Defensive Observations By Coach Jack Dunn I. Defensive Observations 1. An alert capable defense makes for a winning team. The ability to make the routine play consistently is the hallmark of solid defensive play. 2. In rare cases, an exceptionally good pitcher is able to win consistently with a mediocre defensive team playing behind him. This is the exception and not the rule! 3. Defense wins! 4. To be a consistent winner, a team must play solid defense. Defense decides who will win and offense decides by how much. 5. Good defense will keep a team in most games. 6. Defense can be taught. 7. The ability to make the routine out is the key to good defense. 8. In a nine inning game there will be approximately 27 opportunities to put someone out. The team that makes the most of these opportunities with the fewest errors will most likely win the game. 9. A good hitter, who is weak defensively, will never "knock-in" the number of runs he "lets-in!" -- The designated hitter is the exception of course. Consider playing the defensive player ahead of the poor defensive/good hitter. You may want to play the good hitter early in the game; and, if ahead, play the better defensive player later in the game. 10. By minimizing defensive errors and mistakes, you limit your opponents to only those opportunities they earn. II. Build your defense up the middle. 1. Develop your pitching staff - Pitching is considered to be 80 to 85 percent of the defensive game. "Good pitching beats good hitting." 2. Develop your catcher - A strong mentally alert catcher is necessary if a team is to be solid defensively. The distinguishing mark of a great receiver is his ability to catch the low ball and balls in the dirt, to keep runners from advancing. Practice catching low thrown balls constantly. 3. Develop your short stop and second baseman - The majority of batted balls are handled by the infield and of these, the majority is handled by the shortstop and second baseman. Many coaches feel the shortstop should be the team's best athlete/player because he is involved in more defensive plays than any other team member (except the catcher.) An alert, capable middle infield is a primary ingredient for a winning team. 4. Develop a centerfielder - The centerfielder should be the outfield quarterback. He should take charge of the outfield. Because he must cover the greatest amount of the territory in the outfield, he must have the ability to "get a jump" on the ball, be fast a foot and possess a strong throwing arm. A good solid defensive centerfielder complements the team's total defensive scheme... The Outfield Corrects the Pitcher's M istakes and Infielder's Errors! 5. Building a team defensively "up the middle" maximizes the chances of being strong defensively or a least being as good as your team can be. 6. Remember being strong "up the middle" is the backbone of team defense! " Good defense wins!" 7. Remember "build your team defense up the middle." Pitcher Catcher Shortstop/Second base Centerfield
III. Tenets of Defense. Get one out for sure - Regardless of what happens during the course of a play "get someone out." This is particularly true when your team is ahead. Make the easy, routine play - Make it consistently! And, make it under pressure. If you make the easy plays, the hard plays will take care of themselves... Limit your opponents to what they earn! Being good is being consistent! No random throws - Whenever a player makes a throw where there is little or no chance of making an out, it is considered a random throw! The only result of a random throw is something bad. When a throw is made to a base, the closer a base runner is to homeplate, the more certain you must be that there is an actual chance of throwing the base runner out. If a throw is to be made to third base, the defensive player should be 90 percent certain he has a play before making a throw. Don't give your opponents an easy unearned run by throwing the ball away when no play on the base runner exists... catchers take note!!! Know the priority system of "ball then base" - If you are uncertain whether to leave the base or get the ball on a throw, Go get the ball! If you are not involved in a play that is taking place, "cover your base!" A subsequent play may develop at your base and you must be there. The base runner must come to the base and if your not there, there is no play!! IV. Strategy Count your runs - This means knowing which runs are important and which runs are not. This can be ascertained by counting the number of runners on base and the batter, and determining what the score would be if they scored! If the score is 4-0 in your favor with a runner on third base, and if the runner on third base and batter both scored then the score would still be 4-2 in your favor. 2. If the score is 2-0 in your favor with a runner on third base, with less than two outs, concede the run at third base (2-1) by playing your infield back and increasing your chances of keeping the batter - tying run off base! 3. When your team is ahead in the game, "don't keep your opponents rally alive" by throwing to homeplate (or third base) attempting to throw out a base-runner whose run means nothing, even if he does score... 4. Throwing to homeplate or third base on a single to the outfield when the run is meaningless allows the batter/runner to advance to second base. This takes the double play opportunity away from the infield, scores another run on a single, and keeps your opponents rally alive... Keep the double play in order by conceding the run and keeping the batter/runner off second base. 5. Know which batter or base runner is the tying or go-ahead run and keep him out of scoring position by throwing to the correct base. Keep the tying or winning run off second base if possible. 6. "Count your runs!" By doing so you will know when you can give a run and when you cannot. 7. Give a run early in the game to get a sure out and prevent your opponents from having a big inning... Don't be afraid to give a run. If you don't score at least one run, you can't win anyway. 8. If you are ahead by four runs or more in the last inning, play your infield back, give a run for an out... three outs and the game is over. You win... Count your runs! 1. Should I play my infield in or back? - "Counting your runs" will make your decision easier. the difference between winning and losing a ball game. 1. Correct infield depth can mean
2. Playing the infield in to cut off a run makes a.250 hitter a.500 hitter. It doubles the batter's chance of getting a hit because the infielders have less time to react. 3. Early in the game playing the infield back can be the difference between a big inning, or a one run inning for your opponent. 4. Strategy will vary depending upon the score of the game (early innings vs. late innings) and hitter's ability. Tenets of infield positioning. - The coach has the responsibility of knowing the defensive situations and strategy of play. Tactical errors in judgement, such as playing the infield in when it should be deep, can have disastrous results and can result in unnecessary losses. Play infield deep - with a runner on third base. Early in the game. When ahead by two or more runs. When bases are loaded or if there are runners on first and third with one out - go for the double play unless runner at third base is the winning run late in the game. With runners on second and third base play the "infield deep" unless the runner at third base is the winning run. With the infield in, the hitter's chances of getting a hit are doubled which might score two runs. Play the Infield In - To prevent the winning run from scoring. You are behind by a large score. With one out and a runner on third base, playing the infield in is a fairly good gamble. If the batter hits safely, the offensive team is apt not to bunt, the chances of a big inning are not too great, and you may prevent a run from scoring. Bottom half of last inning winning run on third base - less than two outs, bring outfielders into shallow position so that no ball can fall in front of them. Then they can throw out runner on third base once fly ball is caught. A deep fly would score the run even if the ball were caught. How would you plan your infield in the following situations? 1. Runners on second and third bases, one out, you are ahead 3-1. 2. Runners on first and third bases, one out your team is leading 4-2.
3. Bases loaded, first inning, no outs 4. Runner on third base, one out, your team leading by one run. 5. Bases loaded, no outs, your team leading by five runs in the last inning. 6. Last of the ninth inning, score tied, one out, batter triples. Infield in - Pitch to next batter. Infield and outfield in. Infield half way, outfield normal. Intentionally load the bases, infield in, and outfield in shallow. Answers: top 1 - The infield plays deep - The batter is the winning run and the runner on second base is the tying run. Concede the run at third base on a ground ball for the out. Playing deep will increase your chances of keeping the winning run (the batter) off base, and decrease the chances of tying run scoring. 2 - The infield plays deep and tries for the double play. The run at third base means nothing. The tying run is at first base and the winning run at bat. Keep the tying run off second base if possible but "get one for sure"!
3 - Infield plays deep and concedes a run trying for the double play to break the inning. One run is nothing! Remember that if you don't score at least one run you can't win either! Give a run in hopes of breaking up a big inning. 4 - Play the infield in - This is a good gamble although the batter constitutes the go ahead run. Playing the infield in with one out in this situation is fairly safe. A base hit will put the go ahead run on base but the offensive team will usually need two more hits to score and you have the double play in order defensively. 5 - Play the infield deep - Don't keep their rally alive by playing the infield in. You are ahead by five runs. Give a run for an out and you win. 6 - Option #1 - Intentionally load the bases, play your infield in and your outfield shallow. Outfield must be shallow enough to throw runner out at home or discourage runner from trying to score. All plays are to homeplate. Option #2 - You may want to pitch to a particularly weak hitter. If he is retired, then walk the following hitter or hitters and then move the infield and outfield back... Good Luck!