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- Complete Guide to Slowpitch Softball
Here’s the “missing guide” for slowpitch softball. It’s not a fastpitch softball book adapted to slowpitch softball. It’s a comprehensive and original instructional guide to the unique sport of slowpitch.
With Complete Guide to Slowpitch Softball, you will learn basic to advanced offensive and defensive techniques. And the comprehensive coverage of slowpitch strategies and tactics, as well as expert advice on physical and psychological conditioning, will ensure you step out of the dugout confident and prepared.
Senior softball Hall of Famer Rainer Martens and his wife, Julie Martens, put their wealth of expertise together in this one-of-a-kind book and DVD package. With over 45 years of softball experience and PhDs in the sport sciences, Rainer and Julie bring unique insight into all aspects of the game to help players, coaches, and fans alike hit a home run in this exciting game.
Part I. Offense
Chapter 1. Hitting Basics
Chapter 2. Advanced Hitting
Chapter 3. Baserunning
Chapter 4. Offensive Strategies and Tactics
Part II. Defense
Chapter 5. Pitching
Chapter 6. Infielder Skills
Chapter 7. Outfielder Skills
Chapter 8. Defensive Strategies and Tactics
Part III. Preparation
Chapter 9. Field and Equipment
Chapter 10. Physical Preparation
Chapter 11. Mental Preparation
Chapter 12. Softball First Aid
Part IV. Coaching
Chapter 13. Conducting Practices
Chapter 14. Game-Day Coaching
Rainer Martens has been playing softball for 45 years. He is a stand-out player and coach for the Florida Legends, the most decorated senior softball team in the United States with over 80 National Championships. In 18 national tournaments, Martens-coached teams have won 16 national championships and placed second in the other two. His passion and achievements in softball were rewarded when he was inducted into the National Senior Softball Hall of Fame in 2009.
Rainer Martens has written 16 books and hundreds of articles. His book Successful Coaching has sold over 1 million copies, and it is the top-selling coaching book of all time.
Julie Martens is the team manager, scorekeeper, and statistician for the Florida Legends senior softball team. Through her years of playing women’s and coed slowpitch softball and as team manager, she’s developed an exceptional knowledge of the sport.
Rainer and Julie Martens both received PhDs in sport psychology from the University of Illinois. They have been married since 1992 and reside in Ormond Beach, Florida. In addition to watching, playing, and traveling for softball, they enjoy biking and photography in their spare time.
“Offense, defense, base running, mental approach . . . no matter what you’re looking for to improve your slowpitch game, Complete Guide to Slowpitch Softball is where you will find the answer!”
Brett Helmer -- Four-Time National Batting Champion; 28-Time Member of All-World Team; 2003, 2004, 2007 Champion of Long Haul Bombers Tour
"Rainer Martens offers players, regardless of skill level, the opportunity to learn the game of softball inside and out—and excel! Complete Guide to Slowpitch Softball is a must-have.
George Epstein -- Editor, Softball World
“Complete Guide to Slowpitch Softball has all the information you need to improve your game. It's well written, well organized, and comprehensive."
Donna Mihailoff -- National 65+ Player
Improve hitting precision
Place hitting is more about accuracy than power.
Place hitting is more about accuracy than power. As you develop your hitting skills, you'll want to decide whether you want to be a power hitter, a place hitter, or both. In doing so you should know about Fitt's law. This well-established scientific principle of motor behavior is about the speed-accuracy tradeoff. In hitting terms, it means that the faster you swing the bat, the less accurate you'll be. Thus you need to decide whether you want to swing the bat with greater speed or give up some of that speed so that you can hit the ball more accurately. It may be a decision to hit .500 with occasional home runs or hit singles three out of four times to hit .750.
Here are the key things that place hitters do differently compared with power hitters.
- They more often use a conventional grip to maximize bat control.
- They tend to use a more open stance or ready position.
- They are modestly nomadic, making minor location adjustments with their feet in the batter's box as the pitch approaches to position themselves to hit to the location they have targeted.
- The load phase involves less movement. The hands may reach back only a short distance before starting forward in the swing phase.
- The stride is shorter; it's a smooth, soft step that adjusts the position of the batter to the location of the ball to hit it in the direction desired.
- The swing is less powerful (slower speed), and the emphasis is on timing the swing to hit the ball to the desired location.
A less powerful swing doesn't mean a weak swing. Place hitters want to hit the ball sharply too so that fielders have less time to catch the ball. As Fitt's law states, they trade off some speed in the swing to swing more accurately.
Hitting to the Near Field
If you're batting right-handed, the near field is the left side of the field, and if you're batting left-handed, the near field is the right side of the field. Most players learn to hit to the near field when they first learn the game; that is, they learn to pull the ball toward third base if hitting right-handed and toward first base if hitting left-handed. This swing seems to come more naturally, with greater accuracy and more power.
Right-handed batters like to hit the 5-6 hole between the third baseperson and shortstop; left-handed batters may try the 3-4 hole between the first and second basepersons (see figure 2 on page 8 for a review of the holes). If the third baseperson moves away from the foul line into the 5-6 hole, right-handed hitters may choose to hit the ball down the third-base line. Likewise, left-handed hitters may try to hit the ball down the first-base line if the first baseperson moves into the 3-4 hole.
To hit the ball to the near side, you want a pitch on the inside half of the strike zone that is waist to shoulder high at the point of contact. Hitting an outside pitch with accuracy to the near side is difficult, especially if you're trying to hit just inside the foul line. Another pitch to avoid is the low, inside pitch, which if hit will likely go foul or to the third baseperson if you're a right-handed batter and to the first baseperson if you are a left-handed batter. Also avoid deep, inside pitches. Those you'll likely pop up or foul, and they are definitely difficult to hit to a desired location. See Offense→Advanced Hitting→Near- and Opposite-Field Hitting on the DVD to master these skills.
Hitting to the Opposite Field
Hitting to the opposite field (right-handed hitters to right field and left-handed hitters to left field) is a valuable skill not only for place hitters but for power hitters as well. If your opponents discover that you can hit only to the near side, they may shift more fielders to that side of the field. When you hit at least occasionally to the opposite field, defenses must play you straight away.
The key difference between hitting to the near-side field and the opposite field is that in the second case you let the ball come farther into the strike zone when hitting it (see figure 2.4a-b). Therefore, to hit the ball between your shoulder and waist, you'll want to stand forward in the batter's box. If you stand back in the box, the ball will more likely be low in the strike zone and more difficult to control.
The best pitch to hit to the opposite field is one on the outside half of the strike zone at shoulder to waist height. One common mistake when hitting to the opposite field is trying to hit pitches that are too far outside, resulting in your reaching too much and losing bat control (see figure 2.5a). Reaching could also cause you to step on the plate or strike mat as you're swinging, which is an automatic out. Another common mistake is dipping the back shoulder when positioning yourself to hit (see figure 2.5b). Although you want to rotate inwardly to align your body to hit toward the opposite field, keep the shoulders level. A third common mistake made when hitting to the opposite field (although it can occur when hitting to any field) is pushing the bat in that direction rather than swinging the bat. Pushing the bat refers to batters pushing the bat forward with the back arm (top hand on the bat) rather than pulling forcefully with the front arm (bottom hand on the bat) to get good velocity on the bat head. Consequently, the bat head is farther back when contacting the ball, resulting in little momentum being imparted to the ball. In hitting to the opposite field, you want to maintain good swing mechanics. The adjustments are positioning the body to swing comfortably to the opposite field and delaying the swing slightly. Watch Offense→Advanced Hitting→Near- and Opposite-Field Hitting on the DVD to see these incorrect swings.
Some skilled place hitters are squatters, making only a slight adjustment in the forward stride by stepping in the direction that they intend to hit the ball. They commonly take a position in the batter's box farther away from the plate and then stride toward the opposite field. Most of their adjustment comes in the timing of their swing. They wait longer to make contact, hitting the ball not in front of the body as when they pull the ball, but even with the body. Thus, the defense has more difficulty determining where a squatter will hit the ball.
Other place hitters are nomads. They'll take almost any position in the batter's box, but when the pitch is coming they adjust their position to align themselves to hit to the opposite field. A common approach for nomad place hitters is to take a comfortable stance for hitting to the near-side field but, as the ball is pitched, to step away from the plate with the back foot and to step slightly toward the opposite field with the front foot.
Hitting up the Middle
After the ball is past the pitcher, the holes on either side of the pitcher (the 1-4 and 1-6 holes) are often wide open. And line drives over the pitcher will find the grass between the left-center and right-center fielders. But this kind of hitting calls for precision. If the ball is hit to the pitcher, it's an easy out, and if a runner is on first, it's an easy double play. If the shortstop or second baseperson is playing closer to second base, especially if the fielder knows that you like to hit up the middle, then you should look to hit the 3-4 or 5-6 hole. The best pitches for squatters to hit up the middle are those in the middle of the strike zone from waist to shoulder height. Nomads, on the other hand, will adjust their position in the batter's box to align themselves to hit the pitch wherever it's located, except that they will avoid reaching for outside pitches.
Pitching delivery methods
You’ll see many unique deliveries by pitchers as they add their own personal styles, but most deliveries consist of taking one step as the pitch is thrown or not taking a step forward as the pitch is released.
You'll see many unique deliveries by pitchers as they add their own personal styles, but most deliveries consist of taking one step as the pitch is thrown or not taking a step forward as the pitch is released. Let's consider the advantages and disadvantages of each type of delivery.
One-Step Delivery
The one-step pitching delivery is widely used because it's the way that we all learn to throw, whether overhand or underhand. The disadvantage of the one-step delivery is that pitchers are reducing the distance between themselves and the batter, which further reduces the time that they have to catch a ball hit to them. Some pitchers are able to take a slight step forward and then immediately take several steps back to get set up defensively, but not all are able to make this adjustment. The steps in executing this delivery are shown and explained in the series of photos in figure 5.2 and in Defense→Pitching→Delivery Methods on the DVD.
No-Step Delivery
In the no-step delivery pitchers place one foot on the rubber or in the pitcher's box and the other foot comfortably to the side and slightly behind them (see figure 5.3 and Defense→Pitching→Delivery Methods on the DVD). Some pitchers use the foot opposite the throwing arm that they throw with as the lead foot and others use the same foot. The key here is being comfortable and well balanced in this stance so that the arm swing when delivering the pitch is well controlled. Another factor to consider is whether it is easier for you to back up starting with your right or left leg.
If you can achieve the same level of control with the no-step delivery that you can with the one-step delivery, it's the preferred method because you are able to retreat and set up faster, increasing your chances of fielding balls hit up the middle and reducing your chances of getting injured.
Infielder skills: diving
When running won’t get you to the ball perhaps a dive will.
When running won't get you to the ball perhaps a dive will. Diving for balls is useful when you can recover from the dive in time to throw a runner out at a base or prevent a runner from advancing to another base. Diving for balls that leave you without an opportunity to get an out or prevent the advancement of a runner doesn't make any sense and risks injury. In figure 6.8 and Defense→Infielder Skills→Diving, Bloopers, and Pop-Ups on the DVD you'll see how to make a diving catch, but we had our model do so on the grass to decrease the chance of getting abrasions.
Defensive strategies and tactics
Defensive team strategies are about using the available information to make decisions that minimize the opportunity for the opposing team to score.
Triple, No One on Base
Hit: Deep fly ball to left field landing just inside the foul line and rolling to the fence. It looks to be a triple. LF is in pursuit as illustrated in figure 8.4.
Defensive goal: Hold B to a triple and relay the ball to H.
Fielding the ball: LF is alone in fielding a ball near the foul line. The only throw from this position is to the relay player.
Relay: SS is the relay person, coming out to about the 150-foot (45 m) mark or halfway between the ball and home, and, of course, in line between the ball and home. C lets SS know what to do with the relay throw:
- Cut and throw to 3B.
- Cut and throw to H.
- Cut and hold, running the ball back into the infield.
P positions him- or herself to be the cutoff player, positioned in line with SS and home and about 50 feet (15 m) out from home, as shown in figure 8.4. If B tries to go home, then SS throws home through P. C tells P what to do with the throw:
- Don't cut; let it come through.
- Cut and relay to home (because the throw is off line or weak).
- Cut and throw to 3B (because B rounded 3B but on the strength of the throw stopped and is trying to return to 3B).
Other defensive positions: 1BP backs up H, 2BP covers 2B in case B retreats, and 3BP goes to 3B.
Hits to other locations: If the ball is hit to center field or the right side, the relay to H is essentially the same, except that 2BP becomes the relay person for balls hit to the right side and SS covers 2B.
Improve hitting precision
Place hitting is more about accuracy than power.
Place hitting is more about accuracy than power. As you develop your hitting skills, you'll want to decide whether you want to be a power hitter, a place hitter, or both. In doing so you should know about Fitt's law. This well-established scientific principle of motor behavior is about the speed-accuracy tradeoff. In hitting terms, it means that the faster you swing the bat, the less accurate you'll be. Thus you need to decide whether you want to swing the bat with greater speed or give up some of that speed so that you can hit the ball more accurately. It may be a decision to hit .500 with occasional home runs or hit singles three out of four times to hit .750.
Here are the key things that place hitters do differently compared with power hitters.
- They more often use a conventional grip to maximize bat control.
- They tend to use a more open stance or ready position.
- They are modestly nomadic, making minor location adjustments with their feet in the batter's box as the pitch approaches to position themselves to hit to the location they have targeted.
- The load phase involves less movement. The hands may reach back only a short distance before starting forward in the swing phase.
- The stride is shorter; it's a smooth, soft step that adjusts the position of the batter to the location of the ball to hit it in the direction desired.
- The swing is less powerful (slower speed), and the emphasis is on timing the swing to hit the ball to the desired location.
A less powerful swing doesn't mean a weak swing. Place hitters want to hit the ball sharply too so that fielders have less time to catch the ball. As Fitt's law states, they trade off some speed in the swing to swing more accurately.
Hitting to the Near Field
If you're batting right-handed, the near field is the left side of the field, and if you're batting left-handed, the near field is the right side of the field. Most players learn to hit to the near field when they first learn the game; that is, they learn to pull the ball toward third base if hitting right-handed and toward first base if hitting left-handed. This swing seems to come more naturally, with greater accuracy and more power.
Right-handed batters like to hit the 5-6 hole between the third baseperson and shortstop; left-handed batters may try the 3-4 hole between the first and second basepersons (see figure 2 on page 8 for a review of the holes). If the third baseperson moves away from the foul line into the 5-6 hole, right-handed hitters may choose to hit the ball down the third-base line. Likewise, left-handed hitters may try to hit the ball down the first-base line if the first baseperson moves into the 3-4 hole.
To hit the ball to the near side, you want a pitch on the inside half of the strike zone that is waist to shoulder high at the point of contact. Hitting an outside pitch with accuracy to the near side is difficult, especially if you're trying to hit just inside the foul line. Another pitch to avoid is the low, inside pitch, which if hit will likely go foul or to the third baseperson if you're a right-handed batter and to the first baseperson if you are a left-handed batter. Also avoid deep, inside pitches. Those you'll likely pop up or foul, and they are definitely difficult to hit to a desired location. See Offense→Advanced Hitting→Near- and Opposite-Field Hitting on the DVD to master these skills.
Hitting to the Opposite Field
Hitting to the opposite field (right-handed hitters to right field and left-handed hitters to left field) is a valuable skill not only for place hitters but for power hitters as well. If your opponents discover that you can hit only to the near side, they may shift more fielders to that side of the field. When you hit at least occasionally to the opposite field, defenses must play you straight away.
The key difference between hitting to the near-side field and the opposite field is that in the second case you let the ball come farther into the strike zone when hitting it (see figure 2.4a-b). Therefore, to hit the ball between your shoulder and waist, you'll want to stand forward in the batter's box. If you stand back in the box, the ball will more likely be low in the strike zone and more difficult to control.
The best pitch to hit to the opposite field is one on the outside half of the strike zone at shoulder to waist height. One common mistake when hitting to the opposite field is trying to hit pitches that are too far outside, resulting in your reaching too much and losing bat control (see figure 2.5a). Reaching could also cause you to step on the plate or strike mat as you're swinging, which is an automatic out. Another common mistake is dipping the back shoulder when positioning yourself to hit (see figure 2.5b). Although you want to rotate inwardly to align your body to hit toward the opposite field, keep the shoulders level. A third common mistake made when hitting to the opposite field (although it can occur when hitting to any field) is pushing the bat in that direction rather than swinging the bat. Pushing the bat refers to batters pushing the bat forward with the back arm (top hand on the bat) rather than pulling forcefully with the front arm (bottom hand on the bat) to get good velocity on the bat head. Consequently, the bat head is farther back when contacting the ball, resulting in little momentum being imparted to the ball. In hitting to the opposite field, you want to maintain good swing mechanics. The adjustments are positioning the body to swing comfortably to the opposite field and delaying the swing slightly. Watch Offense→Advanced Hitting→Near- and Opposite-Field Hitting on the DVD to see these incorrect swings.
Some skilled place hitters are squatters, making only a slight adjustment in the forward stride by stepping in the direction that they intend to hit the ball. They commonly take a position in the batter's box farther away from the plate and then stride toward the opposite field. Most of their adjustment comes in the timing of their swing. They wait longer to make contact, hitting the ball not in front of the body as when they pull the ball, but even with the body. Thus, the defense has more difficulty determining where a squatter will hit the ball.
Other place hitters are nomads. They'll take almost any position in the batter's box, but when the pitch is coming they adjust their position to align themselves to hit to the opposite field. A common approach for nomad place hitters is to take a comfortable stance for hitting to the near-side field but, as the ball is pitched, to step away from the plate with the back foot and to step slightly toward the opposite field with the front foot.
Hitting up the Middle
After the ball is past the pitcher, the holes on either side of the pitcher (the 1-4 and 1-6 holes) are often wide open. And line drives over the pitcher will find the grass between the left-center and right-center fielders. But this kind of hitting calls for precision. If the ball is hit to the pitcher, it's an easy out, and if a runner is on first, it's an easy double play. If the shortstop or second baseperson is playing closer to second base, especially if the fielder knows that you like to hit up the middle, then you should look to hit the 3-4 or 5-6 hole. The best pitches for squatters to hit up the middle are those in the middle of the strike zone from waist to shoulder height. Nomads, on the other hand, will adjust their position in the batter's box to align themselves to hit the pitch wherever it's located, except that they will avoid reaching for outside pitches.
Pitching delivery methods
You’ll see many unique deliveries by pitchers as they add their own personal styles, but most deliveries consist of taking one step as the pitch is thrown or not taking a step forward as the pitch is released.
You'll see many unique deliveries by pitchers as they add their own personal styles, but most deliveries consist of taking one step as the pitch is thrown or not taking a step forward as the pitch is released. Let's consider the advantages and disadvantages of each type of delivery.
One-Step Delivery
The one-step pitching delivery is widely used because it's the way that we all learn to throw, whether overhand or underhand. The disadvantage of the one-step delivery is that pitchers are reducing the distance between themselves and the batter, which further reduces the time that they have to catch a ball hit to them. Some pitchers are able to take a slight step forward and then immediately take several steps back to get set up defensively, but not all are able to make this adjustment. The steps in executing this delivery are shown and explained in the series of photos in figure 5.2 and in Defense→Pitching→Delivery Methods on the DVD.
No-Step Delivery
In the no-step delivery pitchers place one foot on the rubber or in the pitcher's box and the other foot comfortably to the side and slightly behind them (see figure 5.3 and Defense→Pitching→Delivery Methods on the DVD). Some pitchers use the foot opposite the throwing arm that they throw with as the lead foot and others use the same foot. The key here is being comfortable and well balanced in this stance so that the arm swing when delivering the pitch is well controlled. Another factor to consider is whether it is easier for you to back up starting with your right or left leg.
If you can achieve the same level of control with the no-step delivery that you can with the one-step delivery, it's the preferred method because you are able to retreat and set up faster, increasing your chances of fielding balls hit up the middle and reducing your chances of getting injured.
Infielder skills: diving
When running won’t get you to the ball perhaps a dive will.
When running won't get you to the ball perhaps a dive will. Diving for balls is useful when you can recover from the dive in time to throw a runner out at a base or prevent a runner from advancing to another base. Diving for balls that leave you without an opportunity to get an out or prevent the advancement of a runner doesn't make any sense and risks injury. In figure 6.8 and Defense→Infielder Skills→Diving, Bloopers, and Pop-Ups on the DVD you'll see how to make a diving catch, but we had our model do so on the grass to decrease the chance of getting abrasions.
Defensive strategies and tactics
Defensive team strategies are about using the available information to make decisions that minimize the opportunity for the opposing team to score.
Triple, No One on Base
Hit: Deep fly ball to left field landing just inside the foul line and rolling to the fence. It looks to be a triple. LF is in pursuit as illustrated in figure 8.4.
Defensive goal: Hold B to a triple and relay the ball to H.
Fielding the ball: LF is alone in fielding a ball near the foul line. The only throw from this position is to the relay player.
Relay: SS is the relay person, coming out to about the 150-foot (45 m) mark or halfway between the ball and home, and, of course, in line between the ball and home. C lets SS know what to do with the relay throw:
- Cut and throw to 3B.
- Cut and throw to H.
- Cut and hold, running the ball back into the infield.
P positions him- or herself to be the cutoff player, positioned in line with SS and home and about 50 feet (15 m) out from home, as shown in figure 8.4. If B tries to go home, then SS throws home through P. C tells P what to do with the throw:
- Don't cut; let it come through.
- Cut and relay to home (because the throw is off line or weak).
- Cut and throw to 3B (because B rounded 3B but on the strength of the throw stopped and is trying to return to 3B).
Other defensive positions: 1BP backs up H, 2BP covers 2B in case B retreats, and 3BP goes to 3B.
Hits to other locations: If the ball is hit to center field or the right side, the relay to H is essentially the same, except that 2BP becomes the relay person for balls hit to the right side and SS covers 2B.
Improve hitting precision
Place hitting is more about accuracy than power.
Place hitting is more about accuracy than power. As you develop your hitting skills, you'll want to decide whether you want to be a power hitter, a place hitter, or both. In doing so you should know about Fitt's law. This well-established scientific principle of motor behavior is about the speed-accuracy tradeoff. In hitting terms, it means that the faster you swing the bat, the less accurate you'll be. Thus you need to decide whether you want to swing the bat with greater speed or give up some of that speed so that you can hit the ball more accurately. It may be a decision to hit .500 with occasional home runs or hit singles three out of four times to hit .750.
Here are the key things that place hitters do differently compared with power hitters.
- They more often use a conventional grip to maximize bat control.
- They tend to use a more open stance or ready position.
- They are modestly nomadic, making minor location adjustments with their feet in the batter's box as the pitch approaches to position themselves to hit to the location they have targeted.
- The load phase involves less movement. The hands may reach back only a short distance before starting forward in the swing phase.
- The stride is shorter; it's a smooth, soft step that adjusts the position of the batter to the location of the ball to hit it in the direction desired.
- The swing is less powerful (slower speed), and the emphasis is on timing the swing to hit the ball to the desired location.
A less powerful swing doesn't mean a weak swing. Place hitters want to hit the ball sharply too so that fielders have less time to catch the ball. As Fitt's law states, they trade off some speed in the swing to swing more accurately.
Hitting to the Near Field
If you're batting right-handed, the near field is the left side of the field, and if you're batting left-handed, the near field is the right side of the field. Most players learn to hit to the near field when they first learn the game; that is, they learn to pull the ball toward third base if hitting right-handed and toward first base if hitting left-handed. This swing seems to come more naturally, with greater accuracy and more power.
Right-handed batters like to hit the 5-6 hole between the third baseperson and shortstop; left-handed batters may try the 3-4 hole between the first and second basepersons (see figure 2 on page 8 for a review of the holes). If the third baseperson moves away from the foul line into the 5-6 hole, right-handed hitters may choose to hit the ball down the third-base line. Likewise, left-handed hitters may try to hit the ball down the first-base line if the first baseperson moves into the 3-4 hole.
To hit the ball to the near side, you want a pitch on the inside half of the strike zone that is waist to shoulder high at the point of contact. Hitting an outside pitch with accuracy to the near side is difficult, especially if you're trying to hit just inside the foul line. Another pitch to avoid is the low, inside pitch, which if hit will likely go foul or to the third baseperson if you're a right-handed batter and to the first baseperson if you are a left-handed batter. Also avoid deep, inside pitches. Those you'll likely pop up or foul, and they are definitely difficult to hit to a desired location. See Offense→Advanced Hitting→Near- and Opposite-Field Hitting on the DVD to master these skills.
Hitting to the Opposite Field
Hitting to the opposite field (right-handed hitters to right field and left-handed hitters to left field) is a valuable skill not only for place hitters but for power hitters as well. If your opponents discover that you can hit only to the near side, they may shift more fielders to that side of the field. When you hit at least occasionally to the opposite field, defenses must play you straight away.
The key difference between hitting to the near-side field and the opposite field is that in the second case you let the ball come farther into the strike zone when hitting it (see figure 2.4a-b). Therefore, to hit the ball between your shoulder and waist, you'll want to stand forward in the batter's box. If you stand back in the box, the ball will more likely be low in the strike zone and more difficult to control.
The best pitch to hit to the opposite field is one on the outside half of the strike zone at shoulder to waist height. One common mistake when hitting to the opposite field is trying to hit pitches that are too far outside, resulting in your reaching too much and losing bat control (see figure 2.5a). Reaching could also cause you to step on the plate or strike mat as you're swinging, which is an automatic out. Another common mistake is dipping the back shoulder when positioning yourself to hit (see figure 2.5b). Although you want to rotate inwardly to align your body to hit toward the opposite field, keep the shoulders level. A third common mistake made when hitting to the opposite field (although it can occur when hitting to any field) is pushing the bat in that direction rather than swinging the bat. Pushing the bat refers to batters pushing the bat forward with the back arm (top hand on the bat) rather than pulling forcefully with the front arm (bottom hand on the bat) to get good velocity on the bat head. Consequently, the bat head is farther back when contacting the ball, resulting in little momentum being imparted to the ball. In hitting to the opposite field, you want to maintain good swing mechanics. The adjustments are positioning the body to swing comfortably to the opposite field and delaying the swing slightly. Watch Offense→Advanced Hitting→Near- and Opposite-Field Hitting on the DVD to see these incorrect swings.
Some skilled place hitters are squatters, making only a slight adjustment in the forward stride by stepping in the direction that they intend to hit the ball. They commonly take a position in the batter's box farther away from the plate and then stride toward the opposite field. Most of their adjustment comes in the timing of their swing. They wait longer to make contact, hitting the ball not in front of the body as when they pull the ball, but even with the body. Thus, the defense has more difficulty determining where a squatter will hit the ball.
Other place hitters are nomads. They'll take almost any position in the batter's box, but when the pitch is coming they adjust their position to align themselves to hit to the opposite field. A common approach for nomad place hitters is to take a comfortable stance for hitting to the near-side field but, as the ball is pitched, to step away from the plate with the back foot and to step slightly toward the opposite field with the front foot.
Hitting up the Middle
After the ball is past the pitcher, the holes on either side of the pitcher (the 1-4 and 1-6 holes) are often wide open. And line drives over the pitcher will find the grass between the left-center and right-center fielders. But this kind of hitting calls for precision. If the ball is hit to the pitcher, it's an easy out, and if a runner is on first, it's an easy double play. If the shortstop or second baseperson is playing closer to second base, especially if the fielder knows that you like to hit up the middle, then you should look to hit the 3-4 or 5-6 hole. The best pitches for squatters to hit up the middle are those in the middle of the strike zone from waist to shoulder height. Nomads, on the other hand, will adjust their position in the batter's box to align themselves to hit the pitch wherever it's located, except that they will avoid reaching for outside pitches.
Pitching delivery methods
You’ll see many unique deliveries by pitchers as they add their own personal styles, but most deliveries consist of taking one step as the pitch is thrown or not taking a step forward as the pitch is released.
You'll see many unique deliveries by pitchers as they add their own personal styles, but most deliveries consist of taking one step as the pitch is thrown or not taking a step forward as the pitch is released. Let's consider the advantages and disadvantages of each type of delivery.
One-Step Delivery
The one-step pitching delivery is widely used because it's the way that we all learn to throw, whether overhand or underhand. The disadvantage of the one-step delivery is that pitchers are reducing the distance between themselves and the batter, which further reduces the time that they have to catch a ball hit to them. Some pitchers are able to take a slight step forward and then immediately take several steps back to get set up defensively, but not all are able to make this adjustment. The steps in executing this delivery are shown and explained in the series of photos in figure 5.2 and in Defense→Pitching→Delivery Methods on the DVD.
No-Step Delivery
In the no-step delivery pitchers place one foot on the rubber or in the pitcher's box and the other foot comfortably to the side and slightly behind them (see figure 5.3 and Defense→Pitching→Delivery Methods on the DVD). Some pitchers use the foot opposite the throwing arm that they throw with as the lead foot and others use the same foot. The key here is being comfortable and well balanced in this stance so that the arm swing when delivering the pitch is well controlled. Another factor to consider is whether it is easier for you to back up starting with your right or left leg.
If you can achieve the same level of control with the no-step delivery that you can with the one-step delivery, it's the preferred method because you are able to retreat and set up faster, increasing your chances of fielding balls hit up the middle and reducing your chances of getting injured.
Infielder skills: diving
When running won’t get you to the ball perhaps a dive will.
When running won't get you to the ball perhaps a dive will. Diving for balls is useful when you can recover from the dive in time to throw a runner out at a base or prevent a runner from advancing to another base. Diving for balls that leave you without an opportunity to get an out or prevent the advancement of a runner doesn't make any sense and risks injury. In figure 6.8 and Defense→Infielder Skills→Diving, Bloopers, and Pop-Ups on the DVD you'll see how to make a diving catch, but we had our model do so on the grass to decrease the chance of getting abrasions.
Defensive strategies and tactics
Defensive team strategies are about using the available information to make decisions that minimize the opportunity for the opposing team to score.
Triple, No One on Base
Hit: Deep fly ball to left field landing just inside the foul line and rolling to the fence. It looks to be a triple. LF is in pursuit as illustrated in figure 8.4.
Defensive goal: Hold B to a triple and relay the ball to H.
Fielding the ball: LF is alone in fielding a ball near the foul line. The only throw from this position is to the relay player.
Relay: SS is the relay person, coming out to about the 150-foot (45 m) mark or halfway between the ball and home, and, of course, in line between the ball and home. C lets SS know what to do with the relay throw:
- Cut and throw to 3B.
- Cut and throw to H.
- Cut and hold, running the ball back into the infield.
P positions him- or herself to be the cutoff player, positioned in line with SS and home and about 50 feet (15 m) out from home, as shown in figure 8.4. If B tries to go home, then SS throws home through P. C tells P what to do with the throw:
- Don't cut; let it come through.
- Cut and relay to home (because the throw is off line or weak).
- Cut and throw to 3B (because B rounded 3B but on the strength of the throw stopped and is trying to return to 3B).
Other defensive positions: 1BP backs up H, 2BP covers 2B in case B retreats, and 3BP goes to 3B.
Hits to other locations: If the ball is hit to center field or the right side, the relay to H is essentially the same, except that 2BP becomes the relay person for balls hit to the right side and SS covers 2B.
Improve hitting precision
Place hitting is more about accuracy than power.
Place hitting is more about accuracy than power. As you develop your hitting skills, you'll want to decide whether you want to be a power hitter, a place hitter, or both. In doing so you should know about Fitt's law. This well-established scientific principle of motor behavior is about the speed-accuracy tradeoff. In hitting terms, it means that the faster you swing the bat, the less accurate you'll be. Thus you need to decide whether you want to swing the bat with greater speed or give up some of that speed so that you can hit the ball more accurately. It may be a decision to hit .500 with occasional home runs or hit singles three out of four times to hit .750.
Here are the key things that place hitters do differently compared with power hitters.
- They more often use a conventional grip to maximize bat control.
- They tend to use a more open stance or ready position.
- They are modestly nomadic, making minor location adjustments with their feet in the batter's box as the pitch approaches to position themselves to hit to the location they have targeted.
- The load phase involves less movement. The hands may reach back only a short distance before starting forward in the swing phase.
- The stride is shorter; it's a smooth, soft step that adjusts the position of the batter to the location of the ball to hit it in the direction desired.
- The swing is less powerful (slower speed), and the emphasis is on timing the swing to hit the ball to the desired location.
A less powerful swing doesn't mean a weak swing. Place hitters want to hit the ball sharply too so that fielders have less time to catch the ball. As Fitt's law states, they trade off some speed in the swing to swing more accurately.
Hitting to the Near Field
If you're batting right-handed, the near field is the left side of the field, and if you're batting left-handed, the near field is the right side of the field. Most players learn to hit to the near field when they first learn the game; that is, they learn to pull the ball toward third base if hitting right-handed and toward first base if hitting left-handed. This swing seems to come more naturally, with greater accuracy and more power.
Right-handed batters like to hit the 5-6 hole between the third baseperson and shortstop; left-handed batters may try the 3-4 hole between the first and second basepersons (see figure 2 on page 8 for a review of the holes). If the third baseperson moves away from the foul line into the 5-6 hole, right-handed hitters may choose to hit the ball down the third-base line. Likewise, left-handed hitters may try to hit the ball down the first-base line if the first baseperson moves into the 3-4 hole.
To hit the ball to the near side, you want a pitch on the inside half of the strike zone that is waist to shoulder high at the point of contact. Hitting an outside pitch with accuracy to the near side is difficult, especially if you're trying to hit just inside the foul line. Another pitch to avoid is the low, inside pitch, which if hit will likely go foul or to the third baseperson if you're a right-handed batter and to the first baseperson if you are a left-handed batter. Also avoid deep, inside pitches. Those you'll likely pop up or foul, and they are definitely difficult to hit to a desired location. See Offense→Advanced Hitting→Near- and Opposite-Field Hitting on the DVD to master these skills.
Hitting to the Opposite Field
Hitting to the opposite field (right-handed hitters to right field and left-handed hitters to left field) is a valuable skill not only for place hitters but for power hitters as well. If your opponents discover that you can hit only to the near side, they may shift more fielders to that side of the field. When you hit at least occasionally to the opposite field, defenses must play you straight away.
The key difference between hitting to the near-side field and the opposite field is that in the second case you let the ball come farther into the strike zone when hitting it (see figure 2.4a-b). Therefore, to hit the ball between your shoulder and waist, you'll want to stand forward in the batter's box. If you stand back in the box, the ball will more likely be low in the strike zone and more difficult to control.
The best pitch to hit to the opposite field is one on the outside half of the strike zone at shoulder to waist height. One common mistake when hitting to the opposite field is trying to hit pitches that are too far outside, resulting in your reaching too much and losing bat control (see figure 2.5a). Reaching could also cause you to step on the plate or strike mat as you're swinging, which is an automatic out. Another common mistake is dipping the back shoulder when positioning yourself to hit (see figure 2.5b). Although you want to rotate inwardly to align your body to hit toward the opposite field, keep the shoulders level. A third common mistake made when hitting to the opposite field (although it can occur when hitting to any field) is pushing the bat in that direction rather than swinging the bat. Pushing the bat refers to batters pushing the bat forward with the back arm (top hand on the bat) rather than pulling forcefully with the front arm (bottom hand on the bat) to get good velocity on the bat head. Consequently, the bat head is farther back when contacting the ball, resulting in little momentum being imparted to the ball. In hitting to the opposite field, you want to maintain good swing mechanics. The adjustments are positioning the body to swing comfortably to the opposite field and delaying the swing slightly. Watch Offense→Advanced Hitting→Near- and Opposite-Field Hitting on the DVD to see these incorrect swings.
Some skilled place hitters are squatters, making only a slight adjustment in the forward stride by stepping in the direction that they intend to hit the ball. They commonly take a position in the batter's box farther away from the plate and then stride toward the opposite field. Most of their adjustment comes in the timing of their swing. They wait longer to make contact, hitting the ball not in front of the body as when they pull the ball, but even with the body. Thus, the defense has more difficulty determining where a squatter will hit the ball.
Other place hitters are nomads. They'll take almost any position in the batter's box, but when the pitch is coming they adjust their position to align themselves to hit to the opposite field. A common approach for nomad place hitters is to take a comfortable stance for hitting to the near-side field but, as the ball is pitched, to step away from the plate with the back foot and to step slightly toward the opposite field with the front foot.
Hitting up the Middle
After the ball is past the pitcher, the holes on either side of the pitcher (the 1-4 and 1-6 holes) are often wide open. And line drives over the pitcher will find the grass between the left-center and right-center fielders. But this kind of hitting calls for precision. If the ball is hit to the pitcher, it's an easy out, and if a runner is on first, it's an easy double play. If the shortstop or second baseperson is playing closer to second base, especially if the fielder knows that you like to hit up the middle, then you should look to hit the 3-4 or 5-6 hole. The best pitches for squatters to hit up the middle are those in the middle of the strike zone from waist to shoulder height. Nomads, on the other hand, will adjust their position in the batter's box to align themselves to hit the pitch wherever it's located, except that they will avoid reaching for outside pitches.
Pitching delivery methods
You’ll see many unique deliveries by pitchers as they add their own personal styles, but most deliveries consist of taking one step as the pitch is thrown or not taking a step forward as the pitch is released.
You'll see many unique deliveries by pitchers as they add their own personal styles, but most deliveries consist of taking one step as the pitch is thrown or not taking a step forward as the pitch is released. Let's consider the advantages and disadvantages of each type of delivery.
One-Step Delivery
The one-step pitching delivery is widely used because it's the way that we all learn to throw, whether overhand or underhand. The disadvantage of the one-step delivery is that pitchers are reducing the distance between themselves and the batter, which further reduces the time that they have to catch a ball hit to them. Some pitchers are able to take a slight step forward and then immediately take several steps back to get set up defensively, but not all are able to make this adjustment. The steps in executing this delivery are shown and explained in the series of photos in figure 5.2 and in Defense→Pitching→Delivery Methods on the DVD.
No-Step Delivery
In the no-step delivery pitchers place one foot on the rubber or in the pitcher's box and the other foot comfortably to the side and slightly behind them (see figure 5.3 and Defense→Pitching→Delivery Methods on the DVD). Some pitchers use the foot opposite the throwing arm that they throw with as the lead foot and others use the same foot. The key here is being comfortable and well balanced in this stance so that the arm swing when delivering the pitch is well controlled. Another factor to consider is whether it is easier for you to back up starting with your right or left leg.
If you can achieve the same level of control with the no-step delivery that you can with the one-step delivery, it's the preferred method because you are able to retreat and set up faster, increasing your chances of fielding balls hit up the middle and reducing your chances of getting injured.
Infielder skills: diving
When running won’t get you to the ball perhaps a dive will.
When running won't get you to the ball perhaps a dive will. Diving for balls is useful when you can recover from the dive in time to throw a runner out at a base or prevent a runner from advancing to another base. Diving for balls that leave you without an opportunity to get an out or prevent the advancement of a runner doesn't make any sense and risks injury. In figure 6.8 and Defense→Infielder Skills→Diving, Bloopers, and Pop-Ups on the DVD you'll see how to make a diving catch, but we had our model do so on the grass to decrease the chance of getting abrasions.
Defensive strategies and tactics
Defensive team strategies are about using the available information to make decisions that minimize the opportunity for the opposing team to score.
Triple, No One on Base
Hit: Deep fly ball to left field landing just inside the foul line and rolling to the fence. It looks to be a triple. LF is in pursuit as illustrated in figure 8.4.
Defensive goal: Hold B to a triple and relay the ball to H.
Fielding the ball: LF is alone in fielding a ball near the foul line. The only throw from this position is to the relay player.
Relay: SS is the relay person, coming out to about the 150-foot (45 m) mark or halfway between the ball and home, and, of course, in line between the ball and home. C lets SS know what to do with the relay throw:
- Cut and throw to 3B.
- Cut and throw to H.
- Cut and hold, running the ball back into the infield.
P positions him- or herself to be the cutoff player, positioned in line with SS and home and about 50 feet (15 m) out from home, as shown in figure 8.4. If B tries to go home, then SS throws home through P. C tells P what to do with the throw:
- Don't cut; let it come through.
- Cut and relay to home (because the throw is off line or weak).
- Cut and throw to 3B (because B rounded 3B but on the strength of the throw stopped and is trying to return to 3B).
Other defensive positions: 1BP backs up H, 2BP covers 2B in case B retreats, and 3BP goes to 3B.
Hits to other locations: If the ball is hit to center field or the right side, the relay to H is essentially the same, except that 2BP becomes the relay person for balls hit to the right side and SS covers 2B.
Improve hitting precision
Place hitting is more about accuracy than power.
Place hitting is more about accuracy than power. As you develop your hitting skills, you'll want to decide whether you want to be a power hitter, a place hitter, or both. In doing so you should know about Fitt's law. This well-established scientific principle of motor behavior is about the speed-accuracy tradeoff. In hitting terms, it means that the faster you swing the bat, the less accurate you'll be. Thus you need to decide whether you want to swing the bat with greater speed or give up some of that speed so that you can hit the ball more accurately. It may be a decision to hit .500 with occasional home runs or hit singles three out of four times to hit .750.
Here are the key things that place hitters do differently compared with power hitters.
- They more often use a conventional grip to maximize bat control.
- They tend to use a more open stance or ready position.
- They are modestly nomadic, making minor location adjustments with their feet in the batter's box as the pitch approaches to position themselves to hit to the location they have targeted.
- The load phase involves less movement. The hands may reach back only a short distance before starting forward in the swing phase.
- The stride is shorter; it's a smooth, soft step that adjusts the position of the batter to the location of the ball to hit it in the direction desired.
- The swing is less powerful (slower speed), and the emphasis is on timing the swing to hit the ball to the desired location.
A less powerful swing doesn't mean a weak swing. Place hitters want to hit the ball sharply too so that fielders have less time to catch the ball. As Fitt's law states, they trade off some speed in the swing to swing more accurately.
Hitting to the Near Field
If you're batting right-handed, the near field is the left side of the field, and if you're batting left-handed, the near field is the right side of the field. Most players learn to hit to the near field when they first learn the game; that is, they learn to pull the ball toward third base if hitting right-handed and toward first base if hitting left-handed. This swing seems to come more naturally, with greater accuracy and more power.
Right-handed batters like to hit the 5-6 hole between the third baseperson and shortstop; left-handed batters may try the 3-4 hole between the first and second basepersons (see figure 2 on page 8 for a review of the holes). If the third baseperson moves away from the foul line into the 5-6 hole, right-handed hitters may choose to hit the ball down the third-base line. Likewise, left-handed hitters may try to hit the ball down the first-base line if the first baseperson moves into the 3-4 hole.
To hit the ball to the near side, you want a pitch on the inside half of the strike zone that is waist to shoulder high at the point of contact. Hitting an outside pitch with accuracy to the near side is difficult, especially if you're trying to hit just inside the foul line. Another pitch to avoid is the low, inside pitch, which if hit will likely go foul or to the third baseperson if you're a right-handed batter and to the first baseperson if you are a left-handed batter. Also avoid deep, inside pitches. Those you'll likely pop up or foul, and they are definitely difficult to hit to a desired location. See Offense→Advanced Hitting→Near- and Opposite-Field Hitting on the DVD to master these skills.
Hitting to the Opposite Field
Hitting to the opposite field (right-handed hitters to right field and left-handed hitters to left field) is a valuable skill not only for place hitters but for power hitters as well. If your opponents discover that you can hit only to the near side, they may shift more fielders to that side of the field. When you hit at least occasionally to the opposite field, defenses must play you straight away.
The key difference between hitting to the near-side field and the opposite field is that in the second case you let the ball come farther into the strike zone when hitting it (see figure 2.4a-b). Therefore, to hit the ball between your shoulder and waist, you'll want to stand forward in the batter's box. If you stand back in the box, the ball will more likely be low in the strike zone and more difficult to control.
The best pitch to hit to the opposite field is one on the outside half of the strike zone at shoulder to waist height. One common mistake when hitting to the opposite field is trying to hit pitches that are too far outside, resulting in your reaching too much and losing bat control (see figure 2.5a). Reaching could also cause you to step on the plate or strike mat as you're swinging, which is an automatic out. Another common mistake is dipping the back shoulder when positioning yourself to hit (see figure 2.5b). Although you want to rotate inwardly to align your body to hit toward the opposite field, keep the shoulders level. A third common mistake made when hitting to the opposite field (although it can occur when hitting to any field) is pushing the bat in that direction rather than swinging the bat. Pushing the bat refers to batters pushing the bat forward with the back arm (top hand on the bat) rather than pulling forcefully with the front arm (bottom hand on the bat) to get good velocity on the bat head. Consequently, the bat head is farther back when contacting the ball, resulting in little momentum being imparted to the ball. In hitting to the opposite field, you want to maintain good swing mechanics. The adjustments are positioning the body to swing comfortably to the opposite field and delaying the swing slightly. Watch Offense→Advanced Hitting→Near- and Opposite-Field Hitting on the DVD to see these incorrect swings.
Some skilled place hitters are squatters, making only a slight adjustment in the forward stride by stepping in the direction that they intend to hit the ball. They commonly take a position in the batter's box farther away from the plate and then stride toward the opposite field. Most of their adjustment comes in the timing of their swing. They wait longer to make contact, hitting the ball not in front of the body as when they pull the ball, but even with the body. Thus, the defense has more difficulty determining where a squatter will hit the ball.
Other place hitters are nomads. They'll take almost any position in the batter's box, but when the pitch is coming they adjust their position to align themselves to hit to the opposite field. A common approach for nomad place hitters is to take a comfortable stance for hitting to the near-side field but, as the ball is pitched, to step away from the plate with the back foot and to step slightly toward the opposite field with the front foot.
Hitting up the Middle
After the ball is past the pitcher, the holes on either side of the pitcher (the 1-4 and 1-6 holes) are often wide open. And line drives over the pitcher will find the grass between the left-center and right-center fielders. But this kind of hitting calls for precision. If the ball is hit to the pitcher, it's an easy out, and if a runner is on first, it's an easy double play. If the shortstop or second baseperson is playing closer to second base, especially if the fielder knows that you like to hit up the middle, then you should look to hit the 3-4 or 5-6 hole. The best pitches for squatters to hit up the middle are those in the middle of the strike zone from waist to shoulder height. Nomads, on the other hand, will adjust their position in the batter's box to align themselves to hit the pitch wherever it's located, except that they will avoid reaching for outside pitches.
Pitching delivery methods
You’ll see many unique deliveries by pitchers as they add their own personal styles, but most deliveries consist of taking one step as the pitch is thrown or not taking a step forward as the pitch is released.
You'll see many unique deliveries by pitchers as they add their own personal styles, but most deliveries consist of taking one step as the pitch is thrown or not taking a step forward as the pitch is released. Let's consider the advantages and disadvantages of each type of delivery.
One-Step Delivery
The one-step pitching delivery is widely used because it's the way that we all learn to throw, whether overhand or underhand. The disadvantage of the one-step delivery is that pitchers are reducing the distance between themselves and the batter, which further reduces the time that they have to catch a ball hit to them. Some pitchers are able to take a slight step forward and then immediately take several steps back to get set up defensively, but not all are able to make this adjustment. The steps in executing this delivery are shown and explained in the series of photos in figure 5.2 and in Defense→Pitching→Delivery Methods on the DVD.
No-Step Delivery
In the no-step delivery pitchers place one foot on the rubber or in the pitcher's box and the other foot comfortably to the side and slightly behind them (see figure 5.3 and Defense→Pitching→Delivery Methods on the DVD). Some pitchers use the foot opposite the throwing arm that they throw with as the lead foot and others use the same foot. The key here is being comfortable and well balanced in this stance so that the arm swing when delivering the pitch is well controlled. Another factor to consider is whether it is easier for you to back up starting with your right or left leg.
If you can achieve the same level of control with the no-step delivery that you can with the one-step delivery, it's the preferred method because you are able to retreat and set up faster, increasing your chances of fielding balls hit up the middle and reducing your chances of getting injured.
Infielder skills: diving
When running won’t get you to the ball perhaps a dive will.
When running won't get you to the ball perhaps a dive will. Diving for balls is useful when you can recover from the dive in time to throw a runner out at a base or prevent a runner from advancing to another base. Diving for balls that leave you without an opportunity to get an out or prevent the advancement of a runner doesn't make any sense and risks injury. In figure 6.8 and Defense→Infielder Skills→Diving, Bloopers, and Pop-Ups on the DVD you'll see how to make a diving catch, but we had our model do so on the grass to decrease the chance of getting abrasions.
Defensive strategies and tactics
Defensive team strategies are about using the available information to make decisions that minimize the opportunity for the opposing team to score.
Triple, No One on Base
Hit: Deep fly ball to left field landing just inside the foul line and rolling to the fence. It looks to be a triple. LF is in pursuit as illustrated in figure 8.4.
Defensive goal: Hold B to a triple and relay the ball to H.
Fielding the ball: LF is alone in fielding a ball near the foul line. The only throw from this position is to the relay player.
Relay: SS is the relay person, coming out to about the 150-foot (45 m) mark or halfway between the ball and home, and, of course, in line between the ball and home. C lets SS know what to do with the relay throw:
- Cut and throw to 3B.
- Cut and throw to H.
- Cut and hold, running the ball back into the infield.
P positions him- or herself to be the cutoff player, positioned in line with SS and home and about 50 feet (15 m) out from home, as shown in figure 8.4. If B tries to go home, then SS throws home through P. C tells P what to do with the throw:
- Don't cut; let it come through.
- Cut and relay to home (because the throw is off line or weak).
- Cut and throw to 3B (because B rounded 3B but on the strength of the throw stopped and is trying to return to 3B).
Other defensive positions: 1BP backs up H, 2BP covers 2B in case B retreats, and 3BP goes to 3B.
Hits to other locations: If the ball is hit to center field or the right side, the relay to H is essentially the same, except that 2BP becomes the relay person for balls hit to the right side and SS covers 2B.
Improve hitting precision
Place hitting is more about accuracy than power.
Place hitting is more about accuracy than power. As you develop your hitting skills, you'll want to decide whether you want to be a power hitter, a place hitter, or both. In doing so you should know about Fitt's law. This well-established scientific principle of motor behavior is about the speed-accuracy tradeoff. In hitting terms, it means that the faster you swing the bat, the less accurate you'll be. Thus you need to decide whether you want to swing the bat with greater speed or give up some of that speed so that you can hit the ball more accurately. It may be a decision to hit .500 with occasional home runs or hit singles three out of four times to hit .750.
Here are the key things that place hitters do differently compared with power hitters.
- They more often use a conventional grip to maximize bat control.
- They tend to use a more open stance or ready position.
- They are modestly nomadic, making minor location adjustments with their feet in the batter's box as the pitch approaches to position themselves to hit to the location they have targeted.
- The load phase involves less movement. The hands may reach back only a short distance before starting forward in the swing phase.
- The stride is shorter; it's a smooth, soft step that adjusts the position of the batter to the location of the ball to hit it in the direction desired.
- The swing is less powerful (slower speed), and the emphasis is on timing the swing to hit the ball to the desired location.
A less powerful swing doesn't mean a weak swing. Place hitters want to hit the ball sharply too so that fielders have less time to catch the ball. As Fitt's law states, they trade off some speed in the swing to swing more accurately.
Hitting to the Near Field
If you're batting right-handed, the near field is the left side of the field, and if you're batting left-handed, the near field is the right side of the field. Most players learn to hit to the near field when they first learn the game; that is, they learn to pull the ball toward third base if hitting right-handed and toward first base if hitting left-handed. This swing seems to come more naturally, with greater accuracy and more power.
Right-handed batters like to hit the 5-6 hole between the third baseperson and shortstop; left-handed batters may try the 3-4 hole between the first and second basepersons (see figure 2 on page 8 for a review of the holes). If the third baseperson moves away from the foul line into the 5-6 hole, right-handed hitters may choose to hit the ball down the third-base line. Likewise, left-handed hitters may try to hit the ball down the first-base line if the first baseperson moves into the 3-4 hole.
To hit the ball to the near side, you want a pitch on the inside half of the strike zone that is waist to shoulder high at the point of contact. Hitting an outside pitch with accuracy to the near side is difficult, especially if you're trying to hit just inside the foul line. Another pitch to avoid is the low, inside pitch, which if hit will likely go foul or to the third baseperson if you're a right-handed batter and to the first baseperson if you are a left-handed batter. Also avoid deep, inside pitches. Those you'll likely pop up or foul, and they are definitely difficult to hit to a desired location. See Offense→Advanced Hitting→Near- and Opposite-Field Hitting on the DVD to master these skills.
Hitting to the Opposite Field
Hitting to the opposite field (right-handed hitters to right field and left-handed hitters to left field) is a valuable skill not only for place hitters but for power hitters as well. If your opponents discover that you can hit only to the near side, they may shift more fielders to that side of the field. When you hit at least occasionally to the opposite field, defenses must play you straight away.
The key difference between hitting to the near-side field and the opposite field is that in the second case you let the ball come farther into the strike zone when hitting it (see figure 2.4a-b). Therefore, to hit the ball between your shoulder and waist, you'll want to stand forward in the batter's box. If you stand back in the box, the ball will more likely be low in the strike zone and more difficult to control.
The best pitch to hit to the opposite field is one on the outside half of the strike zone at shoulder to waist height. One common mistake when hitting to the opposite field is trying to hit pitches that are too far outside, resulting in your reaching too much and losing bat control (see figure 2.5a). Reaching could also cause you to step on the plate or strike mat as you're swinging, which is an automatic out. Another common mistake is dipping the back shoulder when positioning yourself to hit (see figure 2.5b). Although you want to rotate inwardly to align your body to hit toward the opposite field, keep the shoulders level. A third common mistake made when hitting to the opposite field (although it can occur when hitting to any field) is pushing the bat in that direction rather than swinging the bat. Pushing the bat refers to batters pushing the bat forward with the back arm (top hand on the bat) rather than pulling forcefully with the front arm (bottom hand on the bat) to get good velocity on the bat head. Consequently, the bat head is farther back when contacting the ball, resulting in little momentum being imparted to the ball. In hitting to the opposite field, you want to maintain good swing mechanics. The adjustments are positioning the body to swing comfortably to the opposite field and delaying the swing slightly. Watch Offense→Advanced Hitting→Near- and Opposite-Field Hitting on the DVD to see these incorrect swings.
Some skilled place hitters are squatters, making only a slight adjustment in the forward stride by stepping in the direction that they intend to hit the ball. They commonly take a position in the batter's box farther away from the plate and then stride toward the opposite field. Most of their adjustment comes in the timing of their swing. They wait longer to make contact, hitting the ball not in front of the body as when they pull the ball, but even with the body. Thus, the defense has more difficulty determining where a squatter will hit the ball.
Other place hitters are nomads. They'll take almost any position in the batter's box, but when the pitch is coming they adjust their position to align themselves to hit to the opposite field. A common approach for nomad place hitters is to take a comfortable stance for hitting to the near-side field but, as the ball is pitched, to step away from the plate with the back foot and to step slightly toward the opposite field with the front foot.
Hitting up the Middle
After the ball is past the pitcher, the holes on either side of the pitcher (the 1-4 and 1-6 holes) are often wide open. And line drives over the pitcher will find the grass between the left-center and right-center fielders. But this kind of hitting calls for precision. If the ball is hit to the pitcher, it's an easy out, and if a runner is on first, it's an easy double play. If the shortstop or second baseperson is playing closer to second base, especially if the fielder knows that you like to hit up the middle, then you should look to hit the 3-4 or 5-6 hole. The best pitches for squatters to hit up the middle are those in the middle of the strike zone from waist to shoulder height. Nomads, on the other hand, will adjust their position in the batter's box to align themselves to hit the pitch wherever it's located, except that they will avoid reaching for outside pitches.
Pitching delivery methods
You’ll see many unique deliveries by pitchers as they add their own personal styles, but most deliveries consist of taking one step as the pitch is thrown or not taking a step forward as the pitch is released.
You'll see many unique deliveries by pitchers as they add their own personal styles, but most deliveries consist of taking one step as the pitch is thrown or not taking a step forward as the pitch is released. Let's consider the advantages and disadvantages of each type of delivery.
One-Step Delivery
The one-step pitching delivery is widely used because it's the way that we all learn to throw, whether overhand or underhand. The disadvantage of the one-step delivery is that pitchers are reducing the distance between themselves and the batter, which further reduces the time that they have to catch a ball hit to them. Some pitchers are able to take a slight step forward and then immediately take several steps back to get set up defensively, but not all are able to make this adjustment. The steps in executing this delivery are shown and explained in the series of photos in figure 5.2 and in Defense→Pitching→Delivery Methods on the DVD.
No-Step Delivery
In the no-step delivery pitchers place one foot on the rubber or in the pitcher's box and the other foot comfortably to the side and slightly behind them (see figure 5.3 and Defense→Pitching→Delivery Methods on the DVD). Some pitchers use the foot opposite the throwing arm that they throw with as the lead foot and others use the same foot. The key here is being comfortable and well balanced in this stance so that the arm swing when delivering the pitch is well controlled. Another factor to consider is whether it is easier for you to back up starting with your right or left leg.
If you can achieve the same level of control with the no-step delivery that you can with the one-step delivery, it's the preferred method because you are able to retreat and set up faster, increasing your chances of fielding balls hit up the middle and reducing your chances of getting injured.
Infielder skills: diving
When running won’t get you to the ball perhaps a dive will.
When running won't get you to the ball perhaps a dive will. Diving for balls is useful when you can recover from the dive in time to throw a runner out at a base or prevent a runner from advancing to another base. Diving for balls that leave you without an opportunity to get an out or prevent the advancement of a runner doesn't make any sense and risks injury. In figure 6.8 and Defense→Infielder Skills→Diving, Bloopers, and Pop-Ups on the DVD you'll see how to make a diving catch, but we had our model do so on the grass to decrease the chance of getting abrasions.
Defensive strategies and tactics
Defensive team strategies are about using the available information to make decisions that minimize the opportunity for the opposing team to score.
Triple, No One on Base
Hit: Deep fly ball to left field landing just inside the foul line and rolling to the fence. It looks to be a triple. LF is in pursuit as illustrated in figure 8.4.
Defensive goal: Hold B to a triple and relay the ball to H.
Fielding the ball: LF is alone in fielding a ball near the foul line. The only throw from this position is to the relay player.
Relay: SS is the relay person, coming out to about the 150-foot (45 m) mark or halfway between the ball and home, and, of course, in line between the ball and home. C lets SS know what to do with the relay throw:
- Cut and throw to 3B.
- Cut and throw to H.
- Cut and hold, running the ball back into the infield.
P positions him- or herself to be the cutoff player, positioned in line with SS and home and about 50 feet (15 m) out from home, as shown in figure 8.4. If B tries to go home, then SS throws home through P. C tells P what to do with the throw:
- Don't cut; let it come through.
- Cut and relay to home (because the throw is off line or weak).
- Cut and throw to 3B (because B rounded 3B but on the strength of the throw stopped and is trying to return to 3B).
Other defensive positions: 1BP backs up H, 2BP covers 2B in case B retreats, and 3BP goes to 3B.
Hits to other locations: If the ball is hit to center field or the right side, the relay to H is essentially the same, except that 2BP becomes the relay person for balls hit to the right side and SS covers 2B.
Improve hitting precision
Place hitting is more about accuracy than power.
Place hitting is more about accuracy than power. As you develop your hitting skills, you'll want to decide whether you want to be a power hitter, a place hitter, or both. In doing so you should know about Fitt's law. This well-established scientific principle of motor behavior is about the speed-accuracy tradeoff. In hitting terms, it means that the faster you swing the bat, the less accurate you'll be. Thus you need to decide whether you want to swing the bat with greater speed or give up some of that speed so that you can hit the ball more accurately. It may be a decision to hit .500 with occasional home runs or hit singles three out of four times to hit .750.
Here are the key things that place hitters do differently compared with power hitters.
- They more often use a conventional grip to maximize bat control.
- They tend to use a more open stance or ready position.
- They are modestly nomadic, making minor location adjustments with their feet in the batter's box as the pitch approaches to position themselves to hit to the location they have targeted.
- The load phase involves less movement. The hands may reach back only a short distance before starting forward in the swing phase.
- The stride is shorter; it's a smooth, soft step that adjusts the position of the batter to the location of the ball to hit it in the direction desired.
- The swing is less powerful (slower speed), and the emphasis is on timing the swing to hit the ball to the desired location.
A less powerful swing doesn't mean a weak swing. Place hitters want to hit the ball sharply too so that fielders have less time to catch the ball. As Fitt's law states, they trade off some speed in the swing to swing more accurately.
Hitting to the Near Field
If you're batting right-handed, the near field is the left side of the field, and if you're batting left-handed, the near field is the right side of the field. Most players learn to hit to the near field when they first learn the game; that is, they learn to pull the ball toward third base if hitting right-handed and toward first base if hitting left-handed. This swing seems to come more naturally, with greater accuracy and more power.
Right-handed batters like to hit the 5-6 hole between the third baseperson and shortstop; left-handed batters may try the 3-4 hole between the first and second basepersons (see figure 2 on page 8 for a review of the holes). If the third baseperson moves away from the foul line into the 5-6 hole, right-handed hitters may choose to hit the ball down the third-base line. Likewise, left-handed hitters may try to hit the ball down the first-base line if the first baseperson moves into the 3-4 hole.
To hit the ball to the near side, you want a pitch on the inside half of the strike zone that is waist to shoulder high at the point of contact. Hitting an outside pitch with accuracy to the near side is difficult, especially if you're trying to hit just inside the foul line. Another pitch to avoid is the low, inside pitch, which if hit will likely go foul or to the third baseperson if you're a right-handed batter and to the first baseperson if you are a left-handed batter. Also avoid deep, inside pitches. Those you'll likely pop up or foul, and they are definitely difficult to hit to a desired location. See Offense→Advanced Hitting→Near- and Opposite-Field Hitting on the DVD to master these skills.
Hitting to the Opposite Field
Hitting to the opposite field (right-handed hitters to right field and left-handed hitters to left field) is a valuable skill not only for place hitters but for power hitters as well. If your opponents discover that you can hit only to the near side, they may shift more fielders to that side of the field. When you hit at least occasionally to the opposite field, defenses must play you straight away.
The key difference between hitting to the near-side field and the opposite field is that in the second case you let the ball come farther into the strike zone when hitting it (see figure 2.4a-b). Therefore, to hit the ball between your shoulder and waist, you'll want to stand forward in the batter's box. If you stand back in the box, the ball will more likely be low in the strike zone and more difficult to control.
The best pitch to hit to the opposite field is one on the outside half of the strike zone at shoulder to waist height. One common mistake when hitting to the opposite field is trying to hit pitches that are too far outside, resulting in your reaching too much and losing bat control (see figure 2.5a). Reaching could also cause you to step on the plate or strike mat as you're swinging, which is an automatic out. Another common mistake is dipping the back shoulder when positioning yourself to hit (see figure 2.5b). Although you want to rotate inwardly to align your body to hit toward the opposite field, keep the shoulders level. A third common mistake made when hitting to the opposite field (although it can occur when hitting to any field) is pushing the bat in that direction rather than swinging the bat. Pushing the bat refers to batters pushing the bat forward with the back arm (top hand on the bat) rather than pulling forcefully with the front arm (bottom hand on the bat) to get good velocity on the bat head. Consequently, the bat head is farther back when contacting the ball, resulting in little momentum being imparted to the ball. In hitting to the opposite field, you want to maintain good swing mechanics. The adjustments are positioning the body to swing comfortably to the opposite field and delaying the swing slightly. Watch Offense→Advanced Hitting→Near- and Opposite-Field Hitting on the DVD to see these incorrect swings.
Some skilled place hitters are squatters, making only a slight adjustment in the forward stride by stepping in the direction that they intend to hit the ball. They commonly take a position in the batter's box farther away from the plate and then stride toward the opposite field. Most of their adjustment comes in the timing of their swing. They wait longer to make contact, hitting the ball not in front of the body as when they pull the ball, but even with the body. Thus, the defense has more difficulty determining where a squatter will hit the ball.
Other place hitters are nomads. They'll take almost any position in the batter's box, but when the pitch is coming they adjust their position to align themselves to hit to the opposite field. A common approach for nomad place hitters is to take a comfortable stance for hitting to the near-side field but, as the ball is pitched, to step away from the plate with the back foot and to step slightly toward the opposite field with the front foot.
Hitting up the Middle
After the ball is past the pitcher, the holes on either side of the pitcher (the 1-4 and 1-6 holes) are often wide open. And line drives over the pitcher will find the grass between the left-center and right-center fielders. But this kind of hitting calls for precision. If the ball is hit to the pitcher, it's an easy out, and if a runner is on first, it's an easy double play. If the shortstop or second baseperson is playing closer to second base, especially if the fielder knows that you like to hit up the middle, then you should look to hit the 3-4 or 5-6 hole. The best pitches for squatters to hit up the middle are those in the middle of the strike zone from waist to shoulder height. Nomads, on the other hand, will adjust their position in the batter's box to align themselves to hit the pitch wherever it's located, except that they will avoid reaching for outside pitches.
Pitching delivery methods
You’ll see many unique deliveries by pitchers as they add their own personal styles, but most deliveries consist of taking one step as the pitch is thrown or not taking a step forward as the pitch is released.
You'll see many unique deliveries by pitchers as they add their own personal styles, but most deliveries consist of taking one step as the pitch is thrown or not taking a step forward as the pitch is released. Let's consider the advantages and disadvantages of each type of delivery.
One-Step Delivery
The one-step pitching delivery is widely used because it's the way that we all learn to throw, whether overhand or underhand. The disadvantage of the one-step delivery is that pitchers are reducing the distance between themselves and the batter, which further reduces the time that they have to catch a ball hit to them. Some pitchers are able to take a slight step forward and then immediately take several steps back to get set up defensively, but not all are able to make this adjustment. The steps in executing this delivery are shown and explained in the series of photos in figure 5.2 and in Defense→Pitching→Delivery Methods on the DVD.
No-Step Delivery
In the no-step delivery pitchers place one foot on the rubber or in the pitcher's box and the other foot comfortably to the side and slightly behind them (see figure 5.3 and Defense→Pitching→Delivery Methods on the DVD). Some pitchers use the foot opposite the throwing arm that they throw with as the lead foot and others use the same foot. The key here is being comfortable and well balanced in this stance so that the arm swing when delivering the pitch is well controlled. Another factor to consider is whether it is easier for you to back up starting with your right or left leg.
If you can achieve the same level of control with the no-step delivery that you can with the one-step delivery, it's the preferred method because you are able to retreat and set up faster, increasing your chances of fielding balls hit up the middle and reducing your chances of getting injured.
Infielder skills: diving
When running won’t get you to the ball perhaps a dive will.
When running won't get you to the ball perhaps a dive will. Diving for balls is useful when you can recover from the dive in time to throw a runner out at a base or prevent a runner from advancing to another base. Diving for balls that leave you without an opportunity to get an out or prevent the advancement of a runner doesn't make any sense and risks injury. In figure 6.8 and Defense→Infielder Skills→Diving, Bloopers, and Pop-Ups on the DVD you'll see how to make a diving catch, but we had our model do so on the grass to decrease the chance of getting abrasions.
Defensive strategies and tactics
Defensive team strategies are about using the available information to make decisions that minimize the opportunity for the opposing team to score.
Triple, No One on Base
Hit: Deep fly ball to left field landing just inside the foul line and rolling to the fence. It looks to be a triple. LF is in pursuit as illustrated in figure 8.4.
Defensive goal: Hold B to a triple and relay the ball to H.
Fielding the ball: LF is alone in fielding a ball near the foul line. The only throw from this position is to the relay player.
Relay: SS is the relay person, coming out to about the 150-foot (45 m) mark or halfway between the ball and home, and, of course, in line between the ball and home. C lets SS know what to do with the relay throw:
- Cut and throw to 3B.
- Cut and throw to H.
- Cut and hold, running the ball back into the infield.
P positions him- or herself to be the cutoff player, positioned in line with SS and home and about 50 feet (15 m) out from home, as shown in figure 8.4. If B tries to go home, then SS throws home through P. C tells P what to do with the throw:
- Don't cut; let it come through.
- Cut and relay to home (because the throw is off line or weak).
- Cut and throw to 3B (because B rounded 3B but on the strength of the throw stopped and is trying to return to 3B).
Other defensive positions: 1BP backs up H, 2BP covers 2B in case B retreats, and 3BP goes to 3B.
Hits to other locations: If the ball is hit to center field or the right side, the relay to H is essentially the same, except that 2BP becomes the relay person for balls hit to the right side and SS covers 2B.
Improve hitting precision
Place hitting is more about accuracy than power.
Place hitting is more about accuracy than power. As you develop your hitting skills, you'll want to decide whether you want to be a power hitter, a place hitter, or both. In doing so you should know about Fitt's law. This well-established scientific principle of motor behavior is about the speed-accuracy tradeoff. In hitting terms, it means that the faster you swing the bat, the less accurate you'll be. Thus you need to decide whether you want to swing the bat with greater speed or give up some of that speed so that you can hit the ball more accurately. It may be a decision to hit .500 with occasional home runs or hit singles three out of four times to hit .750.
Here are the key things that place hitters do differently compared with power hitters.
- They more often use a conventional grip to maximize bat control.
- They tend to use a more open stance or ready position.
- They are modestly nomadic, making minor location adjustments with their feet in the batter's box as the pitch approaches to position themselves to hit to the location they have targeted.
- The load phase involves less movement. The hands may reach back only a short distance before starting forward in the swing phase.
- The stride is shorter; it's a smooth, soft step that adjusts the position of the batter to the location of the ball to hit it in the direction desired.
- The swing is less powerful (slower speed), and the emphasis is on timing the swing to hit the ball to the desired location.
A less powerful swing doesn't mean a weak swing. Place hitters want to hit the ball sharply too so that fielders have less time to catch the ball. As Fitt's law states, they trade off some speed in the swing to swing more accurately.
Hitting to the Near Field
If you're batting right-handed, the near field is the left side of the field, and if you're batting left-handed, the near field is the right side of the field. Most players learn to hit to the near field when they first learn the game; that is, they learn to pull the ball toward third base if hitting right-handed and toward first base if hitting left-handed. This swing seems to come more naturally, with greater accuracy and more power.
Right-handed batters like to hit the 5-6 hole between the third baseperson and shortstop; left-handed batters may try the 3-4 hole between the first and second basepersons (see figure 2 on page 8 for a review of the holes). If the third baseperson moves away from the foul line into the 5-6 hole, right-handed hitters may choose to hit the ball down the third-base line. Likewise, left-handed hitters may try to hit the ball down the first-base line if the first baseperson moves into the 3-4 hole.
To hit the ball to the near side, you want a pitch on the inside half of the strike zone that is waist to shoulder high at the point of contact. Hitting an outside pitch with accuracy to the near side is difficult, especially if you're trying to hit just inside the foul line. Another pitch to avoid is the low, inside pitch, which if hit will likely go foul or to the third baseperson if you're a right-handed batter and to the first baseperson if you are a left-handed batter. Also avoid deep, inside pitches. Those you'll likely pop up or foul, and they are definitely difficult to hit to a desired location. See Offense→Advanced Hitting→Near- and Opposite-Field Hitting on the DVD to master these skills.
Hitting to the Opposite Field
Hitting to the opposite field (right-handed hitters to right field and left-handed hitters to left field) is a valuable skill not only for place hitters but for power hitters as well. If your opponents discover that you can hit only to the near side, they may shift more fielders to that side of the field. When you hit at least occasionally to the opposite field, defenses must play you straight away.
The key difference between hitting to the near-side field and the opposite field is that in the second case you let the ball come farther into the strike zone when hitting it (see figure 2.4a-b). Therefore, to hit the ball between your shoulder and waist, you'll want to stand forward in the batter's box. If you stand back in the box, the ball will more likely be low in the strike zone and more difficult to control.
The best pitch to hit to the opposite field is one on the outside half of the strike zone at shoulder to waist height. One common mistake when hitting to the opposite field is trying to hit pitches that are too far outside, resulting in your reaching too much and losing bat control (see figure 2.5a). Reaching could also cause you to step on the plate or strike mat as you're swinging, which is an automatic out. Another common mistake is dipping the back shoulder when positioning yourself to hit (see figure 2.5b). Although you want to rotate inwardly to align your body to hit toward the opposite field, keep the shoulders level. A third common mistake made when hitting to the opposite field (although it can occur when hitting to any field) is pushing the bat in that direction rather than swinging the bat. Pushing the bat refers to batters pushing the bat forward with the back arm (top hand on the bat) rather than pulling forcefully with the front arm (bottom hand on the bat) to get good velocity on the bat head. Consequently, the bat head is farther back when contacting the ball, resulting in little momentum being imparted to the ball. In hitting to the opposite field, you want to maintain good swing mechanics. The adjustments are positioning the body to swing comfortably to the opposite field and delaying the swing slightly. Watch Offense→Advanced Hitting→Near- and Opposite-Field Hitting on the DVD to see these incorrect swings.
Some skilled place hitters are squatters, making only a slight adjustment in the forward stride by stepping in the direction that they intend to hit the ball. They commonly take a position in the batter's box farther away from the plate and then stride toward the opposite field. Most of their adjustment comes in the timing of their swing. They wait longer to make contact, hitting the ball not in front of the body as when they pull the ball, but even with the body. Thus, the defense has more difficulty determining where a squatter will hit the ball.
Other place hitters are nomads. They'll take almost any position in the batter's box, but when the pitch is coming they adjust their position to align themselves to hit to the opposite field. A common approach for nomad place hitters is to take a comfortable stance for hitting to the near-side field but, as the ball is pitched, to step away from the plate with the back foot and to step slightly toward the opposite field with the front foot.
Hitting up the Middle
After the ball is past the pitcher, the holes on either side of the pitcher (the 1-4 and 1-6 holes) are often wide open. And line drives over the pitcher will find the grass between the left-center and right-center fielders. But this kind of hitting calls for precision. If the ball is hit to the pitcher, it's an easy out, and if a runner is on first, it's an easy double play. If the shortstop or second baseperson is playing closer to second base, especially if the fielder knows that you like to hit up the middle, then you should look to hit the 3-4 or 5-6 hole. The best pitches for squatters to hit up the middle are those in the middle of the strike zone from waist to shoulder height. Nomads, on the other hand, will adjust their position in the batter's box to align themselves to hit the pitch wherever it's located, except that they will avoid reaching for outside pitches.
Pitching delivery methods
You’ll see many unique deliveries by pitchers as they add their own personal styles, but most deliveries consist of taking one step as the pitch is thrown or not taking a step forward as the pitch is released.
You'll see many unique deliveries by pitchers as they add their own personal styles, but most deliveries consist of taking one step as the pitch is thrown or not taking a step forward as the pitch is released. Let's consider the advantages and disadvantages of each type of delivery.
One-Step Delivery
The one-step pitching delivery is widely used because it's the way that we all learn to throw, whether overhand or underhand. The disadvantage of the one-step delivery is that pitchers are reducing the distance between themselves and the batter, which further reduces the time that they have to catch a ball hit to them. Some pitchers are able to take a slight step forward and then immediately take several steps back to get set up defensively, but not all are able to make this adjustment. The steps in executing this delivery are shown and explained in the series of photos in figure 5.2 and in Defense→Pitching→Delivery Methods on the DVD.
No-Step Delivery
In the no-step delivery pitchers place one foot on the rubber or in the pitcher's box and the other foot comfortably to the side and slightly behind them (see figure 5.3 and Defense→Pitching→Delivery Methods on the DVD). Some pitchers use the foot opposite the throwing arm that they throw with as the lead foot and others use the same foot. The key here is being comfortable and well balanced in this stance so that the arm swing when delivering the pitch is well controlled. Another factor to consider is whether it is easier for you to back up starting with your right or left leg.
If you can achieve the same level of control with the no-step delivery that you can with the one-step delivery, it's the preferred method because you are able to retreat and set up faster, increasing your chances of fielding balls hit up the middle and reducing your chances of getting injured.
Infielder skills: diving
When running won’t get you to the ball perhaps a dive will.
When running won't get you to the ball perhaps a dive will. Diving for balls is useful when you can recover from the dive in time to throw a runner out at a base or prevent a runner from advancing to another base. Diving for balls that leave you without an opportunity to get an out or prevent the advancement of a runner doesn't make any sense and risks injury. In figure 6.8 and Defense→Infielder Skills→Diving, Bloopers, and Pop-Ups on the DVD you'll see how to make a diving catch, but we had our model do so on the grass to decrease the chance of getting abrasions.
Defensive strategies and tactics
Defensive team strategies are about using the available information to make decisions that minimize the opportunity for the opposing team to score.
Triple, No One on Base
Hit: Deep fly ball to left field landing just inside the foul line and rolling to the fence. It looks to be a triple. LF is in pursuit as illustrated in figure 8.4.
Defensive goal: Hold B to a triple and relay the ball to H.
Fielding the ball: LF is alone in fielding a ball near the foul line. The only throw from this position is to the relay player.
Relay: SS is the relay person, coming out to about the 150-foot (45 m) mark or halfway between the ball and home, and, of course, in line between the ball and home. C lets SS know what to do with the relay throw:
- Cut and throw to 3B.
- Cut and throw to H.
- Cut and hold, running the ball back into the infield.
P positions him- or herself to be the cutoff player, positioned in line with SS and home and about 50 feet (15 m) out from home, as shown in figure 8.4. If B tries to go home, then SS throws home through P. C tells P what to do with the throw:
- Don't cut; let it come through.
- Cut and relay to home (because the throw is off line or weak).
- Cut and throw to 3B (because B rounded 3B but on the strength of the throw stopped and is trying to return to 3B).
Other defensive positions: 1BP backs up H, 2BP covers 2B in case B retreats, and 3BP goes to 3B.
Hits to other locations: If the ball is hit to center field or the right side, the relay to H is essentially the same, except that 2BP becomes the relay person for balls hit to the right side and SS covers 2B.
Improve hitting precision
Place hitting is more about accuracy than power.
Place hitting is more about accuracy than power. As you develop your hitting skills, you'll want to decide whether you want to be a power hitter, a place hitter, or both. In doing so you should know about Fitt's law. This well-established scientific principle of motor behavior is about the speed-accuracy tradeoff. In hitting terms, it means that the faster you swing the bat, the less accurate you'll be. Thus you need to decide whether you want to swing the bat with greater speed or give up some of that speed so that you can hit the ball more accurately. It may be a decision to hit .500 with occasional home runs or hit singles three out of four times to hit .750.
Here are the key things that place hitters do differently compared with power hitters.
- They more often use a conventional grip to maximize bat control.
- They tend to use a more open stance or ready position.
- They are modestly nomadic, making minor location adjustments with their feet in the batter's box as the pitch approaches to position themselves to hit to the location they have targeted.
- The load phase involves less movement. The hands may reach back only a short distance before starting forward in the swing phase.
- The stride is shorter; it's a smooth, soft step that adjusts the position of the batter to the location of the ball to hit it in the direction desired.
- The swing is less powerful (slower speed), and the emphasis is on timing the swing to hit the ball to the desired location.
A less powerful swing doesn't mean a weak swing. Place hitters want to hit the ball sharply too so that fielders have less time to catch the ball. As Fitt's law states, they trade off some speed in the swing to swing more accurately.
Hitting to the Near Field
If you're batting right-handed, the near field is the left side of the field, and if you're batting left-handed, the near field is the right side of the field. Most players learn to hit to the near field when they first learn the game; that is, they learn to pull the ball toward third base if hitting right-handed and toward first base if hitting left-handed. This swing seems to come more naturally, with greater accuracy and more power.
Right-handed batters like to hit the 5-6 hole between the third baseperson and shortstop; left-handed batters may try the 3-4 hole between the first and second basepersons (see figure 2 on page 8 for a review of the holes). If the third baseperson moves away from the foul line into the 5-6 hole, right-handed hitters may choose to hit the ball down the third-base line. Likewise, left-handed hitters may try to hit the ball down the first-base line if the first baseperson moves into the 3-4 hole.
To hit the ball to the near side, you want a pitch on the inside half of the strike zone that is waist to shoulder high at the point of contact. Hitting an outside pitch with accuracy to the near side is difficult, especially if you're trying to hit just inside the foul line. Another pitch to avoid is the low, inside pitch, which if hit will likely go foul or to the third baseperson if you're a right-handed batter and to the first baseperson if you are a left-handed batter. Also avoid deep, inside pitches. Those you'll likely pop up or foul, and they are definitely difficult to hit to a desired location. See Offense→Advanced Hitting→Near- and Opposite-Field Hitting on the DVD to master these skills.
Hitting to the Opposite Field
Hitting to the opposite field (right-handed hitters to right field and left-handed hitters to left field) is a valuable skill not only for place hitters but for power hitters as well. If your opponents discover that you can hit only to the near side, they may shift more fielders to that side of the field. When you hit at least occasionally to the opposite field, defenses must play you straight away.
The key difference between hitting to the near-side field and the opposite field is that in the second case you let the ball come farther into the strike zone when hitting it (see figure 2.4a-b). Therefore, to hit the ball between your shoulder and waist, you'll want to stand forward in the batter's box. If you stand back in the box, the ball will more likely be low in the strike zone and more difficult to control.
The best pitch to hit to the opposite field is one on the outside half of the strike zone at shoulder to waist height. One common mistake when hitting to the opposite field is trying to hit pitches that are too far outside, resulting in your reaching too much and losing bat control (see figure 2.5a). Reaching could also cause you to step on the plate or strike mat as you're swinging, which is an automatic out. Another common mistake is dipping the back shoulder when positioning yourself to hit (see figure 2.5b). Although you want to rotate inwardly to align your body to hit toward the opposite field, keep the shoulders level. A third common mistake made when hitting to the opposite field (although it can occur when hitting to any field) is pushing the bat in that direction rather than swinging the bat. Pushing the bat refers to batters pushing the bat forward with the back arm (top hand on the bat) rather than pulling forcefully with the front arm (bottom hand on the bat) to get good velocity on the bat head. Consequently, the bat head is farther back when contacting the ball, resulting in little momentum being imparted to the ball. In hitting to the opposite field, you want to maintain good swing mechanics. The adjustments are positioning the body to swing comfortably to the opposite field and delaying the swing slightly. Watch Offense→Advanced Hitting→Near- and Opposite-Field Hitting on the DVD to see these incorrect swings.
Some skilled place hitters are squatters, making only a slight adjustment in the forward stride by stepping in the direction that they intend to hit the ball. They commonly take a position in the batter's box farther away from the plate and then stride toward the opposite field. Most of their adjustment comes in the timing of their swing. They wait longer to make contact, hitting the ball not in front of the body as when they pull the ball, but even with the body. Thus, the defense has more difficulty determining where a squatter will hit the ball.
Other place hitters are nomads. They'll take almost any position in the batter's box, but when the pitch is coming they adjust their position to align themselves to hit to the opposite field. A common approach for nomad place hitters is to take a comfortable stance for hitting to the near-side field but, as the ball is pitched, to step away from the plate with the back foot and to step slightly toward the opposite field with the front foot.
Hitting up the Middle
After the ball is past the pitcher, the holes on either side of the pitcher (the 1-4 and 1-6 holes) are often wide open. And line drives over the pitcher will find the grass between the left-center and right-center fielders. But this kind of hitting calls for precision. If the ball is hit to the pitcher, it's an easy out, and if a runner is on first, it's an easy double play. If the shortstop or second baseperson is playing closer to second base, especially if the fielder knows that you like to hit up the middle, then you should look to hit the 3-4 or 5-6 hole. The best pitches for squatters to hit up the middle are those in the middle of the strike zone from waist to shoulder height. Nomads, on the other hand, will adjust their position in the batter's box to align themselves to hit the pitch wherever it's located, except that they will avoid reaching for outside pitches.
Pitching delivery methods
You’ll see many unique deliveries by pitchers as they add their own personal styles, but most deliveries consist of taking one step as the pitch is thrown or not taking a step forward as the pitch is released.
You'll see many unique deliveries by pitchers as they add their own personal styles, but most deliveries consist of taking one step as the pitch is thrown or not taking a step forward as the pitch is released. Let's consider the advantages and disadvantages of each type of delivery.
One-Step Delivery
The one-step pitching delivery is widely used because it's the way that we all learn to throw, whether overhand or underhand. The disadvantage of the one-step delivery is that pitchers are reducing the distance between themselves and the batter, which further reduces the time that they have to catch a ball hit to them. Some pitchers are able to take a slight step forward and then immediately take several steps back to get set up defensively, but not all are able to make this adjustment. The steps in executing this delivery are shown and explained in the series of photos in figure 5.2 and in Defense→Pitching→Delivery Methods on the DVD.
No-Step Delivery
In the no-step delivery pitchers place one foot on the rubber or in the pitcher's box and the other foot comfortably to the side and slightly behind them (see figure 5.3 and Defense→Pitching→Delivery Methods on the DVD). Some pitchers use the foot opposite the throwing arm that they throw with as the lead foot and others use the same foot. The key here is being comfortable and well balanced in this stance so that the arm swing when delivering the pitch is well controlled. Another factor to consider is whether it is easier for you to back up starting with your right or left leg.
If you can achieve the same level of control with the no-step delivery that you can with the one-step delivery, it's the preferred method because you are able to retreat and set up faster, increasing your chances of fielding balls hit up the middle and reducing your chances of getting injured.
Infielder skills: diving
When running won’t get you to the ball perhaps a dive will.
When running won't get you to the ball perhaps a dive will. Diving for balls is useful when you can recover from the dive in time to throw a runner out at a base or prevent a runner from advancing to another base. Diving for balls that leave you without an opportunity to get an out or prevent the advancement of a runner doesn't make any sense and risks injury. In figure 6.8 and Defense→Infielder Skills→Diving, Bloopers, and Pop-Ups on the DVD you'll see how to make a diving catch, but we had our model do so on the grass to decrease the chance of getting abrasions.
Defensive strategies and tactics
Defensive team strategies are about using the available information to make decisions that minimize the opportunity for the opposing team to score.
Triple, No One on Base
Hit: Deep fly ball to left field landing just inside the foul line and rolling to the fence. It looks to be a triple. LF is in pursuit as illustrated in figure 8.4.
Defensive goal: Hold B to a triple and relay the ball to H.
Fielding the ball: LF is alone in fielding a ball near the foul line. The only throw from this position is to the relay player.
Relay: SS is the relay person, coming out to about the 150-foot (45 m) mark or halfway between the ball and home, and, of course, in line between the ball and home. C lets SS know what to do with the relay throw:
- Cut and throw to 3B.
- Cut and throw to H.
- Cut and hold, running the ball back into the infield.
P positions him- or herself to be the cutoff player, positioned in line with SS and home and about 50 feet (15 m) out from home, as shown in figure 8.4. If B tries to go home, then SS throws home through P. C tells P what to do with the throw:
- Don't cut; let it come through.
- Cut and relay to home (because the throw is off line or weak).
- Cut and throw to 3B (because B rounded 3B but on the strength of the throw stopped and is trying to return to 3B).
Other defensive positions: 1BP backs up H, 2BP covers 2B in case B retreats, and 3BP goes to 3B.
Hits to other locations: If the ball is hit to center field or the right side, the relay to H is essentially the same, except that 2BP becomes the relay person for balls hit to the right side and SS covers 2B.
Improve hitting precision
Place hitting is more about accuracy than power.
Place hitting is more about accuracy than power. As you develop your hitting skills, you'll want to decide whether you want to be a power hitter, a place hitter, or both. In doing so you should know about Fitt's law. This well-established scientific principle of motor behavior is about the speed-accuracy tradeoff. In hitting terms, it means that the faster you swing the bat, the less accurate you'll be. Thus you need to decide whether you want to swing the bat with greater speed or give up some of that speed so that you can hit the ball more accurately. It may be a decision to hit .500 with occasional home runs or hit singles three out of four times to hit .750.
Here are the key things that place hitters do differently compared with power hitters.
- They more often use a conventional grip to maximize bat control.
- They tend to use a more open stance or ready position.
- They are modestly nomadic, making minor location adjustments with their feet in the batter's box as the pitch approaches to position themselves to hit to the location they have targeted.
- The load phase involves less movement. The hands may reach back only a short distance before starting forward in the swing phase.
- The stride is shorter; it's a smooth, soft step that adjusts the position of the batter to the location of the ball to hit it in the direction desired.
- The swing is less powerful (slower speed), and the emphasis is on timing the swing to hit the ball to the desired location.
A less powerful swing doesn't mean a weak swing. Place hitters want to hit the ball sharply too so that fielders have less time to catch the ball. As Fitt's law states, they trade off some speed in the swing to swing more accurately.
Hitting to the Near Field
If you're batting right-handed, the near field is the left side of the field, and if you're batting left-handed, the near field is the right side of the field. Most players learn to hit to the near field when they first learn the game; that is, they learn to pull the ball toward third base if hitting right-handed and toward first base if hitting left-handed. This swing seems to come more naturally, with greater accuracy and more power.
Right-handed batters like to hit the 5-6 hole between the third baseperson and shortstop; left-handed batters may try the 3-4 hole between the first and second basepersons (see figure 2 on page 8 for a review of the holes). If the third baseperson moves away from the foul line into the 5-6 hole, right-handed hitters may choose to hit the ball down the third-base line. Likewise, left-handed hitters may try to hit the ball down the first-base line if the first baseperson moves into the 3-4 hole.
To hit the ball to the near side, you want a pitch on the inside half of the strike zone that is waist to shoulder high at the point of contact. Hitting an outside pitch with accuracy to the near side is difficult, especially if you're trying to hit just inside the foul line. Another pitch to avoid is the low, inside pitch, which if hit will likely go foul or to the third baseperson if you're a right-handed batter and to the first baseperson if you are a left-handed batter. Also avoid deep, inside pitches. Those you'll likely pop up or foul, and they are definitely difficult to hit to a desired location. See Offense→Advanced Hitting→Near- and Opposite-Field Hitting on the DVD to master these skills.
Hitting to the Opposite Field
Hitting to the opposite field (right-handed hitters to right field and left-handed hitters to left field) is a valuable skill not only for place hitters but for power hitters as well. If your opponents discover that you can hit only to the near side, they may shift more fielders to that side of the field. When you hit at least occasionally to the opposite field, defenses must play you straight away.
The key difference between hitting to the near-side field and the opposite field is that in the second case you let the ball come farther into the strike zone when hitting it (see figure 2.4a-b). Therefore, to hit the ball between your shoulder and waist, you'll want to stand forward in the batter's box. If you stand back in the box, the ball will more likely be low in the strike zone and more difficult to control.
The best pitch to hit to the opposite field is one on the outside half of the strike zone at shoulder to waist height. One common mistake when hitting to the opposite field is trying to hit pitches that are too far outside, resulting in your reaching too much and losing bat control (see figure 2.5a). Reaching could also cause you to step on the plate or strike mat as you're swinging, which is an automatic out. Another common mistake is dipping the back shoulder when positioning yourself to hit (see figure 2.5b). Although you want to rotate inwardly to align your body to hit toward the opposite field, keep the shoulders level. A third common mistake made when hitting to the opposite field (although it can occur when hitting to any field) is pushing the bat in that direction rather than swinging the bat. Pushing the bat refers to batters pushing the bat forward with the back arm (top hand on the bat) rather than pulling forcefully with the front arm (bottom hand on the bat) to get good velocity on the bat head. Consequently, the bat head is farther back when contacting the ball, resulting in little momentum being imparted to the ball. In hitting to the opposite field, you want to maintain good swing mechanics. The adjustments are positioning the body to swing comfortably to the opposite field and delaying the swing slightly. Watch Offense→Advanced Hitting→Near- and Opposite-Field Hitting on the DVD to see these incorrect swings.
Some skilled place hitters are squatters, making only a slight adjustment in the forward stride by stepping in the direction that they intend to hit the ball. They commonly take a position in the batter's box farther away from the plate and then stride toward the opposite field. Most of their adjustment comes in the timing of their swing. They wait longer to make contact, hitting the ball not in front of the body as when they pull the ball, but even with the body. Thus, the defense has more difficulty determining where a squatter will hit the ball.
Other place hitters are nomads. They'll take almost any position in the batter's box, but when the pitch is coming they adjust their position to align themselves to hit to the opposite field. A common approach for nomad place hitters is to take a comfortable stance for hitting to the near-side field but, as the ball is pitched, to step away from the plate with the back foot and to step slightly toward the opposite field with the front foot.
Hitting up the Middle
After the ball is past the pitcher, the holes on either side of the pitcher (the 1-4 and 1-6 holes) are often wide open. And line drives over the pitcher will find the grass between the left-center and right-center fielders. But this kind of hitting calls for precision. If the ball is hit to the pitcher, it's an easy out, and if a runner is on first, it's an easy double play. If the shortstop or second baseperson is playing closer to second base, especially if the fielder knows that you like to hit up the middle, then you should look to hit the 3-4 or 5-6 hole. The best pitches for squatters to hit up the middle are those in the middle of the strike zone from waist to shoulder height. Nomads, on the other hand, will adjust their position in the batter's box to align themselves to hit the pitch wherever it's located, except that they will avoid reaching for outside pitches.
Pitching delivery methods
You’ll see many unique deliveries by pitchers as they add their own personal styles, but most deliveries consist of taking one step as the pitch is thrown or not taking a step forward as the pitch is released.
You'll see many unique deliveries by pitchers as they add their own personal styles, but most deliveries consist of taking one step as the pitch is thrown or not taking a step forward as the pitch is released. Let's consider the advantages and disadvantages of each type of delivery.
One-Step Delivery
The one-step pitching delivery is widely used because it's the way that we all learn to throw, whether overhand or underhand. The disadvantage of the one-step delivery is that pitchers are reducing the distance between themselves and the batter, which further reduces the time that they have to catch a ball hit to them. Some pitchers are able to take a slight step forward and then immediately take several steps back to get set up defensively, but not all are able to make this adjustment. The steps in executing this delivery are shown and explained in the series of photos in figure 5.2 and in Defense→Pitching→Delivery Methods on the DVD.
No-Step Delivery
In the no-step delivery pitchers place one foot on the rubber or in the pitcher's box and the other foot comfortably to the side and slightly behind them (see figure 5.3 and Defense→Pitching→Delivery Methods on the DVD). Some pitchers use the foot opposite the throwing arm that they throw with as the lead foot and others use the same foot. The key here is being comfortable and well balanced in this stance so that the arm swing when delivering the pitch is well controlled. Another factor to consider is whether it is easier for you to back up starting with your right or left leg.
If you can achieve the same level of control with the no-step delivery that you can with the one-step delivery, it's the preferred method because you are able to retreat and set up faster, increasing your chances of fielding balls hit up the middle and reducing your chances of getting injured.
Infielder skills: diving
When running won’t get you to the ball perhaps a dive will.
When running won't get you to the ball perhaps a dive will. Diving for balls is useful when you can recover from the dive in time to throw a runner out at a base or prevent a runner from advancing to another base. Diving for balls that leave you without an opportunity to get an out or prevent the advancement of a runner doesn't make any sense and risks injury. In figure 6.8 and Defense→Infielder Skills→Diving, Bloopers, and Pop-Ups on the DVD you'll see how to make a diving catch, but we had our model do so on the grass to decrease the chance of getting abrasions.
Defensive strategies and tactics
Defensive team strategies are about using the available information to make decisions that minimize the opportunity for the opposing team to score.
Triple, No One on Base
Hit: Deep fly ball to left field landing just inside the foul line and rolling to the fence. It looks to be a triple. LF is in pursuit as illustrated in figure 8.4.
Defensive goal: Hold B to a triple and relay the ball to H.
Fielding the ball: LF is alone in fielding a ball near the foul line. The only throw from this position is to the relay player.
Relay: SS is the relay person, coming out to about the 150-foot (45 m) mark or halfway between the ball and home, and, of course, in line between the ball and home. C lets SS know what to do with the relay throw:
- Cut and throw to 3B.
- Cut and throw to H.
- Cut and hold, running the ball back into the infield.
P positions him- or herself to be the cutoff player, positioned in line with SS and home and about 50 feet (15 m) out from home, as shown in figure 8.4. If B tries to go home, then SS throws home through P. C tells P what to do with the throw:
- Don't cut; let it come through.
- Cut and relay to home (because the throw is off line or weak).
- Cut and throw to 3B (because B rounded 3B but on the strength of the throw stopped and is trying to return to 3B).
Other defensive positions: 1BP backs up H, 2BP covers 2B in case B retreats, and 3BP goes to 3B.
Hits to other locations: If the ball is hit to center field or the right side, the relay to H is essentially the same, except that 2BP becomes the relay person for balls hit to the right side and SS covers 2B.
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