 Rundowns
Rundowns: Slam Dunks of Defensive Baseball by Brian Priebe
Brian can be reached at: This article was originally
published in Coaching Digest (May 1995) A team unprepared to deal with
rundowns might panic at the sight of a runner caught off base. In reality, few situations
favor the defense more. Once your team masters the following strategies, they'll view
rundowns as "slam dunk" outs.
Apply these six fundamentals to
all rundown situations, regardless of which players are involved, or which direction you
instruct them to peel off after releasing the ball. Before a tag is even attempted,
infielders must establish proper coverage of the lead and trail bases. All nine defenders
take part. The two most important roles to fill are those of the ball handlers. Start the rundown by getting the
ball as quickly as possible in front of the runner-- into the hands of the fielder ten
feet in front of the lead base. If no one is there to accept a throw, whoever has the ball
must run and occupy that position. Guarding the lead base is the first priority. The next priority is to stay out
of the runner's way. Anyone who blocks the progress of a base runner while not in
possession of the ball and not in the act of fielding the ball will be called for
obstruction. The ball handler sprints toward
the runner forcing him to abandon his shuffle steps, square his shoulders, and retreat at
full speed. Speed is crucial. It exposes the runner's inherent vulnerability in rundowns.
While sprinting, the infielder holds the ball steady beside his ear ready to tag or
release at any instant. The trail base fielder presents his glove as a visible target and
is poised to move toward an errant throw, just in case. As the runner approaches within
6-8 feet of the receiving fielder, the ball handler gains control of his body and throws.
The baserunner will consume precious seconds coming to a complete stop and changing
direction. During this maneuver, he is an
easy mark. A synchronized throw will allow the receiving fielder to administer the tag
with only a stride or two toward the runner. After releasing the ball, the fielder peels
off either to the inside or the right side. Whichever method you teach, employ it
consistently on all throws. The fielder then curls back behind the base and assumes a back
up role. With two runners on base, the
defense must cover the lead and trail bases of both runners and prepare for simultaneous
rundowns. If the lead runner is in a rundown, the defense focuses on the greater scoring
threat. At the play's conclusion, if both runners occupy the same base, tag them both and
you still gain an out. Runners at 1st and 3rd pose yet
another challenge. The trail runner may stray off base hoping to draw a throw and permit
the lead runner to score. Institute a verbal signal for the infield to shout, such as
"Going" or "Step Off", when they see the trail runner leaving early. Upon hearing the signal, the
pitcher steps off the rubber to prevent a balk. He'll then launch the basic rundown
defense already described. While attacking the runner on 1st, whoever has the ball must
remain in control and be ready to throw home. Again, a verbal signal is in order when the
runner on 3rd makes his break. Anytime a rundown begins with
the trail base fielder possessing the ball, like after a pick-off attempt, he momentarily
stands his ground. He won't want to force the runner toward the lead base. Nor can he
leave his post until backup arrives. Instead, he waits for lead base fielder to charge in
and then throws to him to begin the standard scheme. During rundown drills in
practice, allow all potential ball handlers to play the part of the runner. Have them draw
on this experience the next time they're on defense. From the runner's vantage point, they
can best sense the optimum moment for the fielder to throw the ball to secure the out. Baseball offers few occasions
where the outcome is certain before a play is over. But, the next time your defense
encounters a rundown, the only unknown may be how to record the out in your score book.
All you need is the right strategy and the repetition of practice to make it so.
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