Time play

[Jimurray]

As a spectator I saw this with all the umps ready to rule on whatever happened and everything was called properly but I have a segue to @beerguy55 and @Rich Ives RIP, as to how they train for this. I did coach before I started umpiring but wasn't at an advanced level. I have seen smart teams take advantage of R2 tagging to go to 3B while R3 scores. F7 throws to 3B and negates the score. So it's incumbent for umpires to know how the game is coached. But this sit is different. R1 and R3 1 out. R1 is stealing on the pitch and its a flyout to RF. R1 is a dead duck and R3 is heading home. F9 starts to throw to 1B and sees F3 is in the cutoff position so double clutches and throws home too late. An out at 1B would have been a time play 3rd out. Question, does F3 get coached to cover 1B if this happens?

[beerguy55]

Typically not - even at the higher/older levels I've tried to keep it simple.   Muscle memory.  F3 goes to cutoff and F4 is - theoretically - going to first.  F1 is going behind home.

Many teams I've actually had F3 be the cutoff for all throws from any field - again, to keep it simple - not just community/rec ball, but 18 year old club teams that have medaled in Nationals.

The question here would be whether or not F4 can get to first in time....or, if he's committed too much to going after what may have looked like a shallow fly ball.  Depending on the batter/situation, he also may have been moving to second on the steal.

Having said that, my players are coached to go through several scenarios in their head before each pitch, and know what they're doing for each of those scenarios.  Most players wouldn't get far enough down the list to "R1 is stealing and fly ball hit to RF", but if they did F3 would know to go to first base.   It's advanced IMO.

If F3 is very smart and observant he'll make the adjustment.

Or, if the team communicates the way it should, maybe F3 gets the message and adjusts in time.

You'd get a chuckle asking some of the teams I've coached about this, because I put a lot of time and effort into explaining and getting F3 to vacate the base to take the cutoff - because, on a single, they want to be at first base to get the batter who just rounded first and went too far.  Without fail I could ask any F3 who could have played any number of years how many outs they got doing this the answer was either one or never.  So, I ended up pounding into their heads that I don't care about the runner on first base - they're not going anywhere.   Because of that, most of my players would likely not get the second out on this play, by default.

 

EDIT: ironically, less competitive teams are probably more likely to get this DP (if they can make the throw and catch).  At rec ball you'll either see no cutoff person, or F1 is cutoff, and in either scenario F3 is anchored to first base.

[beerguy55]

14 hours ago, Jimurray said:

Question, does F3 get coached to cover 1B if this happens?

I'm assuming you're asking about the likelihood of PU needing to really worry about and lineup seeing the timing of the out at first vs the touch at home...I'd say pretty low...and I think you can see pretty early if there will be a play at first. 

The example you give about getting R2 at third (or even R1 at second) before the tagged up R3 scores, is more common for sure, and not only are teams coached on the defense of it, but also the offense. R3 needs to hustle in case of a third out somewhere else - he can't jog just because the fly ball was caught at the warning track.  And at the same time R1/R2 need to understand the risk/reward of trying to advance and getting out before R3 scores.  As well, we'll have R1/R2 feint advancing to draw the cutoff and reduce risk of a close play at the plate....or get in a run down to ensure R3 scores.

On the R1 appeal side, appeal time plays are so rare that even though I coach the knowledge, I don't expect much of them retain it.