Bottom of the 7th

[playme]

hs baseball... it is the bottom of the 7th, game tied, bases loaded, 1 out, best hitter at the plate, and best closer on the mound...you pick if you are the home team or the visitor...what do you do?

[playme]

1 step further...pitcher is throwing from the stretch...



are we having fun yet?

[Braves]

Bump for answers

[amfball]

I'm a small ball kind of guy...squeeze him..may catch folks off-guard being the best hitter. Sure hope he knows how to bunt.

[Eagles 1313]

If I am the visitors, I would have my infield in and outfield in enough to make the throw home on a flyball to the outfield. I would tell my infielders to make sure of the out at home. (Basically forget trying for 2 just make sure the winning run does not score) At this point also, you have to have a lot of confidence in the catcher and pitcher. The catcher to keep the ball in front of him and the pitcher to locate.
If I am the home team, I would give my best hitter one crack at trying to hit the ball hard somewhere and then it is the squeeze play. If he is the best hitter for my team, he WILL know how to bunt. If the squeeze play fails I should still have bases loaded and could always have the threat of a passed ball/wild pitch happen.

[ALL9]

Is the pitcher righty or a lefty?

[TheOriole]

just so happens he is ambidextrous!:champagne::champagne::champagne:

[Coach Tuck]

I love the squeeze to, but my best hitter ain't bunting.

[tj21]

No, if I'm the offensive team my best hitter aint bunting either,,,,,,, if I'm the defensive team, it would make a difference if I just brought my best closer in the game to put out that fire,,, or is he the one that got us into this bases loaded/ 1 out mess? Depending on what options you have in your bullpen, he may not be your best closer that day.

[lilpropst]

I'm the visiting team... and I'm pitching (ok, i'm not pitching because this will only work with a righty on the mound).
Slow pick-off to 3rd base... after I throw to third, I take a peak at the runner on first base to see how far off he is.
Next I fake pick to third- spin and throw to first. Runner is caught for out #2.

I put my infield and outfield back to regular depth and pitch to the #1 hitter.

(however, if the pick play doesn't work... pull my corners in, middle infield regulard depth and pitch him outside, until 2-0 count. If he ain't biting on that- I've got to give him somethig to hit)

[Eagles 1313]

If it's the team's best hitter I think that he would gladly take that outside pitch to the right side of the field and either hit a long fly ball or drive the ball through the infield to win the game. Also, what happens if you do not turn the double play up the middle? You lose the game right? If your pick off play works do you still pitch to the best hitter or do you intentionally walk him and see if someone else wants the pressure? Just thoughts not trying to attack your opinions

[Braves]

I love these responses...they're great!:fan_wave2:

[lilpropst]

However, this play opens up more options for me.
I only throw (outside) to the hitter if the pick-play doesn't work... mind you, I plan on taking the count to 2-0 so that he doesn't have a good pitch to hit, so they're not going to be strikes. If he get's one then more power to him, that's why he's their best hitter. Remember, the hometeam is in the driver's seat anyway (I'm trying to find a way to get an edge, otherwise I've done nothing as a coach and should be fired..lol)

But yes, if I do get the pick-play to work (if my pitcher and 1st baseman can't play catch, I've got bigger issues at hand) I've opened up 1st base- I can in fact- walk the batter (who's on deck?) or I could pitch to him as normal and have my position players at normal depth (I may have 3rd come in (bunt to the right side is the pitchers, bunt to left side is 3rd baseman's). The good thing is, we've taken some of the pressure of the pitcher at this point, hopefully that helps his confidence.

Home team:
Something good to think about though.... bottom of 7th, 2 outs- best hitter at the plate, runners on 2nd and 3rd.... do I bunt? or swing away? I'm already in the drivers seat... but I don't think I would bunt, but it would be a suprise to the visiting team. Thoughts?

BTW- We used this pick-play on many occasions with Coach Pollard at Pfeiffer. It worked all but one time... but did propel us to win the conference championship. Only difference in that game, it was the bottom of the 9th and raining. OUCH!

[BaseballMan]

Tough to answer given what we know:
Can the top hitter bunt?
What kind of speed does the hitter have?
Is the hitter a line drive type guy or a fly ball hitter?
Is the pitcher an athlete off the mound?
How much falloff do I have with the next hitter if the squeeze fails?
How's my pen vs their pen if it goes extras?
Where in the order will the opponent be if it goes to extras?

[Gman13'sdad]

except the home team, Northwood, was down 2 runs in the bottom of the 7th in the conference championship game. Former head coach Ronald Horton worked his magic...
A hit, a walk and an error on the bunt to move the runners, loaded the bases with one out. Next batter again sac bunts and beats the throw, runner at third scores and now it's a one run game, bases still loaded. Next batter strikes out, now two away. Infield backs up a few steps and Coach Horton, with one of his best power guys at the plate calls for suicide squeeze. Batter put the ball on the third base line with all runners going. Pitcher has to play the ball and throws wildly to 1st and by the time they corral the ball the runner from 2nd, who never slowed down slides across the plate, beating the throw, to win the game.

[amfball]

I still say squeeze him home......coaches should practice their small ball and get all their players to practice bunting. Your runners also need to understand how to get the proper jump for the squeeze. I have seen hesitation kill the play. Its the execution that counts. If you aren't prepared, you may tell the batter to swing away.

The bunt is a very effective tool and has won many a game.

[lilpropst]

Why is no one coming up with a defensive strategy for this scenario besides me? It's easy to be the home team in this situation- the game is already in your hands.

Come on guru's!!!

[BaseballMan]

Well, I don't see as many defensive strategies in this situ. You can't walk the batter. So all you can really do is bring the IF and OF in coach up your pitcher on how to induce a groundball or popped up bunt.

[ALL9]

Defensively you have to trust your pitcher to force try and get a grounder. Play your infield in(pinch the middle and let your corners give up the lines) and bring your outfield in. Have confidence in your pitcher to get the K or ground ball make sure of 1!!.

Offensively I would tell the hitter to try to avoid the ground ball(the sac fly will work well). Don't try to do to much and to have fun at the plate(he needs the pitcher to notice he is relaxed).

Whatever happens, happens. Its the way baseball goes.

[TheOriole]

hold a team meeting in the dug out everyone get on their knees and say well however many you feel "Hail MAry's" :)

[Gman13'sdad]

this may fit better on the "it is what it is" thread... tell your pitcher to throw strikes, but don't give 'em anything good to hit!

[lilpropst]

Now that's what I'm talking about.... Hail Mary's, throw strikes- but nothing good to hit.
Definitely right, the visiting team is "living on a prayer" at this point in the ballgame... "it is what it is".

[jd05]

If the batter is righty . Throw strikes in side and hold the runner on third. First baseman in to stop squeeze. Short and 2nd on grass for play at home. Try to fist the batter..

If lefty Throw low and away and hope for the best.

Dont walk him..

[namkrad]

I would go out and tell my pitcher, "Throw your best stuff and whatever happens, happens. Don't think too much, have fun and if you get beat, get beat with your best stuff. Relax....this is what baseball is all about and this is why you play the game."

If my team is batting, I tell the hitter to just make hard contact and hit it somewhere. The pressure is on the defense to make the play.

[Kevin11]

Visiting Team: Best Hitter usually has more pressure on him than the pitcher. He is expected to come thru. I pull the infield in and outfield in to a depth where they can make a good throw home, tell my pitcher to relax and then attack the batter. Pitch sequence, fastball inside and under hands. Hitter is jacked up so it looks big there, maybe you get swinging strike one. Follow that up with changeup away, and fastball away off plate. Need a fourth pitch, curveball outside corner. I hope to get a roll over ground ball on the second pitch change up, to get runner at plate, possible double play on return throw to first. In most of these situations, you see even the best hitters so jacked up they are taking bigger hacks than normal and show them the fastball once, then get them to chase or rollover offspeed.

Home Team: I have my best hitter up, he is the person I want in there and I think it is my best opportunity to get a run in, he is swinging, but first I talk to him. I once told a great hitter playing for me in this situation, " son if I could go over there and pick one kid off the bench to succeed here, who do you think it would be? He replied, " Me, Coach" I looked at him and said, " he!! no, I would pick my son, but if I went 2 deep, you would be the second choice." He started dieing laughing, first pitch he sees, rings one off the CF field for a bases clearing double.

Biggest thing for me as a coach in either situation would be to keep my pitcher or hitter as relaxed as possible. Get nervous or try to hard, muscles tense up and as a pitcher, you find the middle of the plate belt high, not good results! As a hitter, you swing harder, expand your strike zone and success rate falls.

[tj21]

Definitely like Kevin11's last paragraph. While some coaches are great at teaching fundamentals or strategy,,,, lets face it, some coaches just tend to have problems in winning that big game. And its because their players fall to the pressure or are "afraid of making that mistake".

The coaches WHO ARE ABLE to get their players to play (I said P-L-A-Y) near their best during the actual games,,,,,,,,,,,, usually wins.

[TheOriole]

That IS A fact tj21!

[coachevans26]

I would hope that my players, whether the hitter or the pitcher, would perform and be prepared for the situation. I dont believe I would say anything. I would say a prayer and hope for the best!

[BaseballMan]

Since this is fantasy I will be the greatest coach on Earth. I will just have my pitcher throw a comebacker to the mound for a 1-2-3 DP and hit the showers.

[throwheat22]

I think Earl Weaver would put the Grand Salami play on...