Rundowns

[Big Apple RBI Champ]

Questions on rundowns
1. Do you ever get in a rundown on purpose?  Say 1st and 3rd less than 2 outs, need one run to tie.  On defense do you throw through (assume all baserunners are slightly above average speed)?

2. Man on first.  You step off and he is going.  He is frozen between first and second.  What do you do with the ball?  Run toward second?  Run toward first?  Tough sometimes to get the guy- especially if it's Coleman.

So basically I am saying "Rundowns.  Discuss."

[JoeDirt]

1. On defense, I will always throw in this situation.  Assuming it's the guy on 1st that gets into the rundown, I'll chase him down, but fire the ball to home as soon as the guy on 3rd commits (more than just breaks). 

I sometimes will purposely get into a rundown in these situations...it depends on who's up and how much junk the pitcher has...

2. It really depends on who it is.  If it's Coleman or another speedy guy, I think you gotta hold still for 1/2 second and then fire the ball to 2nd.  If it's a fatty, I like to run to 1st and a) throw a bullet if he goes back to 1st, or b) run toward 2nd after getting to 1st (if he's really slow) and then fire a bullet to 2nd when he's about to slide.

In all situations, I like to fake push the throw button so it makes a noise.  I really think that the runner usually instinctively hears that sound and retreats.  For example, if already running toward 2nd, I like to push "b" (and up) so it makes a noise...

[JoeDirt]

great question, by the way...

[Ryno23]

this begs the age old statement.


this should be a pole.

[Big Apple RBI Champ]

the fake pushing of the button works almost always in a rundown.  i give the exaggerated gesture also, moving my body for emphasis so my opponent sees me.  it's also a good way to get in his head.

[JoeDirt]

I sometimes try to pull off a fake knuckleball, too--you know how sometimes the controller makes a click when a knuckle is pitched? 

Maybe I am a cheater...

[Big Apple RBI Champ]

i never noticed the click on knuckler.  i'll try to pay attention next time.

[JoeDirt]

Well, it's mostly because you don't normally hold the up button down while pitching a knuckle--you push it and then direct pitch once it's thrown.  Therefore, the contoller often makes a clicking sound.  So when I really throw a knuckle, I try to do it so quietly...