Chapter 18. The Rundown and Baseball

Sometimes when a runner is caught off base, whether it be by the pitcher, catcher, or any other member of the defensive team, he attempts to get free by dodging back and forth along the base line and has to be stopped with a rundown.

The team without defense for antics like this (like the rundown), is a team that's going to lose many a base runner, many an out, and, perhaps, many a ball game.

There is no excuse for a runner escaping, once caught in a run-up play. The defense has all the advantage. It need only remember these principles:

1. Take the initiative away from the runner.
2. Put the runner out with no more than two throws.
3. Put the runner out at the base he started from.

Now, put a runner halfway between 1st and 2nd.

The three players who would work together to put the runner out during the rundown include second baseman, shortstop and first baseman.

Remove the trapped runner from between 1st and 2nd and put him between 2nd and 3rd. The three defensive men involved this time would be the second baseman, shortstop and third baseman.

Now place the trapped runner between home and 3rd. As you can see, the shortstop, third baseman and catcher make a handy trio for this side of the diamond.

There are more principles to be learned at this point and they involve the movements of each of the three-player combinations in the rundown.

Here they are:

1. Whenever one defensive player throws the ball to another covering a base in a run-up play, he circles to his right to replace his teammate.
2. If the pick-off throw is behind the runner, the runner should be driven at least 2/3 of the way to the next base before a throw is made. The runner should then be driven back to the base he came from and put out with one throw.
3. If the pick-off throw is ahead of the runner, he should be driven back to the base he came from and put out with one throw.

"Back Where He Came From"

Put our base runner between 1st and 2nd now, but fairly close to 1st. Assume that the pitcher has caught the, runner off with a quick throw to 1st. Here's what should happen:

The shortstop covers 2nd, the second baseman races to cover 1st. The third baseman stays at 3rd, the catcher Home. The first baseman forces the base runner at least two-thirds of the way to 2nd. He throws to the shortstop, circles to the right and comes in behind the shortstop to cover 2nd base.

After receiving the ball from the first baseman, the shortstop chases the runner all the way back toward 1st, until one throw to the second baseman will make the put-out.

Should the runner escape on the second throw, the rotation could start over again and continue indefinitely. This must be discouraged because the more the defense handles the ball, the more chance there is of dropping it.

If you look at the sketch again, you will see that no matter where you place a "trapped" runner and no matter which way you direct an imaginary pick-off throw, the three-man combination can work together to make the put-out as we have described it for 1st base.

There are three big advantages to this method-the defense uses a minimum number of throws for the put-out; every base is covered and the pitcher is not involved. The pitcher, however, should not be a spectator. When a runner is caught between 1st and 2nd, he should back up 1st. He should back up 3rd, when one is caught between 2nd and 3rd, and Home when a runner is being chased between Home and 3rd. (As usual, each outfielder backs up the base in front of his position.)

We should make a few more points before leaving the subject of the rundown.

When circling right to rotate positions, go wide enough to avoid any possible contact with the runner in the base path.

In chasing a base runner, a fielder should not stop running or slow down to make a bluff throw. He should charge the base runner with all the speed. The runner, naturally, will try to retreat just as fast. Finally, when the ball is passed, he will have to check his momentum and get started in the other direction. That's when the defense should make the put-out!

Sometimes an outfielder or infielder will find a runner stopped halfway between bases. In this situation, the fielder should charge the runner, slightly favoring the base ahead. Force the runner to break hard in one direction or the other, then use the rundown tactics already described.

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