Runners on 1st and 3rd

I don't like to see it either, but I've watched too many games be decided on a defensive blunder.

Make the suckers beat you! Make 'em swing the bat!

How much harder is a loss to take when the run that beats you comes on a WP, PB, bad pick off throw, is walked in or score on the ol' 1st and 3rd super play? There is no way a player can accept losing like that.

If you don't want to "give away" a base, have your catcher try to throw the runner out! Like I said, to me, the mere fact that a play is put on is an insult to the catcher! I honestly can't remember trying that particular play as a catcher, but I do remember that we had no sign for anything special in that situation.

If there were 2 down, I'm giving everything I have to nail the runner at 2nd. If I get him, there's no way the run scores first. If its a tight game and the runner on 3rd means something, I don't risk a bad throw. Throwing away the tying or go ahead run is worse than running yourself out of an inning in a close game.

As a catcher, if the game is out of hand one way or the other, chances are I'm gonna try to pick the runner off 1st or 3rd before they can even try the play.

There are no hard rules about anything in baseball because no two situations are exactly the same. But, I believe you gotta play the odds and in doing that, you need to know everyone's capabilities.

If you have Johnny Bench behind the plate, you let him try to get the runner because that's the best chance you have. If you have a lefty on the mound with a great move, you go for the pick off because that's your best bet. If Ted Williams is at the plate, you try to get the runner and if you don't, you walk him. But, if you have the pitcher at the plate who hasn't hi a ball out of the infield this century, you forget the runner and go for the out because he's gonna probably be bunting anyway!

Everything depends on the situation. Sometimes it dictates that you do something, and sometimes it dictates that you do nothing. But, I always like to remember one of my favorite sayings, "Sometimes, the best throw a player can make is the one he doesn't let go of!"