Rundown/Hot Box/Pickle

Question
I thought I knew how to do it properly, but I got into a debate with another assistant coach on our team.  I have a nice instruction book that I pulled out, and he pulled one out himself.

Basically, we disagree on what the player that just threw the ball goes.  I say he goes to the base he threw it to, and he says he should peel back and go to the base he just came from.

I'm looking for internet sites that I can forward to him to read.

Answer
James,

Great question!!!  There are many different opinions.  With a major leaguer, they are going to do either depending on where they are on the basepath. If they are more than 1/3 way to the base they throw to, they follow the ball.  If they are less than a 1/3 of the way to where they throw they will peel back.

The issue is that you are not dealing with MLB players, are you?  I coach a 14 year old select traveling team.  We won our state fall title last year.  My kids are pretty good. They would mess this up.

We go it this way: ALWAYS, ALWAYS GO TO WHERE YOU THROW!!!!

It is the easiest and safest way to get an out and make sure all bases are covered.  If you go where you throw, you always have a man at the farthest base.  You have 2 goals on a rundown.  1-Get an out, 2-Push the runner back to where he came. Just don't give him the extra base.

Teach your young players to go where they throw and you will not go wrong. If they try to peel back, you are going to leave the farther base open and give up a base.  If you do where you throw, the worst you do is push the runner back.  

You must practice it so that the pitcher knows his duty in the rundown and the rest of the players do as well.  But teach a kid to go where he throws and he will get it down.

Hope this helps.  Take it easy on your assistant coach.  Tell him he is kind of right, but it would be easiest and best for your players to do it your way.

Mike