Strange baserunning

Dyzalot · 05-30-2018, 02:31 AM

Something I've been seeing in this version that I haven't seen in other versions is the groundball with runners on 1st and 3rd turned into a force at 2nd with the runner on third holding. I'm going to guess that this rarely to ever happens in MLB. It is such common strategy to send the runner on third in that situation so as to stay out of the double play that when infielders do hold the runner at 3rd in real life they only have the play at 1st left. There is no time when an infielder holds the runner at third and then throws to 2nd to try and convert a double play as it is explained in the play by play. Now I have yet to see an actual double play converted when the runner holds but the pbp indicates that is what the defense is attempting to do which is pretty much impossible to accomplish in MLB. And in my 40+ years of watching baseball I don't think I've ever seen a force at 2nd converted while also being able to hold the runner at third unless maybe one time the runner on first tripped and fell on his way to 2nd. I'd be really surprised if it happens even once per year on average in real life.

BoomerSoonerAMH · 05-30-2018, 09:22 PM

Which fielder is fielding the ball? The only example of what you’re describing that I can recall seeing is a ball hit back to the pitcher. In a 1st and 3rd situation with no outs, the runner at 3rd should be holding to make sure the ball gets by the pitcher. If the pitcher fields it, the process of holding the runner is pretty much a quick glance toward 3rd leaving plenty of time to make the throw to 2nd base.

That said, all of it really depends on the situational aspects of the game. What inning is it and the importance of a single run are probably the biggest factors. If the runner at 3rd is the potential tying/go-ahead/winning run late in the game, you’ll probably see the defense in and playing to prevent a run, so they’ll be out of position to get an out at 2nd and will take the out at first. If the run doesn’t have that much value, the defense will probably try for the double play without regard to the runner at 3rd scoring. The number of outs can also cause the defense to adjust as this situation with 1 out gives the defense the potential to get out of the inning with a DP. With no outs in a close game, the defense would likely prefer to prevent the run from scoring. In a blowout, they might concede the run in favor of the DP.

Qeltar · 05-30-2018, 09:40 PM

I don't think it's as rare as you seem to think it is.

Off the top of my head, a comebacker will usually freeze a runner on third, a hard-hit ball to 3B can, so can a line drive in the infield (whether it is caught or not) and of course, if the infield is in.

Dyzalot · 05-31-2018, 03:48 AM

None of those should freeze the guy on third as standard strategy is to go on any groundball. You'd rather the infielder try to make a play at the plate as opposed to completing a double play except in rare circumstances. I'd like to see how common it is in real life MLB for a runner to get thrown out at 2nd on a groundball while the runner on third holds. I expect it is extremely rare.

Bunktown Ballers · 05-31-2018, 08:59 PM

Infield in will hold runner at 3rd if ball hit sharply to infielder. Seen it happen before on quite a few ocassions, but I wait up to 4 games a day but mostly 3 a day

Dyzalot · 05-31-2018, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunktown Ballers

Infield in will hold runner at 3rd if ball hit sharply to infielder. Seen it happen before on quite a few ocassions, but I wait up to 4 games a day but mostly 3 a day

Yes infield in will hold the runner at third. It also means the out gets made at 1st. You never see a MLB team try to turn a 6-4-3 or 5-4-3 double play when the infield is in.

05-30-2018, 02:31 AM	#1
Dyzalot All Star Starter Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 1,735	Strange baserunning Something I've been seeing in this version that I haven't seen in other versions is the groundball with runners on 1st and 3rd turned into a force at 2nd with the runner on third holding. I'm going to guess that this rarely to ever happens in MLB. It is such common strategy to send the runner on third in that situation so as to stay out of the double play that when infielders do hold the runner at 3rd in real life they only have the play at 1st left. There is no time when an infielder holds the runner at third and then throws to 2nd to try and convert a double play as it is explained in the play by play. Now I have yet to see an actual double play converted when the runner holds but the pbp indicates that is what the defense is attempting to do which is pretty much impossible to accomplish in MLB. And in my 40+ years of watching baseball I don't think I've ever seen a force at 2nd converted while also being able to hold the runner at third unless maybe one time the runner on first tripped and fell on his way to 2nd. I'd be really surprised if it happens even once per year on average in real life.

05-31-2018, 08:59 PM	#5
Bunktown Ballers All Star Starter Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Louisiana Posts: 1,371 Infractions: 0/1 (2)	Runner on 3rd Infield in will hold runner at 3rd if ball hit sharply to infielder. Seen it happen before on quite a few ocassions, but I wait up to 4 games a day but mostly 3 a day

05-30-2018, 09:22 PM	#2
BoomerSoonerAMH Minors (Double A) Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 111	Which fielder is fielding the ball? The only example of what you’re describing that I can recall seeing is a ball hit back to the pitcher. In a 1st and 3rd situation with no outs, the runner at 3rd should be holding to make sure the ball gets by the pitcher. If the pitcher fields it, the process of holding the runner is pretty much a quick glance toward 3rd leaving plenty of time to make the throw to 2nd base. That said, all of it really depends on the situational aspects of the game. What inning is it and the importance of a single run are probably the biggest factors. If the runner at 3rd is the potential tying/go-ahead/winning run late in the game, you’ll probably see the defense in and playing to prevent a run, so they’ll be out of position to get an out at 2nd and will take the out at first. If the run doesn’t have that much value, the defense will probably try for the double play without regard to the runner at 3rd scoring. The number of outs can also cause the defense to adjust as this situation with 1 out gives the defense the potential to get out of the inning with a DP. With no outs in a close game, the defense would likely prefer to prevent the run from scoring. In a blowout, they might concede the run in favor of the DP.

05-30-2018, 09:40 PM	#3
Qeltar Major Leagues Join Date: Apr 2018 Posts: 382	I don't think it's as rare as you seem to think it is. Off the top of my head, a comebacker will usually freeze a runner on third, a hard-hit ball to 3B can, so can a line drive in the infield (whether it is caught or not) and of course, if the infield is in.

05-31-2018, 03:48 AM	#4
Dyzalot All Star Starter Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 1,735	None of those should freeze the guy on third as standard strategy is to go on any groundball. You'd rather the infielder try to make a play at the plate as opposed to completing a double play except in rare circumstances. I'd like to see how common it is in real life MLB for a runner to get thrown out at 2nd on a groundball while the runner on third holds. I expect it is extremely rare.