Am trying to incorporate 1B and 2B pick off plays into my team's winter workout sessions and was wondering if y'all had suggestions on some tried & true plays that you'd recommend adding to a team's bag o' tricks.
I won't give you the answer straight out, but I will point you to the source. Go purchase "The Baseball Playbook" by Ron Polk. Trust me, that thing is the Bible for baseball.
In there, you will see that he runs a 10- and 20-series of pickoffs. We never got the 20- series to work very well but we probably picked off 10 - 12 players running the 10-series last year at various bases.
A pitchers best friend is his catcher. It is the job of the pitcher and catcher to hold those runners close to the bag. Im less concerned with the pickoff itself as holding runners close allowes your catcher the chance to throw them out at 2nd and promotes more double plays. (Note) your pitchers need to work the slide step
Bravo 10BB! Depending on the base path length, a catcher’s “coming down” throw plus a little awareness from the pitcher will keep runners close and base coaches wary of sending runners.
Most of you know but for those who don't my son catches. Whenever the pitcher is in trouble and has put a couple on I always tell my son to manufacture an out. To make something happen, to help his pitcher out. He has always been very aggressive behind the plate, sometimes it helps sometimes it doesn't but what it does is makes a kid not afraid to make something happen. It makes him an instinct player and thats what I want. Just my thoughts yall tell me if yall think Im wrong .
My son also catches and I too like the aggressive style to a point. Just don't be so aggressive as to throw the ball to the outfield or to an infeilder that is not ready. An aggressive catcher can also cost you game at some time.
Pick Off Plays
Posted - 11/11/2009 : 18:02:07
