What is The Call

[Tyler Durden]

I was out at DV this weekend and there was a play that I was wondering about. Here was the scenario:
R1 (on 3rd Base), R2 (on 2nd Base), only one out. Batter hits a grounder to F4, and R1 breaks for Home. R2 breaks for 3rd Base.
F4 throws home to F2. R1 hits the brakes about 20 feet from the plate. At this point, R2 has reached 3rd base, and is occupying 3rd base, and is in a running stance looking towards home plate, with her back foot on the bag, and her front foot down the line towards home plate.
R1 gets involved in a typical 'run-down' situation between 3B and Home.

My question is, what is the call if, during the run-down on R1, F3 or F6 get tangled up with R2 while she is occupying the bag at 3B, and this causes them to be unable to catch a thrown ball? What is the call if F3 or F6 inadvertantly knock R2 off of the 3B bag while trying to make the play on R1?

[tcannizzo]

I
what is the call if, during the run-down on R1, F3 or F6 get tangled up with R2 while she is occupying the bag at 3B, and this causes them to be unable to catch a thrown ball?

At that point R2 would be protected by OBS; having already reached 3B, she could be considered to be protected between 3B and Home. R1 is still fair game.

What is the call if F3 or F6 inadvertantly knock R2 off of the 3B bag while trying to make the play on R1?

A runner may not be called out due to the momentum of a defender that causes the runner to become away from the base, so R2 could not be called out if tagged after being knocked off the base. If R2 is knocked off the base by a defender without the ball, then we are back to OBS. R2 could only be called for INT if she clearly interfered intentionally, otherwise we have nothing.

[GIMNEPIWO]

I
what is the call if, during the run-down on R1, F3 or F6 get tangled up with R2 while she is occupying the bag at 3B, and this causes them to be unable to catch a thrown ball?

At that point R1 would be protected by OBS; having already reached 3B, she could be considered to be protected between 3B and Home. R2 is still fair game.

What is the call if F3 or F6 inadvertantly knock R2 off of the 3B bag while trying to make the play on R1?

A runner may not be called out due to the momentum of a defender that causes the runner to become away from the base, so R2 could not be called out if tagged after being knocked off the base. If R2 is knocked off the base by a defender without the ball, then we are back to OBS. R2 could only be called for INT if she clearly interfered intentionally, otherwise we have nothing.

How is R1 protected when the collision was with R2 ?

[as the world turns]

Wow, bad base running, IDK, I guess I would have to be there.

[tcannizzo]

Bad running, maybe, but bad typing on my part.
Here is what I meant to write:

At that point R2 would be protected by OBS; having already reached 3B, she could be considered to be protected between 3B and Home. R1 is still fair game.

going back to edit my error...

[Tyler Durden]

Wow, bad base running, IDK, I guess I would have to be there.

I should also mention that the team that was on Offense is a very good, high-level Gold team with a knowledgeable, experienced coach in the 3B box. It looked clear to me that he had taught his team to base run in this manner in this situation. As R2 was approaching the 3B bag, and R1 was momentarily frozen halfway down the line, he yelled "Right here!" and was pointing at the bag. It looked obvious to me that R2 intended to drop anchor on the 3B bag in the event of an infield grounder in this situation.
Is this play what any other teams are doing? I was wondering if the coaching strategy is that you keep a guaranteed runner on 3B, and then are banking on R1 pressing the defense to make a mistake during the rundown?

[Comp]

Some of my daughters coach have taught this and have seen it on several occasions. If runners are on 2nd and 3rd and the runner at 3rd gets in a rundown they will have the runner on 2nd move to 3rd. As you have said, if the runner does get put out they still have a runner standing on 3rd.

[just4fun]

Wow, bad base running, IDK, I guess I would have to be there.

I should also mention that the team that was on Offense is a very good, high-level Gold team with a knowledgeable, experienced coach in the 3B box. It looked clear to me that he had taught his team to base run in this manner in this situation. As R2 was approaching the 3B bag, and R1 was momentarily frozen halfway down the line, he yelled "Right here!" and was pointing at the bag. It looked obvious to me that R2 intended to drop anchor on the 3B bag in the event of an infield grounder in this situation.
Is this play what any other teams are doing? I was wondering if the coaching strategy is that you keep a guaranteed runner on 3B, and then are banking on R1 pressing the defense to make a mistake during the rundown?

I would agree with what the base coach did. Worse case is there are two outs with a runner on third.

[PDad]

I should also mention that the team that was on Offense is a very good, high-level Gold team with a knowledgeable, experienced coach in the 3B box. It looked clear to me that he had taught his team to base run in this manner in this situation. As R2 was approaching the 3B bag, and R1 was momentarily frozen halfway down the line, he yelled "Right here!" and was pointing at the bag. It looked obvious to me that R2 intended to drop anchor on the 3B bag in the event of an infield grounder in this situation.
Is this play what any other teams are doing? I was wondering if the coaching strategy is that you keep a guaranteed runner on 3B, and then are banking on R1 pressing the defense to make a mistake during the rundown?

Yes, strategy is to ensure you at least end up with a runner on 3B. As your OP states, R2 is also ready to go for Home if the defense makes a mistake on the rundown.

If R1 manages to get back to 3B safely, R2 has to vacate and go back to 2B. At this point, the defense has to decide between going after R2 and/or making sure R1 doesn't score.

[jinjet95]

I didn't think that 3B was still open to R1 if R2 has already occupied it?