this deviation, but it's a common one. This came up over postgame sodas last week and I thought I'd open it to the forum.

Sitch: No runners on, 2 man system. Assume a competent, experienced crew that has worked together before. A gapper is hit for an obvious double. PU moves past the holding zone and communicates "I've got your 3B".

IF there is a misthrow or BR is super aggressive and advances to 3B, what is the best course of action for the BU (assuming this hasn't been pregamed...and we should not pregame deviations)?

- Cover home?
- Stay in the middle for a possible retreat to 2B?
- Continue to work his responsibilities and take the BR to 3B, and deal with the aftermath in postgame?
- Something else?

I will admit I've done this as PU, when I have a less-mobile BU partner. I probably shouldn't.

Say we started w/ a runner on first and a base hit to the outfield. PU has runner going to third.

What's the mechanic if there's an overthrow of F5 and the ball bounces off a fence? PU then tries to retreat to cover home, likely inside fair territory to avoid being in the throwing lane, and responsible for the play at the plate.

Is that significantly different? I would not like my BU taking the play at the plate in a 2-ump system. I fear we'd both end up 30 feet away from the play with the possibility of 2 different calls.

But that's just me. And I don't like deviating in advance.

Agreed Ted. When I do this, I have full expectations of busting ass as PU to get back to home, just like with runners on base. Would you agree then that if PU deviates, BU should stick with his responsibilities and not deviate further?

Non sequitur storytime: I once took a play at home as BU after chasing a batted ball to the outfield.

No one on, high school varsity game. Ball hit over my head down RF line. I take fair-foul, as I had pregamed with my partner. A diving catch attempt fails, and I signal accordingly. My partner goes to cover 2B, makes it about 3/4 the way to the pitching circle and falls down. The chalk monster got him, I guess.

The throw to 2B is wide, and the ball goes into left. BR doesn't break stride and rounds 2B with a full head of steam. I was 100 feet from home, but I can see that there is no way my partner is getting up in time to make any credible call. I bust in, headed for home about the same time the runner does.

I get a decent position of approximately point of the plate for a throw from left field with F2 positioned up the line about 10 feet. Throw is wide, the ball whizzed past my legs to the backstop, no call necessary. Weird play.

Yeah, I would agree with that. If the BU partner was too slow to cover the BR to third, I can't see him being quick enough to try and cover home.

I agree that BU should not deviate further

Continue to work his responsibilities, never HP.

What aftermath ???

Deviation in advance is a contradiction in terms, IOW an oxymoron.

I can understand a PU covering a trail runner at 3rd if the PU literally can't make it. It is only 80+ feet from A to a calling position at 3rd.

I haven't done baseball in a long time, so I don't know if it's still the case. But when I attended a baseball camp years ago, this was the taught mechanic on a 90' diamond. Should the BU chase from A with no runners on base, and the ball is not caught, then the BU should hustle back in foul territory to take home should the BR eventually try to score. That's because the PU is way too deep into the infield for plays at second or third, and may not be able to make it all the way back to the plate. Since the BU has no other responsibilities after chasing, there should be no problem with him/her covering home while the BR rounds the bases.

But for softball, there should be no reason for the BU to cover home under two-man unless the PU blows a tire. The infield is small enough that the PU can adequately retreat home.