Need a little help here with Dropped Third Strike technique for defense.
In the youth league on 70 ft base paths, our right handed catcher does a great job of blocking and keeping the ball out in front of him on all pitches, but he seems to drop many pitches. We will work on his ability to catch the ball as the season progresses. That's a big concern, but something we can fix in the long run.
Here's where I need help. In a game yesterday, we were zero for 3 on getting the out on dropped third strike because the base runner is in the way, running to first, when the catcher gets ready to throw to 1st on DTS. He tried looping it over his head and ball went to Right field. He held the ball once because a runner on 3rd was threatening to come home. And the catcher stepped outside the basepath while the 1st baseman was inside the path on one attempt which made the ball hard to catch.
What is the proper technique here for the 1st baseman positioning and the catcher? One of our coaches told the catcher to yell, "inside or outside" to the first baseman to let him know where to setup. But, on a DTS, everyone in both dugouts is yelling like crazy and I noticed there's no way the 1st baseman will hear the audible from the catcher.
So, how do you defend a DTS? Oh yea, assume there's a runner on 3rd base when the DTW occurs.
Looking for suggestions on what the 1st baseman should do and what the catcher should do on a DTS.
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