Baseball
Steps to Success
by Kenny Thomas and DJ King
Series: STS (Steps to Success Activity
240 Pages
Become a fundamentally sound player in every aspect of the game with Baseball: Steps to Success. For years, the Steps to Success series has helped people around the world master the fundamentals of sport. Its unique progressive instructional approach to every skill makes learning the game of baseball easier and more enjoyable than ever before.
With Baseball: Steps to Success, the road map to becoming a five-tool player is at your fingertips. Step out of the dugout and onto the diamond with confidence in your skills in the game’s most important areas:
• Hitting
• Bunting
• Throwing
• Fielding
• Pitching
• Catching
• Baserunning
• Situational play
Drawing on more than 76 self-improvement and practice drills that include skills broken down to their most basic techniques, you’ll be a threat every time you step to the plate or take the mound. Baseball: Steps to Success leaves no area of the game uncovered.
Whether you’re learning, teaching, or coaching, Baseball: Steps to Success will help you master this great game. Part of the best-selling series with more than 1.7 million copies sold, it is your guide to on-the-field excellence.
Step 1. Throwing and Catching
Step 2. Fielding
Step 3. Pitching
Step 4. Catching
Step 5. Hitting
Step 6. Baserunning
Step 7. Playing the Infield
Step 8. Playing the Outfield
Step 9. Situational Defense
Step 10. Situational Offense
Since becoming the head coach of the University of South Carolina Aiken baseball program in 2000, Kenny Thomas has re-established the Pacers as a force in the Peach Belt Conference and a perennial top 25 team in NCAA Division II.
As of the start of the 2017 season, Thomas has 1,139 career wins, including 619 at the USC Aiken helm. His record is currently 1,139-562 in 29 seasons as a college head coach. He ranks in the top 40 among active NCAA Division II coaches for wins. His .643 winning percentage as the Pacer skipper places him in the top 30 among active NCAA Division II head coaches. Thomas has led the Pacers to eight NCAA Tournament appearances (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, and 2016) in the past 11 seasons.
Thomas has coached 67 players who have been drafted and signed in the Major League Baseball free agent draft. He’s coached 102 All-Conference players, 17 All-Americans, six conference Players of the Year, one Southeast Region Player of the Year, and one National Player of the Year. Under Thomas’s direction, USC Aiken has had five straight years (2012-2016) with a player selected within the first 15 rounds of the MLB draft.
As a player at Trevecca University in Nashville, Tennessee, Thomas was named All-Conference three times, All-District two times, team captain three times, and an NAIA All-American catcher his senior year.
DJ King spent three seasons as associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at Andrew College in Georgia. He also spent three seasons at Kennesaw State University as the volunteer assistant coach. He spent three seasons at the University of South Carolina Aiken, where he was the pitching coach for two years as well as a recruiter, strength and conditioning coach, alumni coordinator, and stadium supervisor.
King was the head coach of the Dubuque Waves in the River Valley League in Iowa for one summer, where he was selected to manage the league’s all-star team. For two summers he was also the head coach of the Waynesboro Generals in the Valley Baseball League in Virginia; the team won the Valley League Championship in 2014 and fell just short in 2015, losing in the semifinal round.
Before his coaching career, King won back-to-back state championships at Parkview High School, where he played for legendary coach Hugh Buchanan. He played collegiate ball at Chattahoochee Valley, where he was an All-Conference pitcher. He concluded his playing career at Shorter College.
Knowing the Situation
The pitcher must always be aware of the situation. For beginners, being aware of every situation is difficult. Teaching awareness really happens by trial and error.
The pitcher must always be aware of the situation. For beginners, being aware of every situation is difficult. Teaching awareness really happens by trial and error. By reviewing actions that happened, good or bad, a player can more easily correct the action the next time. The difficulty for beginners is being able to process the amount of information that goes into every situation, all while trying to pitch to a hitter. So let's look at how a pitcher can filter the information and still be able to execute a pitch.
A pitcher must be aware of the following list of factors at all times. Although it may seem like a lot to filter, at the professional and higher collegiate levels, this list will grow even bigger. The question format is designed to illustrate the thought process that a pitcher may go through between pitches.
Surrounding Factors
- Who are the good runners and hitters in the opposing lineup?
- What inning are we in?
- What is the score?
- How many outs are there?
- What is the count?
- Are runners on base?
- Is the runner a steal threat?
- Is this a time they might bunt or try to create action?
- Where do I go with the ball if it is hit to me?
- Has a defensive play been called? What is our defensive setup?
Hitter
- Who is at bat, and where is he in the lineup?
- Where are the outs?
- Is the hitter in a situational at-bat?
- What is the hitter trying to do?
- Has he adjusted his position in the batter's box?
- What pitch sequence have we used or are we using?
- What pitch are we trying to get to based on my strengths and the hitter's weaknesses?
Executing the Pitch and Evaluating the Information
- Is a runner on base?
- How can I control the base runner from the set position?
- Did I execute the pitch to the location?
- What reaction did the hitter have?
- Was there action with the base runner?
- Did I feel a mechanical adjustment that I can make to execute the next pitch better?
- Reset and refocus.
- How has the situation changed?
For a beginner, this cycle has an abundance of information that can be difficult to process without slowing the tempo of the game. In time, many of these specific questions will become part of the pitcher's natural process between pitches. A pitcher who is capable of understanding the situation and can cycle through this information quickly will have a higher baseball IQ and a greater feel of the game and the way in which it is played.
For those who can do this, most of the answers to the questions in this breakdown will be stored subconsciously, thereby allowing the pitcher to focus on three major factors. The three major factors for a pitcher to focus on help determine the answers to the other questions in the breakdown. The advanced pitcher will quickly adjust the answers to the other questions. Here is how it works.
Mechanics
The first major factor that a pitcher focuses on is the delivery itself. Given all the other information that the pitcher must process, he must make only minimal mechanical adjustments during the game. One goal of practice, or throwing in the bullpen, is to find those minor mechanical adjustments that the pitcher can feel and that he can use during a game.
What Is the Count? Pitch Sequencing
The count on the batter determines many aspects of how a situation is played. The count affects the running game, the hitter's approach, and the decision on what pitch is called. In turn, it can affect the defensive setup. For the advanced pitcher who is self-aware, the count encompasses all of these factors and plays a big role in pitch selection.
The cat and mouse game for a starting pitcher begins with his looking at the entire lineup. Each hitter is different, and the pitcher must figure out what weaknesses he can exploit in the lineup by using his strengths. As the game is played, the pitcher should note the sequencing he used to get hitters out. The goal is to keep the offense off balance by creating soft contact. The pitcher can do this by establishing the fact that he can command the fastball.
Working off of the fastball, the pitcher can mix in secondary pitches. Throughout the course of a game, the sequencing of pitches within each at-bat will factor into the sequencing of the next at-bat for each hitter, but the pitcher must be conscious of not getting into a pattern with the sequencing. If the pitcher throws a first-pitch fastball to every hitter, the offense is likely to notice and make adjustments, so the pitcher must be able to throw secondary pitches in every count. This unpredictability will keep an offense from getting accustomed to a specific pitch sequence.
Training the Swing
The baseball swing is complex, to say the least. The swing is a mental and physical series of actions that must work through the total body in precise harmony.
The baseball swing is complex, to say the least. The swing is a mental and physical series of actions that must work through the total body in precise harmony. Training these actions can be done in a variety of ways such as tee drills, soft toss, front toss, and batting practice, all of which have multiple variations that cater to specific needs. Our approach for training the swing will remain consistent throughout these drills.
"Squaring up" the baseball, or perfect contact, can be defined as hitting the ball on the same trajectory as it was delivered. You will be hitting on a line straight through the pitcher's release point. With this in mind, the following drills are designed to create a repeatable swing so that you can consistently square up the ball at contact.
Each swing has a result called ball flight. The trajectory of the ball off the bat will help you determine the quality of the swing, giving you immediate feedback regarding flaws in your timing or mechanics. Using the ball flight as a tool, you should be able to make minor adjustments to correct the issue.
Hitting Drill 1: Tee Work
Tee drills eliminate the movement of the baseball. The object is to place the ball at the exact point where you want to make contact. From your batting stance, our first drill will have the ball placed at belt height, even with the front leg, and centered on the plate (figure 5.3). This contact point is the neutral reference for perfect contact, resulting in a line drive through the middle of the field. Take 10 swings, driving the ball through the center of the field.
Tee work drill.
To Increase Difficulty
- The tee drill has many variations. Each variation focuses on certain skill elements that the hitter can single out. These variations are:
- The outside or inside pitch
- High tee or low tee
- Blind swings
- Step through and swing
- Top hand or bottom hand swings with a smaller bat.
To Decrease Difficulty
- Place the tee at a single contact point in the center of the plate.
Success Check
- What was the flight path of the ball after contact? Did it slice away from you? Did it topspin to the ground?
- What did you feel that was different when you squared up the ball versus when the ball had a different flight path?
- Were you able to make adjustments from swing to swing?
- Did your results remain consistent throughout the drill?
Score Your Success
- You earn 1 point for every line drive between the second baseman and the shortstop.
- You earn 1/2 point for a hard-hit ground ball in the same region.
- You earn 0 points for a ball hit above 20 feet (6 m) or outside the given area.
- Your score ____ of 10
Hitting Drill 2: Soft Toss
Soft toss adds the element of timing the body movement and the swing with the ball in flight. With a coach or partner on a knee in the opposite batter's box, have the hitter in the batting stance. The ball should be shown to the hitter. The coach lowers the ball, triggering the load of the hitter. The coach then raises the arm, flipping the ball to a given contact point, thus triggering the hitter to swing (figure 5.4). For this drill, let's take three rounds of eight swings.
Soft toss drill.
To Increase Difficulty
- Have the partner toss the ball from the catcher's box.
- Speed up the pace between flips.
- Challenge the hitter's various contact points (in, out, up, down).
- Use the top hand or bottom hand only with a smaller bat.
To Decrease Difficulty
- Slow down the rhythm of the flip.
- Flip to the same spot every time.
Success Check
- The success checks remain virtually the same as those for the tee drills.
- Because the ball is in flight, your timing and rhythm may be affected.
- Can you still repeat your swing, getting successful results, as you did with the tee drill?
Score Your Success
- You earn 1 point for every line drive between the second baseman and the shortstop.
- You earn 1/2 point for a hard-hit ground ball in the same region.
- You earn 0 points for a ball hit above 20 feet (6 m) or outside the given area.
- Round 1 ____ of 8
- Round 2 ____ of 8
- Round 3 ____ of 8
- Your score ____ of 24
Save
Save
Sacrifice Bunting
Bunting is a part of the offensive game that is often referred to as small ball. For some players, bunting for a hit can be a part of their individual skill set that forces a defense to adjust positioning, and we’ll cover this skill later in the chapter.
Bunting is a part of the offensive game that is often referred to as small ball. For some players, bunting for a hit can be a part of their individual skill set that forces a defense to adjust positioning, and we'll cover this skill later in the chapter. For others, bunting is used in sacrifice situations when an offense is willing to give up an out to advance the base runner or base runners. These situations typically occur late in a game with a runner on first (figure 10.1), a runner on second, or runners on first and second (figure 10.2), with zero outs. It can also occur with a runner on third (figure 10.3). By sacrificing a runner into scoring position, that is, from first to second, the offense assumes that a base hit will then score that runner. By sacrificing a runner from second to third, the offense can then score in various ways other than a base hit, such as a sacrifice fly, a ground ball out with the infield back, a passed ball (a ball that should have been caught by the catcher, but was not, leading to a runner or runners advancing to the next base or scoring), or a wild pitch (a pitched ball thrown in a manner that the catcher had no chance of catching, leading to a runner or runners advancing to the next base), and so on. An offense that can bunt typically puts pressure on a defense. In late-inning situations, this pressure can determine the outcome of a game.
Figure 10.1 Runner on First - Sacrifice to First-Base Side
- As the pitcher becomes set, the batter squares to bunt.
- The batter should place the bunt on the first-base side between the pitcher and the first-base line.
- The runner should get a normal secondary lead and read the angle of the bunt.
Misstep
If the runner drifts too far off first base in the secondary lead, expecting that the bunt will be executed, but the hitter takes the pitch, then the runner is in danger of getting thrown out by the catcher.
Correction
The runner must be aware that the hitter is taught to bunt only strikes in a sacrifice situation. Therefore, he must see contact and a downward angle before he breaks to second.
Figure 10.2 Runners on First and Second - Sacrifice to Third-Base Side
- As the pitcher becomes set, the batter squares to bunt.
- The hitter should place the bunt on the third-base side of the infield, preferably hard enough to force the third baseman to field it.
- Both runners should get a normal secondary lead and read the angle of the bunt.
Misstep
Bunting the ball back to the pitcher is a big misstep, especially with a left-hander on the mound.
Correction
You should be sure to get the bunt toward the line, far enough away from the mound so that the third baseman has to field the ball.
Squeeze Bunting
A squeeze bunt is a sacrifice bunt with a runner on third base. The batter bunts the ball, expecting to be thrown out, but his bunt gives the runner at third base an opportunity to score. Since the bunt is a sacrifice, a squeeze bunt would not be performed with two outs. You would also not attempt a squeeze bunt with two strikes because a foul ball would mean a third strike and an out.
There are two types of squeeze bunts: the suicide squeeze (figure 10.3) and the safety squeeze. It is called a suicide squeeze because the runner at third base goes without knowing if the bunt is successfully placed. If the bunt is misplaced, it is likely that the runner will be out at home. But, if the bunt is good, it is a very hard play for the defense to cover and almost always results in a score.
The safety squeeze is performed like the suicide squeeze, but the runner at third base waits to make sure the bunt is placed correctly before going. It is easier to defend than the suicide squeeze, since the runner waits, and it is not quite as easy to score on.
Figure 10.3 Squeeze Bunt
- The technique for this bunt is the same as the standard bunt. The only difference is that the batter does not reveal he is bunting until the pitcher is mid-delivery.
- As the pitcher delivers the ball to the plate, the hitter squares to bunt. Either pivot or take a small jab step in order to quickly get into position.
- The hitter must make contact with the ball, regardless of where the pitch is located. The bunt just needs to be on the ground.
- The runner at third should wait until the pitcher's arm is at its highest point in the arm swing as he delivers to the plate. The runner must be sure that the pitcher is not picking over to third before he breaks at full speed toward home plate.
Misstep
Your failure to make contact with the ball gives the runner zero protection from being tagged out at home by the catcher.
Correction
Get into a good position to put the bat on the ball.
Save
Knowing the Situation
The pitcher must always be aware of the situation. For beginners, being aware of every situation is difficult. Teaching awareness really happens by trial and error.
The pitcher must always be aware of the situation. For beginners, being aware of every situation is difficult. Teaching awareness really happens by trial and error. By reviewing actions that happened, good or bad, a player can more easily correct the action the next time. The difficulty for beginners is being able to process the amount of information that goes into every situation, all while trying to pitch to a hitter. So let's look at how a pitcher can filter the information and still be able to execute a pitch.
A pitcher must be aware of the following list of factors at all times. Although it may seem like a lot to filter, at the professional and higher collegiate levels, this list will grow even bigger. The question format is designed to illustrate the thought process that a pitcher may go through between pitches.
Surrounding Factors
- Who are the good runners and hitters in the opposing lineup?
- What inning are we in?
- What is the score?
- How many outs are there?
- What is the count?
- Are runners on base?
- Is the runner a steal threat?
- Is this a time they might bunt or try to create action?
- Where do I go with the ball if it is hit to me?
- Has a defensive play been called? What is our defensive setup?
Hitter
- Who is at bat, and where is he in the lineup?
- Where are the outs?
- Is the hitter in a situational at-bat?
- What is the hitter trying to do?
- Has he adjusted his position in the batter's box?
- What pitch sequence have we used or are we using?
- What pitch are we trying to get to based on my strengths and the hitter's weaknesses?
Executing the Pitch and Evaluating the Information
- Is a runner on base?
- How can I control the base runner from the set position?
- Did I execute the pitch to the location?
- What reaction did the hitter have?
- Was there action with the base runner?
- Did I feel a mechanical adjustment that I can make to execute the next pitch better?
- Reset and refocus.
- How has the situation changed?
For a beginner, this cycle has an abundance of information that can be difficult to process without slowing the tempo of the game. In time, many of these specific questions will become part of the pitcher's natural process between pitches. A pitcher who is capable of understanding the situation and can cycle through this information quickly will have a higher baseball IQ and a greater feel of the game and the way in which it is played.
For those who can do this, most of the answers to the questions in this breakdown will be stored subconsciously, thereby allowing the pitcher to focus on three major factors. The three major factors for a pitcher to focus on help determine the answers to the other questions in the breakdown. The advanced pitcher will quickly adjust the answers to the other questions. Here is how it works.
Mechanics
The first major factor that a pitcher focuses on is the delivery itself. Given all the other information that the pitcher must process, he must make only minimal mechanical adjustments during the game. One goal of practice, or throwing in the bullpen, is to find those minor mechanical adjustments that the pitcher can feel and that he can use during a game.
What Is the Count? Pitch Sequencing
The count on the batter determines many aspects of how a situation is played. The count affects the running game, the hitter's approach, and the decision on what pitch is called. In turn, it can affect the defensive setup. For the advanced pitcher who is self-aware, the count encompasses all of these factors and plays a big role in pitch selection.
The cat and mouse game for a starting pitcher begins with his looking at the entire lineup. Each hitter is different, and the pitcher must figure out what weaknesses he can exploit in the lineup by using his strengths. As the game is played, the pitcher should note the sequencing he used to get hitters out. The goal is to keep the offense off balance by creating soft contact. The pitcher can do this by establishing the fact that he can command the fastball.
Working off of the fastball, the pitcher can mix in secondary pitches. Throughout the course of a game, the sequencing of pitches within each at-bat will factor into the sequencing of the next at-bat for each hitter, but the pitcher must be conscious of not getting into a pattern with the sequencing. If the pitcher throws a first-pitch fastball to every hitter, the offense is likely to notice and make adjustments, so the pitcher must be able to throw secondary pitches in every count. This unpredictability will keep an offense from getting accustomed to a specific pitch sequence.
Training the Swing
The baseball swing is complex, to say the least. The swing is a mental and physical series of actions that must work through the total body in precise harmony.
The baseball swing is complex, to say the least. The swing is a mental and physical series of actions that must work through the total body in precise harmony. Training these actions can be done in a variety of ways such as tee drills, soft toss, front toss, and batting practice, all of which have multiple variations that cater to specific needs. Our approach for training the swing will remain consistent throughout these drills.
"Squaring up" the baseball, or perfect contact, can be defined as hitting the ball on the same trajectory as it was delivered. You will be hitting on a line straight through the pitcher's release point. With this in mind, the following drills are designed to create a repeatable swing so that you can consistently square up the ball at contact.
Each swing has a result called ball flight. The trajectory of the ball off the bat will help you determine the quality of the swing, giving you immediate feedback regarding flaws in your timing or mechanics. Using the ball flight as a tool, you should be able to make minor adjustments to correct the issue.
Hitting Drill 1: Tee Work
Tee drills eliminate the movement of the baseball. The object is to place the ball at the exact point where you want to make contact. From your batting stance, our first drill will have the ball placed at belt height, even with the front leg, and centered on the plate (figure 5.3). This contact point is the neutral reference for perfect contact, resulting in a line drive through the middle of the field. Take 10 swings, driving the ball through the center of the field.
Tee work drill.
To Increase Difficulty
- The tee drill has many variations. Each variation focuses on certain skill elements that the hitter can single out. These variations are:
- The outside or inside pitch
- High tee or low tee
- Blind swings
- Step through and swing
- Top hand or bottom hand swings with a smaller bat.
To Decrease Difficulty
- Place the tee at a single contact point in the center of the plate.
Success Check
- What was the flight path of the ball after contact? Did it slice away from you? Did it topspin to the ground?
- What did you feel that was different when you squared up the ball versus when the ball had a different flight path?
- Were you able to make adjustments from swing to swing?
- Did your results remain consistent throughout the drill?
Score Your Success
- You earn 1 point for every line drive between the second baseman and the shortstop.
- You earn 1/2 point for a hard-hit ground ball in the same region.
- You earn 0 points for a ball hit above 20 feet (6 m) or outside the given area.
- Your score ____ of 10
Hitting Drill 2: Soft Toss
Soft toss adds the element of timing the body movement and the swing with the ball in flight. With a coach or partner on a knee in the opposite batter's box, have the hitter in the batting stance. The ball should be shown to the hitter. The coach lowers the ball, triggering the load of the hitter. The coach then raises the arm, flipping the ball to a given contact point, thus triggering the hitter to swing (figure 5.4). For this drill, let's take three rounds of eight swings.
Soft toss drill.
To Increase Difficulty
- Have the partner toss the ball from the catcher's box.
- Speed up the pace between flips.
- Challenge the hitter's various contact points (in, out, up, down).
- Use the top hand or bottom hand only with a smaller bat.
To Decrease Difficulty
- Slow down the rhythm of the flip.
- Flip to the same spot every time.
Success Check
- The success checks remain virtually the same as those for the tee drills.
- Because the ball is in flight, your timing and rhythm may be affected.
- Can you still repeat your swing, getting successful results, as you did with the tee drill?
Score Your Success
- You earn 1 point for every line drive between the second baseman and the shortstop.
- You earn 1/2 point for a hard-hit ground ball in the same region.
- You earn 0 points for a ball hit above 20 feet (6 m) or outside the given area.
- Round 1 ____ of 8
- Round 2 ____ of 8
- Round 3 ____ of 8
- Your score ____ of 24
Save
Save
Sacrifice Bunting
Bunting is a part of the offensive game that is often referred to as small ball. For some players, bunting for a hit can be a part of their individual skill set that forces a defense to adjust positioning, and we’ll cover this skill later in the chapter.
Bunting is a part of the offensive game that is often referred to as small ball. For some players, bunting for a hit can be a part of their individual skill set that forces a defense to adjust positioning, and we'll cover this skill later in the chapter. For others, bunting is used in sacrifice situations when an offense is willing to give up an out to advance the base runner or base runners. These situations typically occur late in a game with a runner on first (figure 10.1), a runner on second, or runners on first and second (figure 10.2), with zero outs. It can also occur with a runner on third (figure 10.3). By sacrificing a runner into scoring position, that is, from first to second, the offense assumes that a base hit will then score that runner. By sacrificing a runner from second to third, the offense can then score in various ways other than a base hit, such as a sacrifice fly, a ground ball out with the infield back, a passed ball (a ball that should have been caught by the catcher, but was not, leading to a runner or runners advancing to the next base or scoring), or a wild pitch (a pitched ball thrown in a manner that the catcher had no chance of catching, leading to a runner or runners advancing to the next base), and so on. An offense that can bunt typically puts pressure on a defense. In late-inning situations, this pressure can determine the outcome of a game.
Figure 10.1 Runner on First - Sacrifice to First-Base Side
- As the pitcher becomes set, the batter squares to bunt.
- The batter should place the bunt on the first-base side between the pitcher and the first-base line.
- The runner should get a normal secondary lead and read the angle of the bunt.
Misstep
If the runner drifts too far off first base in the secondary lead, expecting that the bunt will be executed, but the hitter takes the pitch, then the runner is in danger of getting thrown out by the catcher.
Correction
The runner must be aware that the hitter is taught to bunt only strikes in a sacrifice situation. Therefore, he must see contact and a downward angle before he breaks to second.
Figure 10.2 Runners on First and Second - Sacrifice to Third-Base Side
- As the pitcher becomes set, the batter squares to bunt.
- The hitter should place the bunt on the third-base side of the infield, preferably hard enough to force the third baseman to field it.
- Both runners should get a normal secondary lead and read the angle of the bunt.
Misstep
Bunting the ball back to the pitcher is a big misstep, especially with a left-hander on the mound.
Correction
You should be sure to get the bunt toward the line, far enough away from the mound so that the third baseman has to field the ball.
Squeeze Bunting
A squeeze bunt is a sacrifice bunt with a runner on third base. The batter bunts the ball, expecting to be thrown out, but his bunt gives the runner at third base an opportunity to score. Since the bunt is a sacrifice, a squeeze bunt would not be performed with two outs. You would also not attempt a squeeze bunt with two strikes because a foul ball would mean a third strike and an out.
There are two types of squeeze bunts: the suicide squeeze (figure 10.3) and the safety squeeze. It is called a suicide squeeze because the runner at third base goes without knowing if the bunt is successfully placed. If the bunt is misplaced, it is likely that the runner will be out at home. But, if the bunt is good, it is a very hard play for the defense to cover and almost always results in a score.
The safety squeeze is performed like the suicide squeeze, but the runner at third base waits to make sure the bunt is placed correctly before going. It is easier to defend than the suicide squeeze, since the runner waits, and it is not quite as easy to score on.
Figure 10.3 Squeeze Bunt
- The technique for this bunt is the same as the standard bunt. The only difference is that the batter does not reveal he is bunting until the pitcher is mid-delivery.
- As the pitcher delivers the ball to the plate, the hitter squares to bunt. Either pivot or take a small jab step in order to quickly get into position.
- The hitter must make contact with the ball, regardless of where the pitch is located. The bunt just needs to be on the ground.
- The runner at third should wait until the pitcher's arm is at its highest point in the arm swing as he delivers to the plate. The runner must be sure that the pitcher is not picking over to third before he breaks at full speed toward home plate.
Misstep
Your failure to make contact with the ball gives the runner zero protection from being tagged out at home by the catcher.
Correction
Get into a good position to put the bat on the ball.
Save
Knowing the Situation
The pitcher must always be aware of the situation. For beginners, being aware of every situation is difficult. Teaching awareness really happens by trial and error.
The pitcher must always be aware of the situation. For beginners, being aware of every situation is difficult. Teaching awareness really happens by trial and error. By reviewing actions that happened, good or bad, a player can more easily correct the action the next time. The difficulty for beginners is being able to process the amount of information that goes into every situation, all while trying to pitch to a hitter. So let's look at how a pitcher can filter the information and still be able to execute a pitch.
A pitcher must be aware of the following list of factors at all times. Although it may seem like a lot to filter, at the professional and higher collegiate levels, this list will grow even bigger. The question format is designed to illustrate the thought process that a pitcher may go through between pitches.
Surrounding Factors
- Who are the good runners and hitters in the opposing lineup?
- What inning are we in?
- What is the score?
- How many outs are there?
- What is the count?
- Are runners on base?
- Is the runner a steal threat?
- Is this a time they might bunt or try to create action?
- Where do I go with the ball if it is hit to me?
- Has a defensive play been called? What is our defensive setup?
Hitter
- Who is at bat, and where is he in the lineup?
- Where are the outs?
- Is the hitter in a situational at-bat?
- What is the hitter trying to do?
- Has he adjusted his position in the batter's box?
- What pitch sequence have we used or are we using?
- What pitch are we trying to get to based on my strengths and the hitter's weaknesses?
Executing the Pitch and Evaluating the Information
- Is a runner on base?
- How can I control the base runner from the set position?
- Did I execute the pitch to the location?
- What reaction did the hitter have?
- Was there action with the base runner?
- Did I feel a mechanical adjustment that I can make to execute the next pitch better?
- Reset and refocus.
- How has the situation changed?
For a beginner, this cycle has an abundance of information that can be difficult to process without slowing the tempo of the game. In time, many of these specific questions will become part of the pitcher's natural process between pitches. A pitcher who is capable of understanding the situation and can cycle through this information quickly will have a higher baseball IQ and a greater feel of the game and the way in which it is played.
For those who can do this, most of the answers to the questions in this breakdown will be stored subconsciously, thereby allowing the pitcher to focus on three major factors. The three major factors for a pitcher to focus on help determine the answers to the other questions in the breakdown. The advanced pitcher will quickly adjust the answers to the other questions. Here is how it works.
Mechanics
The first major factor that a pitcher focuses on is the delivery itself. Given all the other information that the pitcher must process, he must make only minimal mechanical adjustments during the game. One goal of practice, or throwing in the bullpen, is to find those minor mechanical adjustments that the pitcher can feel and that he can use during a game.
What Is the Count? Pitch Sequencing
The count on the batter determines many aspects of how a situation is played. The count affects the running game, the hitter's approach, and the decision on what pitch is called. In turn, it can affect the defensive setup. For the advanced pitcher who is self-aware, the count encompasses all of these factors and plays a big role in pitch selection.
The cat and mouse game for a starting pitcher begins with his looking at the entire lineup. Each hitter is different, and the pitcher must figure out what weaknesses he can exploit in the lineup by using his strengths. As the game is played, the pitcher should note the sequencing he used to get hitters out. The goal is to keep the offense off balance by creating soft contact. The pitcher can do this by establishing the fact that he can command the fastball.
Working off of the fastball, the pitcher can mix in secondary pitches. Throughout the course of a game, the sequencing of pitches within each at-bat will factor into the sequencing of the next at-bat for each hitter, but the pitcher must be conscious of not getting into a pattern with the sequencing. If the pitcher throws a first-pitch fastball to every hitter, the offense is likely to notice and make adjustments, so the pitcher must be able to throw secondary pitches in every count. This unpredictability will keep an offense from getting accustomed to a specific pitch sequence.
Training the Swing
The baseball swing is complex, to say the least. The swing is a mental and physical series of actions that must work through the total body in precise harmony.
The baseball swing is complex, to say the least. The swing is a mental and physical series of actions that must work through the total body in precise harmony. Training these actions can be done in a variety of ways such as tee drills, soft toss, front toss, and batting practice, all of which have multiple variations that cater to specific needs. Our approach for training the swing will remain consistent throughout these drills.
"Squaring up" the baseball, or perfect contact, can be defined as hitting the ball on the same trajectory as it was delivered. You will be hitting on a line straight through the pitcher's release point. With this in mind, the following drills are designed to create a repeatable swing so that you can consistently square up the ball at contact.
Each swing has a result called ball flight. The trajectory of the ball off the bat will help you determine the quality of the swing, giving you immediate feedback regarding flaws in your timing or mechanics. Using the ball flight as a tool, you should be able to make minor adjustments to correct the issue.
Hitting Drill 1: Tee Work
Tee drills eliminate the movement of the baseball. The object is to place the ball at the exact point where you want to make contact. From your batting stance, our first drill will have the ball placed at belt height, even with the front leg, and centered on the plate (figure 5.3). This contact point is the neutral reference for perfect contact, resulting in a line drive through the middle of the field. Take 10 swings, driving the ball through the center of the field.
Tee work drill.
To Increase Difficulty
- The tee drill has many variations. Each variation focuses on certain skill elements that the hitter can single out. These variations are:
- The outside or inside pitch
- High tee or low tee
- Blind swings
- Step through and swing
- Top hand or bottom hand swings with a smaller bat.
To Decrease Difficulty
- Place the tee at a single contact point in the center of the plate.
Success Check
- What was the flight path of the ball after contact? Did it slice away from you? Did it topspin to the ground?
- What did you feel that was different when you squared up the ball versus when the ball had a different flight path?
- Were you able to make adjustments from swing to swing?
- Did your results remain consistent throughout the drill?
Score Your Success
- You earn 1 point for every line drive between the second baseman and the shortstop.
- You earn 1/2 point for a hard-hit ground ball in the same region.
- You earn 0 points for a ball hit above 20 feet (6 m) or outside the given area.
- Your score ____ of 10
Hitting Drill 2: Soft Toss
Soft toss adds the element of timing the body movement and the swing with the ball in flight. With a coach or partner on a knee in the opposite batter's box, have the hitter in the batting stance. The ball should be shown to the hitter. The coach lowers the ball, triggering the load of the hitter. The coach then raises the arm, flipping the ball to a given contact point, thus triggering the hitter to swing (figure 5.4). For this drill, let's take three rounds of eight swings.
Soft toss drill.
To Increase Difficulty
- Have the partner toss the ball from the catcher's box.
- Speed up the pace between flips.
- Challenge the hitter's various contact points (in, out, up, down).
- Use the top hand or bottom hand only with a smaller bat.
To Decrease Difficulty
- Slow down the rhythm of the flip.
- Flip to the same spot every time.
Success Check
- The success checks remain virtually the same as those for the tee drills.
- Because the ball is in flight, your timing and rhythm may be affected.
- Can you still repeat your swing, getting successful results, as you did with the tee drill?
Score Your Success
- You earn 1 point for every line drive between the second baseman and the shortstop.
- You earn 1/2 point for a hard-hit ground ball in the same region.
- You earn 0 points for a ball hit above 20 feet (6 m) or outside the given area.
- Round 1 ____ of 8
- Round 2 ____ of 8
- Round 3 ____ of 8
- Your score ____ of 24
Save
Save
Sacrifice Bunting
Bunting is a part of the offensive game that is often referred to as small ball. For some players, bunting for a hit can be a part of their individual skill set that forces a defense to adjust positioning, and we’ll cover this skill later in the chapter.
Bunting is a part of the offensive game that is often referred to as small ball. For some players, bunting for a hit can be a part of their individual skill set that forces a defense to adjust positioning, and we'll cover this skill later in the chapter. For others, bunting is used in sacrifice situations when an offense is willing to give up an out to advance the base runner or base runners. These situations typically occur late in a game with a runner on first (figure 10.1), a runner on second, or runners on first and second (figure 10.2), with zero outs. It can also occur with a runner on third (figure 10.3). By sacrificing a runner into scoring position, that is, from first to second, the offense assumes that a base hit will then score that runner. By sacrificing a runner from second to third, the offense can then score in various ways other than a base hit, such as a sacrifice fly, a ground ball out with the infield back, a passed ball (a ball that should have been caught by the catcher, but was not, leading to a runner or runners advancing to the next base or scoring), or a wild pitch (a pitched ball thrown in a manner that the catcher had no chance of catching, leading to a runner or runners advancing to the next base), and so on. An offense that can bunt typically puts pressure on a defense. In late-inning situations, this pressure can determine the outcome of a game.
Figure 10.1 Runner on First - Sacrifice to First-Base Side
- As the pitcher becomes set, the batter squares to bunt.
- The batter should place the bunt on the first-base side between the pitcher and the first-base line.
- The runner should get a normal secondary lead and read the angle of the bunt.
Misstep
If the runner drifts too far off first base in the secondary lead, expecting that the bunt will be executed, but the hitter takes the pitch, then the runner is in danger of getting thrown out by the catcher.
Correction
The runner must be aware that the hitter is taught to bunt only strikes in a sacrifice situation. Therefore, he must see contact and a downward angle before he breaks to second.
Figure 10.2 Runners on First and Second - Sacrifice to Third-Base Side
- As the pitcher becomes set, the batter squares to bunt.
- The hitter should place the bunt on the third-base side of the infield, preferably hard enough to force the third baseman to field it.
- Both runners should get a normal secondary lead and read the angle of the bunt.
Misstep
Bunting the ball back to the pitcher is a big misstep, especially with a left-hander on the mound.
Correction
You should be sure to get the bunt toward the line, far enough away from the mound so that the third baseman has to field the ball.
Squeeze Bunting
A squeeze bunt is a sacrifice bunt with a runner on third base. The batter bunts the ball, expecting to be thrown out, but his bunt gives the runner at third base an opportunity to score. Since the bunt is a sacrifice, a squeeze bunt would not be performed with two outs. You would also not attempt a squeeze bunt with two strikes because a foul ball would mean a third strike and an out.
There are two types of squeeze bunts: the suicide squeeze (figure 10.3) and the safety squeeze. It is called a suicide squeeze because the runner at third base goes without knowing if the bunt is successfully placed. If the bunt is misplaced, it is likely that the runner will be out at home. But, if the bunt is good, it is a very hard play for the defense to cover and almost always results in a score.
The safety squeeze is performed like the suicide squeeze, but the runner at third base waits to make sure the bunt is placed correctly before going. It is easier to defend than the suicide squeeze, since the runner waits, and it is not quite as easy to score on.
Figure 10.3 Squeeze Bunt
- The technique for this bunt is the same as the standard bunt. The only difference is that the batter does not reveal he is bunting until the pitcher is mid-delivery.
- As the pitcher delivers the ball to the plate, the hitter squares to bunt. Either pivot or take a small jab step in order to quickly get into position.
- The hitter must make contact with the ball, regardless of where the pitch is located. The bunt just needs to be on the ground.
- The runner at third should wait until the pitcher's arm is at its highest point in the arm swing as he delivers to the plate. The runner must be sure that the pitcher is not picking over to third before he breaks at full speed toward home plate.
Misstep
Your failure to make contact with the ball gives the runner zero protection from being tagged out at home by the catcher.
Correction
Get into a good position to put the bat on the ball.
Save
Knowing the Situation
The pitcher must always be aware of the situation. For beginners, being aware of every situation is difficult. Teaching awareness really happens by trial and error.
The pitcher must always be aware of the situation. For beginners, being aware of every situation is difficult. Teaching awareness really happens by trial and error. By reviewing actions that happened, good or bad, a player can more easily correct the action the next time. The difficulty for beginners is being able to process the amount of information that goes into every situation, all while trying to pitch to a hitter. So let's look at how a pitcher can filter the information and still be able to execute a pitch.
A pitcher must be aware of the following list of factors at all times. Although it may seem like a lot to filter, at the professional and higher collegiate levels, this list will grow even bigger. The question format is designed to illustrate the thought process that a pitcher may go through between pitches.
Surrounding Factors
- Who are the good runners and hitters in the opposing lineup?
- What inning are we in?
- What is the score?
- How many outs are there?
- What is the count?
- Are runners on base?
- Is the runner a steal threat?
- Is this a time they might bunt or try to create action?
- Where do I go with the ball if it is hit to me?
- Has a defensive play been called? What is our defensive setup?
Hitter
- Who is at bat, and where is he in the lineup?
- Where are the outs?
- Is the hitter in a situational at-bat?
- What is the hitter trying to do?
- Has he adjusted his position in the batter's box?
- What pitch sequence have we used or are we using?
- What pitch are we trying to get to based on my strengths and the hitter's weaknesses?
Executing the Pitch and Evaluating the Information
- Is a runner on base?
- How can I control the base runner from the set position?
- Did I execute the pitch to the location?
- What reaction did the hitter have?
- Was there action with the base runner?
- Did I feel a mechanical adjustment that I can make to execute the next pitch better?
- Reset and refocus.
- How has the situation changed?
For a beginner, this cycle has an abundance of information that can be difficult to process without slowing the tempo of the game. In time, many of these specific questions will become part of the pitcher's natural process between pitches. A pitcher who is capable of understanding the situation and can cycle through this information quickly will have a higher baseball IQ and a greater feel of the game and the way in which it is played.
For those who can do this, most of the answers to the questions in this breakdown will be stored subconsciously, thereby allowing the pitcher to focus on three major factors. The three major factors for a pitcher to focus on help determine the answers to the other questions in the breakdown. The advanced pitcher will quickly adjust the answers to the other questions. Here is how it works.
Mechanics
The first major factor that a pitcher focuses on is the delivery itself. Given all the other information that the pitcher must process, he must make only minimal mechanical adjustments during the game. One goal of practice, or throwing in the bullpen, is to find those minor mechanical adjustments that the pitcher can feel and that he can use during a game.
What Is the Count? Pitch Sequencing
The count on the batter determines many aspects of how a situation is played. The count affects the running game, the hitter's approach, and the decision on what pitch is called. In turn, it can affect the defensive setup. For the advanced pitcher who is self-aware, the count encompasses all of these factors and plays a big role in pitch selection.
The cat and mouse game for a starting pitcher begins with his looking at the entire lineup. Each hitter is different, and the pitcher must figure out what weaknesses he can exploit in the lineup by using his strengths. As the game is played, the pitcher should note the sequencing he used to get hitters out. The goal is to keep the offense off balance by creating soft contact. The pitcher can do this by establishing the fact that he can command the fastball.
Working off of the fastball, the pitcher can mix in secondary pitches. Throughout the course of a game, the sequencing of pitches within each at-bat will factor into the sequencing of the next at-bat for each hitter, but the pitcher must be conscious of not getting into a pattern with the sequencing. If the pitcher throws a first-pitch fastball to every hitter, the offense is likely to notice and make adjustments, so the pitcher must be able to throw secondary pitches in every count. This unpredictability will keep an offense from getting accustomed to a specific pitch sequence.
Training the Swing
The baseball swing is complex, to say the least. The swing is a mental and physical series of actions that must work through the total body in precise harmony.
The baseball swing is complex, to say the least. The swing is a mental and physical series of actions that must work through the total body in precise harmony. Training these actions can be done in a variety of ways such as tee drills, soft toss, front toss, and batting practice, all of which have multiple variations that cater to specific needs. Our approach for training the swing will remain consistent throughout these drills.
"Squaring up" the baseball, or perfect contact, can be defined as hitting the ball on the same trajectory as it was delivered. You will be hitting on a line straight through the pitcher's release point. With this in mind, the following drills are designed to create a repeatable swing so that you can consistently square up the ball at contact.
Each swing has a result called ball flight. The trajectory of the ball off the bat will help you determine the quality of the swing, giving you immediate feedback regarding flaws in your timing or mechanics. Using the ball flight as a tool, you should be able to make minor adjustments to correct the issue.
Hitting Drill 1: Tee Work
Tee drills eliminate the movement of the baseball. The object is to place the ball at the exact point where you want to make contact. From your batting stance, our first drill will have the ball placed at belt height, even with the front leg, and centered on the plate (figure 5.3). This contact point is the neutral reference for perfect contact, resulting in a line drive through the middle of the field. Take 10 swings, driving the ball through the center of the field.
Tee work drill.
To Increase Difficulty
- The tee drill has many variations. Each variation focuses on certain skill elements that the hitter can single out. These variations are:
- The outside or inside pitch
- High tee or low tee
- Blind swings
- Step through and swing
- Top hand or bottom hand swings with a smaller bat.
To Decrease Difficulty
- Place the tee at a single contact point in the center of the plate.
Success Check
- What was the flight path of the ball after contact? Did it slice away from you? Did it topspin to the ground?
- What did you feel that was different when you squared up the ball versus when the ball had a different flight path?
- Were you able to make adjustments from swing to swing?
- Did your results remain consistent throughout the drill?
Score Your Success
- You earn 1 point for every line drive between the second baseman and the shortstop.
- You earn 1/2 point for a hard-hit ground ball in the same region.
- You earn 0 points for a ball hit above 20 feet (6 m) or outside the given area.
- Your score ____ of 10
Hitting Drill 2: Soft Toss
Soft toss adds the element of timing the body movement and the swing with the ball in flight. With a coach or partner on a knee in the opposite batter's box, have the hitter in the batting stance. The ball should be shown to the hitter. The coach lowers the ball, triggering the load of the hitter. The coach then raises the arm, flipping the ball to a given contact point, thus triggering the hitter to swing (figure 5.4). For this drill, let's take three rounds of eight swings.
Soft toss drill.
To Increase Difficulty
- Have the partner toss the ball from the catcher's box.
- Speed up the pace between flips.
- Challenge the hitter's various contact points (in, out, up, down).
- Use the top hand or bottom hand only with a smaller bat.
To Decrease Difficulty
- Slow down the rhythm of the flip.
- Flip to the same spot every time.
Success Check
- The success checks remain virtually the same as those for the tee drills.
- Because the ball is in flight, your timing and rhythm may be affected.
- Can you still repeat your swing, getting successful results, as you did with the tee drill?
Score Your Success
- You earn 1 point for every line drive between the second baseman and the shortstop.
- You earn 1/2 point for a hard-hit ground ball in the same region.
- You earn 0 points for a ball hit above 20 feet (6 m) or outside the given area.
- Round 1 ____ of 8
- Round 2 ____ of 8
- Round 3 ____ of 8
- Your score ____ of 24
Save
Save
Sacrifice Bunting
Bunting is a part of the offensive game that is often referred to as small ball. For some players, bunting for a hit can be a part of their individual skill set that forces a defense to adjust positioning, and we’ll cover this skill later in the chapter.
Bunting is a part of the offensive game that is often referred to as small ball. For some players, bunting for a hit can be a part of their individual skill set that forces a defense to adjust positioning, and we'll cover this skill later in the chapter. For others, bunting is used in sacrifice situations when an offense is willing to give up an out to advance the base runner or base runners. These situations typically occur late in a game with a runner on first (figure 10.1), a runner on second, or runners on first and second (figure 10.2), with zero outs. It can also occur with a runner on third (figure 10.3). By sacrificing a runner into scoring position, that is, from first to second, the offense assumes that a base hit will then score that runner. By sacrificing a runner from second to third, the offense can then score in various ways other than a base hit, such as a sacrifice fly, a ground ball out with the infield back, a passed ball (a ball that should have been caught by the catcher, but was not, leading to a runner or runners advancing to the next base or scoring), or a wild pitch (a pitched ball thrown in a manner that the catcher had no chance of catching, leading to a runner or runners advancing to the next base), and so on. An offense that can bunt typically puts pressure on a defense. In late-inning situations, this pressure can determine the outcome of a game.
Figure 10.1 Runner on First - Sacrifice to First-Base Side
- As the pitcher becomes set, the batter squares to bunt.
- The batter should place the bunt on the first-base side between the pitcher and the first-base line.
- The runner should get a normal secondary lead and read the angle of the bunt.
Misstep
If the runner drifts too far off first base in the secondary lead, expecting that the bunt will be executed, but the hitter takes the pitch, then the runner is in danger of getting thrown out by the catcher.
Correction
The runner must be aware that the hitter is taught to bunt only strikes in a sacrifice situation. Therefore, he must see contact and a downward angle before he breaks to second.
Figure 10.2 Runners on First and Second - Sacrifice to Third-Base Side
- As the pitcher becomes set, the batter squares to bunt.
- The hitter should place the bunt on the third-base side of the infield, preferably hard enough to force the third baseman to field it.
- Both runners should get a normal secondary lead and read the angle of the bunt.
Misstep
Bunting the ball back to the pitcher is a big misstep, especially with a left-hander on the mound.
Correction
You should be sure to get the bunt toward the line, far enough away from the mound so that the third baseman has to field the ball.
Squeeze Bunting
A squeeze bunt is a sacrifice bunt with a runner on third base. The batter bunts the ball, expecting to be thrown out, but his bunt gives the runner at third base an opportunity to score. Since the bunt is a sacrifice, a squeeze bunt would not be performed with two outs. You would also not attempt a squeeze bunt with two strikes because a foul ball would mean a third strike and an out.
There are two types of squeeze bunts: the suicide squeeze (figure 10.3) and the safety squeeze. It is called a suicide squeeze because the runner at third base goes without knowing if the bunt is successfully placed. If the bunt is misplaced, it is likely that the runner will be out at home. But, if the bunt is good, it is a very hard play for the defense to cover and almost always results in a score.
The safety squeeze is performed like the suicide squeeze, but the runner at third base waits to make sure the bunt is placed correctly before going. It is easier to defend than the suicide squeeze, since the runner waits, and it is not quite as easy to score on.
Figure 10.3 Squeeze Bunt
- The technique for this bunt is the same as the standard bunt. The only difference is that the batter does not reveal he is bunting until the pitcher is mid-delivery.
- As the pitcher delivers the ball to the plate, the hitter squares to bunt. Either pivot or take a small jab step in order to quickly get into position.
- The hitter must make contact with the ball, regardless of where the pitch is located. The bunt just needs to be on the ground.
- The runner at third should wait until the pitcher's arm is at its highest point in the arm swing as he delivers to the plate. The runner must be sure that the pitcher is not picking over to third before he breaks at full speed toward home plate.
Misstep
Your failure to make contact with the ball gives the runner zero protection from being tagged out at home by the catcher.
Correction
Get into a good position to put the bat on the ball.
Save
Knowing the Situation
The pitcher must always be aware of the situation. For beginners, being aware of every situation is difficult. Teaching awareness really happens by trial and error.
The pitcher must always be aware of the situation. For beginners, being aware of every situation is difficult. Teaching awareness really happens by trial and error. By reviewing actions that happened, good or bad, a player can more easily correct the action the next time. The difficulty for beginners is being able to process the amount of information that goes into every situation, all while trying to pitch to a hitter. So let's look at how a pitcher can filter the information and still be able to execute a pitch.
A pitcher must be aware of the following list of factors at all times. Although it may seem like a lot to filter, at the professional and higher collegiate levels, this list will grow even bigger. The question format is designed to illustrate the thought process that a pitcher may go through between pitches.
Surrounding Factors
- Who are the good runners and hitters in the opposing lineup?
- What inning are we in?
- What is the score?
- How many outs are there?
- What is the count?
- Are runners on base?
- Is the runner a steal threat?
- Is this a time they might bunt or try to create action?
- Where do I go with the ball if it is hit to me?
- Has a defensive play been called? What is our defensive setup?
Hitter
- Who is at bat, and where is he in the lineup?
- Where are the outs?
- Is the hitter in a situational at-bat?
- What is the hitter trying to do?
- Has he adjusted his position in the batter's box?
- What pitch sequence have we used or are we using?
- What pitch are we trying to get to based on my strengths and the hitter's weaknesses?
Executing the Pitch and Evaluating the Information
- Is a runner on base?
- How can I control the base runner from the set position?
- Did I execute the pitch to the location?
- What reaction did the hitter have?
- Was there action with the base runner?
- Did I feel a mechanical adjustment that I can make to execute the next pitch better?
- Reset and refocus.
- How has the situation changed?
For a beginner, this cycle has an abundance of information that can be difficult to process without slowing the tempo of the game. In time, many of these specific questions will become part of the pitcher's natural process between pitches. A pitcher who is capable of understanding the situation and can cycle through this information quickly will have a higher baseball IQ and a greater feel of the game and the way in which it is played.
For those who can do this, most of the answers to the questions in this breakdown will be stored subconsciously, thereby allowing the pitcher to focus on three major factors. The three major factors for a pitcher to focus on help determine the answers to the other questions in the breakdown. The advanced pitcher will quickly adjust the answers to the other questions. Here is how it works.
Mechanics
The first major factor that a pitcher focuses on is the delivery itself. Given all the other information that the pitcher must process, he must make only minimal mechanical adjustments during the game. One goal of practice, or throwing in the bullpen, is to find those minor mechanical adjustments that the pitcher can feel and that he can use during a game.
What Is the Count? Pitch Sequencing
The count on the batter determines many aspects of how a situation is played. The count affects the running game, the hitter's approach, and the decision on what pitch is called. In turn, it can affect the defensive setup. For the advanced pitcher who is self-aware, the count encompasses all of these factors and plays a big role in pitch selection.
The cat and mouse game for a starting pitcher begins with his looking at the entire lineup. Each hitter is different, and the pitcher must figure out what weaknesses he can exploit in the lineup by using his strengths. As the game is played, the pitcher should note the sequencing he used to get hitters out. The goal is to keep the offense off balance by creating soft contact. The pitcher can do this by establishing the fact that he can command the fastball.
Working off of the fastball, the pitcher can mix in secondary pitches. Throughout the course of a game, the sequencing of pitches within each at-bat will factor into the sequencing of the next at-bat for each hitter, but the pitcher must be conscious of not getting into a pattern with the sequencing. If the pitcher throws a first-pitch fastball to every hitter, the offense is likely to notice and make adjustments, so the pitcher must be able to throw secondary pitches in every count. This unpredictability will keep an offense from getting accustomed to a specific pitch sequence.
Training the Swing
The baseball swing is complex, to say the least. The swing is a mental and physical series of actions that must work through the total body in precise harmony.
The baseball swing is complex, to say the least. The swing is a mental and physical series of actions that must work through the total body in precise harmony. Training these actions can be done in a variety of ways such as tee drills, soft toss, front toss, and batting practice, all of which have multiple variations that cater to specific needs. Our approach for training the swing will remain consistent throughout these drills.
"Squaring up" the baseball, or perfect contact, can be defined as hitting the ball on the same trajectory as it was delivered. You will be hitting on a line straight through the pitcher's release point. With this in mind, the following drills are designed to create a repeatable swing so that you can consistently square up the ball at contact.
Each swing has a result called ball flight. The trajectory of the ball off the bat will help you determine the quality of the swing, giving you immediate feedback regarding flaws in your timing or mechanics. Using the ball flight as a tool, you should be able to make minor adjustments to correct the issue.
Hitting Drill 1: Tee Work
Tee drills eliminate the movement of the baseball. The object is to place the ball at the exact point where you want to make contact. From your batting stance, our first drill will have the ball placed at belt height, even with the front leg, and centered on the plate (figure 5.3). This contact point is the neutral reference for perfect contact, resulting in a line drive through the middle of the field. Take 10 swings, driving the ball through the center of the field.
Tee work drill.
To Increase Difficulty
- The tee drill has many variations. Each variation focuses on certain skill elements that the hitter can single out. These variations are:
- The outside or inside pitch
- High tee or low tee
- Blind swings
- Step through and swing
- Top hand or bottom hand swings with a smaller bat.
To Decrease Difficulty
- Place the tee at a single contact point in the center of the plate.
Success Check
- What was the flight path of the ball after contact? Did it slice away from you? Did it topspin to the ground?
- What did you feel that was different when you squared up the ball versus when the ball had a different flight path?
- Were you able to make adjustments from swing to swing?
- Did your results remain consistent throughout the drill?
Score Your Success
- You earn 1 point for every line drive between the second baseman and the shortstop.
- You earn 1/2 point for a hard-hit ground ball in the same region.
- You earn 0 points for a ball hit above 20 feet (6 m) or outside the given area.
- Your score ____ of 10
Hitting Drill 2: Soft Toss
Soft toss adds the element of timing the body movement and the swing with the ball in flight. With a coach or partner on a knee in the opposite batter's box, have the hitter in the batting stance. The ball should be shown to the hitter. The coach lowers the ball, triggering the load of the hitter. The coach then raises the arm, flipping the ball to a given contact point, thus triggering the hitter to swing (figure 5.4). For this drill, let's take three rounds of eight swings.
Soft toss drill.
To Increase Difficulty
- Have the partner toss the ball from the catcher's box.
- Speed up the pace between flips.
- Challenge the hitter's various contact points (in, out, up, down).
- Use the top hand or bottom hand only with a smaller bat.
To Decrease Difficulty
- Slow down the rhythm of the flip.
- Flip to the same spot every time.
Success Check
- The success checks remain virtually the same as those for the tee drills.
- Because the ball is in flight, your timing and rhythm may be affected.
- Can you still repeat your swing, getting successful results, as you did with the tee drill?
Score Your Success
- You earn 1 point for every line drive between the second baseman and the shortstop.
- You earn 1/2 point for a hard-hit ground ball in the same region.
- You earn 0 points for a ball hit above 20 feet (6 m) or outside the given area.
- Round 1 ____ of 8
- Round 2 ____ of 8
- Round 3 ____ of 8
- Your score ____ of 24
Save
Save
Sacrifice Bunting
Bunting is a part of the offensive game that is often referred to as small ball. For some players, bunting for a hit can be a part of their individual skill set that forces a defense to adjust positioning, and we’ll cover this skill later in the chapter.
Bunting is a part of the offensive game that is often referred to as small ball. For some players, bunting for a hit can be a part of their individual skill set that forces a defense to adjust positioning, and we'll cover this skill later in the chapter. For others, bunting is used in sacrifice situations when an offense is willing to give up an out to advance the base runner or base runners. These situations typically occur late in a game with a runner on first (figure 10.1), a runner on second, or runners on first and second (figure 10.2), with zero outs. It can also occur with a runner on third (figure 10.3). By sacrificing a runner into scoring position, that is, from first to second, the offense assumes that a base hit will then score that runner. By sacrificing a runner from second to third, the offense can then score in various ways other than a base hit, such as a sacrifice fly, a ground ball out with the infield back, a passed ball (a ball that should have been caught by the catcher, but was not, leading to a runner or runners advancing to the next base or scoring), or a wild pitch (a pitched ball thrown in a manner that the catcher had no chance of catching, leading to a runner or runners advancing to the next base), and so on. An offense that can bunt typically puts pressure on a defense. In late-inning situations, this pressure can determine the outcome of a game.
Figure 10.1 Runner on First - Sacrifice to First-Base Side
- As the pitcher becomes set, the batter squares to bunt.
- The batter should place the bunt on the first-base side between the pitcher and the first-base line.
- The runner should get a normal secondary lead and read the angle of the bunt.
Misstep
If the runner drifts too far off first base in the secondary lead, expecting that the bunt will be executed, but the hitter takes the pitch, then the runner is in danger of getting thrown out by the catcher.
Correction
The runner must be aware that the hitter is taught to bunt only strikes in a sacrifice situation. Therefore, he must see contact and a downward angle before he breaks to second.
Figure 10.2 Runners on First and Second - Sacrifice to Third-Base Side
- As the pitcher becomes set, the batter squares to bunt.
- The hitter should place the bunt on the third-base side of the infield, preferably hard enough to force the third baseman to field it.
- Both runners should get a normal secondary lead and read the angle of the bunt.
Misstep
Bunting the ball back to the pitcher is a big misstep, especially with a left-hander on the mound.
Correction
You should be sure to get the bunt toward the line, far enough away from the mound so that the third baseman has to field the ball.
Squeeze Bunting
A squeeze bunt is a sacrifice bunt with a runner on third base. The batter bunts the ball, expecting to be thrown out, but his bunt gives the runner at third base an opportunity to score. Since the bunt is a sacrifice, a squeeze bunt would not be performed with two outs. You would also not attempt a squeeze bunt with two strikes because a foul ball would mean a third strike and an out.
There are two types of squeeze bunts: the suicide squeeze (figure 10.3) and the safety squeeze. It is called a suicide squeeze because the runner at third base goes without knowing if the bunt is successfully placed. If the bunt is misplaced, it is likely that the runner will be out at home. But, if the bunt is good, it is a very hard play for the defense to cover and almost always results in a score.
The safety squeeze is performed like the suicide squeeze, but the runner at third base waits to make sure the bunt is placed correctly before going. It is easier to defend than the suicide squeeze, since the runner waits, and it is not quite as easy to score on.
Figure 10.3 Squeeze Bunt
- The technique for this bunt is the same as the standard bunt. The only difference is that the batter does not reveal he is bunting until the pitcher is mid-delivery.
- As the pitcher delivers the ball to the plate, the hitter squares to bunt. Either pivot or take a small jab step in order to quickly get into position.
- The hitter must make contact with the ball, regardless of where the pitch is located. The bunt just needs to be on the ground.
- The runner at third should wait until the pitcher's arm is at its highest point in the arm swing as he delivers to the plate. The runner must be sure that the pitcher is not picking over to third before he breaks at full speed toward home plate.
Misstep
Your failure to make contact with the ball gives the runner zero protection from being tagged out at home by the catcher.
Correction
Get into a good position to put the bat on the ball.
Save
Knowing the Situation
The pitcher must always be aware of the situation. For beginners, being aware of every situation is difficult. Teaching awareness really happens by trial and error.
The pitcher must always be aware of the situation. For beginners, being aware of every situation is difficult. Teaching awareness really happens by trial and error. By reviewing actions that happened, good or bad, a player can more easily correct the action the next time. The difficulty for beginners is being able to process the amount of information that goes into every situation, all while trying to pitch to a hitter. So let's look at how a pitcher can filter the information and still be able to execute a pitch.
A pitcher must be aware of the following list of factors at all times. Although it may seem like a lot to filter, at the professional and higher collegiate levels, this list will grow even bigger. The question format is designed to illustrate the thought process that a pitcher may go through between pitches.
Surrounding Factors
- Who are the good runners and hitters in the opposing lineup?
- What inning are we in?
- What is the score?
- How many outs are there?
- What is the count?
- Are runners on base?
- Is the runner a steal threat?
- Is this a time they might bunt or try to create action?
- Where do I go with the ball if it is hit to me?
- Has a defensive play been called? What is our defensive setup?
Hitter
- Who is at bat, and where is he in the lineup?
- Where are the outs?
- Is the hitter in a situational at-bat?
- What is the hitter trying to do?
- Has he adjusted his position in the batter's box?
- What pitch sequence have we used or are we using?
- What pitch are we trying to get to based on my strengths and the hitter's weaknesses?
Executing the Pitch and Evaluating the Information
- Is a runner on base?
- How can I control the base runner from the set position?
- Did I execute the pitch to the location?
- What reaction did the hitter have?
- Was there action with the base runner?
- Did I feel a mechanical adjustment that I can make to execute the next pitch better?
- Reset and refocus.
- How has the situation changed?
For a beginner, this cycle has an abundance of information that can be difficult to process without slowing the tempo of the game. In time, many of these specific questions will become part of the pitcher's natural process between pitches. A pitcher who is capable of understanding the situation and can cycle through this information quickly will have a higher baseball IQ and a greater feel of the game and the way in which it is played.
For those who can do this, most of the answers to the questions in this breakdown will be stored subconsciously, thereby allowing the pitcher to focus on three major factors. The three major factors for a pitcher to focus on help determine the answers to the other questions in the breakdown. The advanced pitcher will quickly adjust the answers to the other questions. Here is how it works.
Mechanics
The first major factor that a pitcher focuses on is the delivery itself. Given all the other information that the pitcher must process, he must make only minimal mechanical adjustments during the game. One goal of practice, or throwing in the bullpen, is to find those minor mechanical adjustments that the pitcher can feel and that he can use during a game.
What Is the Count? Pitch Sequencing
The count on the batter determines many aspects of how a situation is played. The count affects the running game, the hitter's approach, and the decision on what pitch is called. In turn, it can affect the defensive setup. For the advanced pitcher who is self-aware, the count encompasses all of these factors and plays a big role in pitch selection.
The cat and mouse game for a starting pitcher begins with his looking at the entire lineup. Each hitter is different, and the pitcher must figure out what weaknesses he can exploit in the lineup by using his strengths. As the game is played, the pitcher should note the sequencing he used to get hitters out. The goal is to keep the offense off balance by creating soft contact. The pitcher can do this by establishing the fact that he can command the fastball.
Working off of the fastball, the pitcher can mix in secondary pitches. Throughout the course of a game, the sequencing of pitches within each at-bat will factor into the sequencing of the next at-bat for each hitter, but the pitcher must be conscious of not getting into a pattern with the sequencing. If the pitcher throws a first-pitch fastball to every hitter, the offense is likely to notice and make adjustments, so the pitcher must be able to throw secondary pitches in every count. This unpredictability will keep an offense from getting accustomed to a specific pitch sequence.
Training the Swing
The baseball swing is complex, to say the least. The swing is a mental and physical series of actions that must work through the total body in precise harmony.
The baseball swing is complex, to say the least. The swing is a mental and physical series of actions that must work through the total body in precise harmony. Training these actions can be done in a variety of ways such as tee drills, soft toss, front toss, and batting practice, all of which have multiple variations that cater to specific needs. Our approach for training the swing will remain consistent throughout these drills.
"Squaring up" the baseball, or perfect contact, can be defined as hitting the ball on the same trajectory as it was delivered. You will be hitting on a line straight through the pitcher's release point. With this in mind, the following drills are designed to create a repeatable swing so that you can consistently square up the ball at contact.
Each swing has a result called ball flight. The trajectory of the ball off the bat will help you determine the quality of the swing, giving you immediate feedback regarding flaws in your timing or mechanics. Using the ball flight as a tool, you should be able to make minor adjustments to correct the issue.
Hitting Drill 1: Tee Work
Tee drills eliminate the movement of the baseball. The object is to place the ball at the exact point where you want to make contact. From your batting stance, our first drill will have the ball placed at belt height, even with the front leg, and centered on the plate (figure 5.3). This contact point is the neutral reference for perfect contact, resulting in a line drive through the middle of the field. Take 10 swings, driving the ball through the center of the field.
Tee work drill.
To Increase Difficulty
- The tee drill has many variations. Each variation focuses on certain skill elements that the hitter can single out. These variations are:
- The outside or inside pitch
- High tee or low tee
- Blind swings
- Step through and swing
- Top hand or bottom hand swings with a smaller bat.
To Decrease Difficulty
- Place the tee at a single contact point in the center of the plate.
Success Check
- What was the flight path of the ball after contact? Did it slice away from you? Did it topspin to the ground?
- What did you feel that was different when you squared up the ball versus when the ball had a different flight path?
- Were you able to make adjustments from swing to swing?
- Did your results remain consistent throughout the drill?
Score Your Success
- You earn 1 point for every line drive between the second baseman and the shortstop.
- You earn 1/2 point for a hard-hit ground ball in the same region.
- You earn 0 points for a ball hit above 20 feet (6 m) or outside the given area.
- Your score ____ of 10
Hitting Drill 2: Soft Toss
Soft toss adds the element of timing the body movement and the swing with the ball in flight. With a coach or partner on a knee in the opposite batter's box, have the hitter in the batting stance. The ball should be shown to the hitter. The coach lowers the ball, triggering the load of the hitter. The coach then raises the arm, flipping the ball to a given contact point, thus triggering the hitter to swing (figure 5.4). For this drill, let's take three rounds of eight swings.
Soft toss drill.
To Increase Difficulty
- Have the partner toss the ball from the catcher's box.
- Speed up the pace between flips.
- Challenge the hitter's various contact points (in, out, up, down).
- Use the top hand or bottom hand only with a smaller bat.
To Decrease Difficulty
- Slow down the rhythm of the flip.
- Flip to the same spot every time.
Success Check
- The success checks remain virtually the same as those for the tee drills.
- Because the ball is in flight, your timing and rhythm may be affected.
- Can you still repeat your swing, getting successful results, as you did with the tee drill?
Score Your Success
- You earn 1 point for every line drive between the second baseman and the shortstop.
- You earn 1/2 point for a hard-hit ground ball in the same region.
- You earn 0 points for a ball hit above 20 feet (6 m) or outside the given area.
- Round 1 ____ of 8
- Round 2 ____ of 8
- Round 3 ____ of 8
- Your score ____ of 24
Save
Save
Sacrifice Bunting
Bunting is a part of the offensive game that is often referred to as small ball. For some players, bunting for a hit can be a part of their individual skill set that forces a defense to adjust positioning, and we’ll cover this skill later in the chapter.
Bunting is a part of the offensive game that is often referred to as small ball. For some players, bunting for a hit can be a part of their individual skill set that forces a defense to adjust positioning, and we'll cover this skill later in the chapter. For others, bunting is used in sacrifice situations when an offense is willing to give up an out to advance the base runner or base runners. These situations typically occur late in a game with a runner on first (figure 10.1), a runner on second, or runners on first and second (figure 10.2), with zero outs. It can also occur with a runner on third (figure 10.3). By sacrificing a runner into scoring position, that is, from first to second, the offense assumes that a base hit will then score that runner. By sacrificing a runner from second to third, the offense can then score in various ways other than a base hit, such as a sacrifice fly, a ground ball out with the infield back, a passed ball (a ball that should have been caught by the catcher, but was not, leading to a runner or runners advancing to the next base or scoring), or a wild pitch (a pitched ball thrown in a manner that the catcher had no chance of catching, leading to a runner or runners advancing to the next base), and so on. An offense that can bunt typically puts pressure on a defense. In late-inning situations, this pressure can determine the outcome of a game.
Figure 10.1 Runner on First - Sacrifice to First-Base Side
- As the pitcher becomes set, the batter squares to bunt.
- The batter should place the bunt on the first-base side between the pitcher and the first-base line.
- The runner should get a normal secondary lead and read the angle of the bunt.
Misstep
If the runner drifts too far off first base in the secondary lead, expecting that the bunt will be executed, but the hitter takes the pitch, then the runner is in danger of getting thrown out by the catcher.
Correction
The runner must be aware that the hitter is taught to bunt only strikes in a sacrifice situation. Therefore, he must see contact and a downward angle before he breaks to second.
Figure 10.2 Runners on First and Second - Sacrifice to Third-Base Side
- As the pitcher becomes set, the batter squares to bunt.
- The hitter should place the bunt on the third-base side of the infield, preferably hard enough to force the third baseman to field it.
- Both runners should get a normal secondary lead and read the angle of the bunt.
Misstep
Bunting the ball back to the pitcher is a big misstep, especially with a left-hander on the mound.
Correction
You should be sure to get the bunt toward the line, far enough away from the mound so that the third baseman has to field the ball.
Squeeze Bunting
A squeeze bunt is a sacrifice bunt with a runner on third base. The batter bunts the ball, expecting to be thrown out, but his bunt gives the runner at third base an opportunity to score. Since the bunt is a sacrifice, a squeeze bunt would not be performed with two outs. You would also not attempt a squeeze bunt with two strikes because a foul ball would mean a third strike and an out.
There are two types of squeeze bunts: the suicide squeeze (figure 10.3) and the safety squeeze. It is called a suicide squeeze because the runner at third base goes without knowing if the bunt is successfully placed. If the bunt is misplaced, it is likely that the runner will be out at home. But, if the bunt is good, it is a very hard play for the defense to cover and almost always results in a score.
The safety squeeze is performed like the suicide squeeze, but the runner at third base waits to make sure the bunt is placed correctly before going. It is easier to defend than the suicide squeeze, since the runner waits, and it is not quite as easy to score on.
Figure 10.3 Squeeze Bunt
- The technique for this bunt is the same as the standard bunt. The only difference is that the batter does not reveal he is bunting until the pitcher is mid-delivery.
- As the pitcher delivers the ball to the plate, the hitter squares to bunt. Either pivot or take a small jab step in order to quickly get into position.
- The hitter must make contact with the ball, regardless of where the pitch is located. The bunt just needs to be on the ground.
- The runner at third should wait until the pitcher's arm is at its highest point in the arm swing as he delivers to the plate. The runner must be sure that the pitcher is not picking over to third before he breaks at full speed toward home plate.
Misstep
Your failure to make contact with the ball gives the runner zero protection from being tagged out at home by the catcher.
Correction
Get into a good position to put the bat on the ball.
Save
Knowing the Situation
The pitcher must always be aware of the situation. For beginners, being aware of every situation is difficult. Teaching awareness really happens by trial and error.
The pitcher must always be aware of the situation. For beginners, being aware of every situation is difficult. Teaching awareness really happens by trial and error. By reviewing actions that happened, good or bad, a player can more easily correct the action the next time. The difficulty for beginners is being able to process the amount of information that goes into every situation, all while trying to pitch to a hitter. So let's look at how a pitcher can filter the information and still be able to execute a pitch.
A pitcher must be aware of the following list of factors at all times. Although it may seem like a lot to filter, at the professional and higher collegiate levels, this list will grow even bigger. The question format is designed to illustrate the thought process that a pitcher may go through between pitches.
Surrounding Factors
- Who are the good runners and hitters in the opposing lineup?
- What inning are we in?
- What is the score?
- How many outs are there?
- What is the count?
- Are runners on base?
- Is the runner a steal threat?
- Is this a time they might bunt or try to create action?
- Where do I go with the ball if it is hit to me?
- Has a defensive play been called? What is our defensive setup?
Hitter
- Who is at bat, and where is he in the lineup?
- Where are the outs?
- Is the hitter in a situational at-bat?
- What is the hitter trying to do?
- Has he adjusted his position in the batter's box?
- What pitch sequence have we used or are we using?
- What pitch are we trying to get to based on my strengths and the hitter's weaknesses?
Executing the Pitch and Evaluating the Information
- Is a runner on base?
- How can I control the base runner from the set position?
- Did I execute the pitch to the location?
- What reaction did the hitter have?
- Was there action with the base runner?
- Did I feel a mechanical adjustment that I can make to execute the next pitch better?
- Reset and refocus.
- How has the situation changed?
For a beginner, this cycle has an abundance of information that can be difficult to process without slowing the tempo of the game. In time, many of these specific questions will become part of the pitcher's natural process between pitches. A pitcher who is capable of understanding the situation and can cycle through this information quickly will have a higher baseball IQ and a greater feel of the game and the way in which it is played.
For those who can do this, most of the answers to the questions in this breakdown will be stored subconsciously, thereby allowing the pitcher to focus on three major factors. The three major factors for a pitcher to focus on help determine the answers to the other questions in the breakdown. The advanced pitcher will quickly adjust the answers to the other questions. Here is how it works.
Mechanics
The first major factor that a pitcher focuses on is the delivery itself. Given all the other information that the pitcher must process, he must make only minimal mechanical adjustments during the game. One goal of practice, or throwing in the bullpen, is to find those minor mechanical adjustments that the pitcher can feel and that he can use during a game.
What Is the Count? Pitch Sequencing
The count on the batter determines many aspects of how a situation is played. The count affects the running game, the hitter's approach, and the decision on what pitch is called. In turn, it can affect the defensive setup. For the advanced pitcher who is self-aware, the count encompasses all of these factors and plays a big role in pitch selection.
The cat and mouse game for a starting pitcher begins with his looking at the entire lineup. Each hitter is different, and the pitcher must figure out what weaknesses he can exploit in the lineup by using his strengths. As the game is played, the pitcher should note the sequencing he used to get hitters out. The goal is to keep the offense off balance by creating soft contact. The pitcher can do this by establishing the fact that he can command the fastball.
Working off of the fastball, the pitcher can mix in secondary pitches. Throughout the course of a game, the sequencing of pitches within each at-bat will factor into the sequencing of the next at-bat for each hitter, but the pitcher must be conscious of not getting into a pattern with the sequencing. If the pitcher throws a first-pitch fastball to every hitter, the offense is likely to notice and make adjustments, so the pitcher must be able to throw secondary pitches in every count. This unpredictability will keep an offense from getting accustomed to a specific pitch sequence.
Training the Swing
The baseball swing is complex, to say the least. The swing is a mental and physical series of actions that must work through the total body in precise harmony.
The baseball swing is complex, to say the least. The swing is a mental and physical series of actions that must work through the total body in precise harmony. Training these actions can be done in a variety of ways such as tee drills, soft toss, front toss, and batting practice, all of which have multiple variations that cater to specific needs. Our approach for training the swing will remain consistent throughout these drills.
"Squaring up" the baseball, or perfect contact, can be defined as hitting the ball on the same trajectory as it was delivered. You will be hitting on a line straight through the pitcher's release point. With this in mind, the following drills are designed to create a repeatable swing so that you can consistently square up the ball at contact.
Each swing has a result called ball flight. The trajectory of the ball off the bat will help you determine the quality of the swing, giving you immediate feedback regarding flaws in your timing or mechanics. Using the ball flight as a tool, you should be able to make minor adjustments to correct the issue.
Hitting Drill 1: Tee Work
Tee drills eliminate the movement of the baseball. The object is to place the ball at the exact point where you want to make contact. From your batting stance, our first drill will have the ball placed at belt height, even with the front leg, and centered on the plate (figure 5.3). This contact point is the neutral reference for perfect contact, resulting in a line drive through the middle of the field. Take 10 swings, driving the ball through the center of the field.
Tee work drill.
To Increase Difficulty
- The tee drill has many variations. Each variation focuses on certain skill elements that the hitter can single out. These variations are:
- The outside or inside pitch
- High tee or low tee
- Blind swings
- Step through and swing
- Top hand or bottom hand swings with a smaller bat.
To Decrease Difficulty
- Place the tee at a single contact point in the center of the plate.
Success Check
- What was the flight path of the ball after contact? Did it slice away from you? Did it topspin to the ground?
- What did you feel that was different when you squared up the ball versus when the ball had a different flight path?
- Were you able to make adjustments from swing to swing?
- Did your results remain consistent throughout the drill?
Score Your Success
- You earn 1 point for every line drive between the second baseman and the shortstop.
- You earn 1/2 point for a hard-hit ground ball in the same region.
- You earn 0 points for a ball hit above 20 feet (6 m) or outside the given area.
- Your score ____ of 10
Hitting Drill 2: Soft Toss
Soft toss adds the element of timing the body movement and the swing with the ball in flight. With a coach or partner on a knee in the opposite batter's box, have the hitter in the batting stance. The ball should be shown to the hitter. The coach lowers the ball, triggering the load of the hitter. The coach then raises the arm, flipping the ball to a given contact point, thus triggering the hitter to swing (figure 5.4). For this drill, let's take three rounds of eight swings.
Soft toss drill.
To Increase Difficulty
- Have the partner toss the ball from the catcher's box.
- Speed up the pace between flips.
- Challenge the hitter's various contact points (in, out, up, down).
- Use the top hand or bottom hand only with a smaller bat.
To Decrease Difficulty
- Slow down the rhythm of the flip.
- Flip to the same spot every time.
Success Check
- The success checks remain virtually the same as those for the tee drills.
- Because the ball is in flight, your timing and rhythm may be affected.
- Can you still repeat your swing, getting successful results, as you did with the tee drill?
Score Your Success
- You earn 1 point for every line drive between the second baseman and the shortstop.
- You earn 1/2 point for a hard-hit ground ball in the same region.
- You earn 0 points for a ball hit above 20 feet (6 m) or outside the given area.
- Round 1 ____ of 8
- Round 2 ____ of 8
- Round 3 ____ of 8
- Your score ____ of 24
Save
Save
Sacrifice Bunting
Bunting is a part of the offensive game that is often referred to as small ball. For some players, bunting for a hit can be a part of their individual skill set that forces a defense to adjust positioning, and we’ll cover this skill later in the chapter.
Bunting is a part of the offensive game that is often referred to as small ball. For some players, bunting for a hit can be a part of their individual skill set that forces a defense to adjust positioning, and we'll cover this skill later in the chapter. For others, bunting is used in sacrifice situations when an offense is willing to give up an out to advance the base runner or base runners. These situations typically occur late in a game with a runner on first (figure 10.1), a runner on second, or runners on first and second (figure 10.2), with zero outs. It can also occur with a runner on third (figure 10.3). By sacrificing a runner into scoring position, that is, from first to second, the offense assumes that a base hit will then score that runner. By sacrificing a runner from second to third, the offense can then score in various ways other than a base hit, such as a sacrifice fly, a ground ball out with the infield back, a passed ball (a ball that should have been caught by the catcher, but was not, leading to a runner or runners advancing to the next base or scoring), or a wild pitch (a pitched ball thrown in a manner that the catcher had no chance of catching, leading to a runner or runners advancing to the next base), and so on. An offense that can bunt typically puts pressure on a defense. In late-inning situations, this pressure can determine the outcome of a game.
Figure 10.1 Runner on First - Sacrifice to First-Base Side
- As the pitcher becomes set, the batter squares to bunt.
- The batter should place the bunt on the first-base side between the pitcher and the first-base line.
- The runner should get a normal secondary lead and read the angle of the bunt.
Misstep
If the runner drifts too far off first base in the secondary lead, expecting that the bunt will be executed, but the hitter takes the pitch, then the runner is in danger of getting thrown out by the catcher.
Correction
The runner must be aware that the hitter is taught to bunt only strikes in a sacrifice situation. Therefore, he must see contact and a downward angle before he breaks to second.
Figure 10.2 Runners on First and Second - Sacrifice to Third-Base Side
- As the pitcher becomes set, the batter squares to bunt.
- The hitter should place the bunt on the third-base side of the infield, preferably hard enough to force the third baseman to field it.
- Both runners should get a normal secondary lead and read the angle of the bunt.
Misstep
Bunting the ball back to the pitcher is a big misstep, especially with a left-hander on the mound.
Correction
You should be sure to get the bunt toward the line, far enough away from the mound so that the third baseman has to field the ball.
Squeeze Bunting
A squeeze bunt is a sacrifice bunt with a runner on third base. The batter bunts the ball, expecting to be thrown out, but his bunt gives the runner at third base an opportunity to score. Since the bunt is a sacrifice, a squeeze bunt would not be performed with two outs. You would also not attempt a squeeze bunt with two strikes because a foul ball would mean a third strike and an out.
There are two types of squeeze bunts: the suicide squeeze (figure 10.3) and the safety squeeze. It is called a suicide squeeze because the runner at third base goes without knowing if the bunt is successfully placed. If the bunt is misplaced, it is likely that the runner will be out at home. But, if the bunt is good, it is a very hard play for the defense to cover and almost always results in a score.
The safety squeeze is performed like the suicide squeeze, but the runner at third base waits to make sure the bunt is placed correctly before going. It is easier to defend than the suicide squeeze, since the runner waits, and it is not quite as easy to score on.
Figure 10.3 Squeeze Bunt
- The technique for this bunt is the same as the standard bunt. The only difference is that the batter does not reveal he is bunting until the pitcher is mid-delivery.
- As the pitcher delivers the ball to the plate, the hitter squares to bunt. Either pivot or take a small jab step in order to quickly get into position.
- The hitter must make contact with the ball, regardless of where the pitch is located. The bunt just needs to be on the ground.
- The runner at third should wait until the pitcher's arm is at its highest point in the arm swing as he delivers to the plate. The runner must be sure that the pitcher is not picking over to third before he breaks at full speed toward home plate.
Misstep
Your failure to make contact with the ball gives the runner zero protection from being tagged out at home by the catcher.
Correction
Get into a good position to put the bat on the ball.
Save
Knowing the Situation
The pitcher must always be aware of the situation. For beginners, being aware of every situation is difficult. Teaching awareness really happens by trial and error.
The pitcher must always be aware of the situation. For beginners, being aware of every situation is difficult. Teaching awareness really happens by trial and error. By reviewing actions that happened, good or bad, a player can more easily correct the action the next time. The difficulty for beginners is being able to process the amount of information that goes into every situation, all while trying to pitch to a hitter. So let's look at how a pitcher can filter the information and still be able to execute a pitch.
A pitcher must be aware of the following list of factors at all times. Although it may seem like a lot to filter, at the professional and higher collegiate levels, this list will grow even bigger. The question format is designed to illustrate the thought process that a pitcher may go through between pitches.
Surrounding Factors
- Who are the good runners and hitters in the opposing lineup?
- What inning are we in?
- What is the score?
- How many outs are there?
- What is the count?
- Are runners on base?
- Is the runner a steal threat?
- Is this a time they might bunt or try to create action?
- Where do I go with the ball if it is hit to me?
- Has a defensive play been called? What is our defensive setup?
Hitter
- Who is at bat, and where is he in the lineup?
- Where are the outs?
- Is the hitter in a situational at-bat?
- What is the hitter trying to do?
- Has he adjusted his position in the batter's box?
- What pitch sequence have we used or are we using?
- What pitch are we trying to get to based on my strengths and the hitter's weaknesses?
Executing the Pitch and Evaluating the Information
- Is a runner on base?
- How can I control the base runner from the set position?
- Did I execute the pitch to the location?
- What reaction did the hitter have?
- Was there action with the base runner?
- Did I feel a mechanical adjustment that I can make to execute the next pitch better?
- Reset and refocus.
- How has the situation changed?
For a beginner, this cycle has an abundance of information that can be difficult to process without slowing the tempo of the game. In time, many of these specific questions will become part of the pitcher's natural process between pitches. A pitcher who is capable of understanding the situation and can cycle through this information quickly will have a higher baseball IQ and a greater feel of the game and the way in which it is played.
For those who can do this, most of the answers to the questions in this breakdown will be stored subconsciously, thereby allowing the pitcher to focus on three major factors. The three major factors for a pitcher to focus on help determine the answers to the other questions in the breakdown. The advanced pitcher will quickly adjust the answers to the other questions. Here is how it works.
Mechanics
The first major factor that a pitcher focuses on is the delivery itself. Given all the other information that the pitcher must process, he must make only minimal mechanical adjustments during the game. One goal of practice, or throwing in the bullpen, is to find those minor mechanical adjustments that the pitcher can feel and that he can use during a game.
What Is the Count? Pitch Sequencing
The count on the batter determines many aspects of how a situation is played. The count affects the running game, the hitter's approach, and the decision on what pitch is called. In turn, it can affect the defensive setup. For the advanced pitcher who is self-aware, the count encompasses all of these factors and plays a big role in pitch selection.
The cat and mouse game for a starting pitcher begins with his looking at the entire lineup. Each hitter is different, and the pitcher must figure out what weaknesses he can exploit in the lineup by using his strengths. As the game is played, the pitcher should note the sequencing he used to get hitters out. The goal is to keep the offense off balance by creating soft contact. The pitcher can do this by establishing the fact that he can command the fastball.
Working off of the fastball, the pitcher can mix in secondary pitches. Throughout the course of a game, the sequencing of pitches within each at-bat will factor into the sequencing of the next at-bat for each hitter, but the pitcher must be conscious of not getting into a pattern with the sequencing. If the pitcher throws a first-pitch fastball to every hitter, the offense is likely to notice and make adjustments, so the pitcher must be able to throw secondary pitches in every count. This unpredictability will keep an offense from getting accustomed to a specific pitch sequence.
Training the Swing
The baseball swing is complex, to say the least. The swing is a mental and physical series of actions that must work through the total body in precise harmony.
The baseball swing is complex, to say the least. The swing is a mental and physical series of actions that must work through the total body in precise harmony. Training these actions can be done in a variety of ways such as tee drills, soft toss, front toss, and batting practice, all of which have multiple variations that cater to specific needs. Our approach for training the swing will remain consistent throughout these drills.
"Squaring up" the baseball, or perfect contact, can be defined as hitting the ball on the same trajectory as it was delivered. You will be hitting on a line straight through the pitcher's release point. With this in mind, the following drills are designed to create a repeatable swing so that you can consistently square up the ball at contact.
Each swing has a result called ball flight. The trajectory of the ball off the bat will help you determine the quality of the swing, giving you immediate feedback regarding flaws in your timing or mechanics. Using the ball flight as a tool, you should be able to make minor adjustments to correct the issue.
Hitting Drill 1: Tee Work
Tee drills eliminate the movement of the baseball. The object is to place the ball at the exact point where you want to make contact. From your batting stance, our first drill will have the ball placed at belt height, even with the front leg, and centered on the plate (figure 5.3). This contact point is the neutral reference for perfect contact, resulting in a line drive through the middle of the field. Take 10 swings, driving the ball through the center of the field.
Tee work drill.
To Increase Difficulty
- The tee drill has many variations. Each variation focuses on certain skill elements that the hitter can single out. These variations are:
- The outside or inside pitch
- High tee or low tee
- Blind swings
- Step through and swing
- Top hand or bottom hand swings with a smaller bat.
To Decrease Difficulty
- Place the tee at a single contact point in the center of the plate.
Success Check
- What was the flight path of the ball after contact? Did it slice away from you? Did it topspin to the ground?
- What did you feel that was different when you squared up the ball versus when the ball had a different flight path?
- Were you able to make adjustments from swing to swing?
- Did your results remain consistent throughout the drill?
Score Your Success
- You earn 1 point for every line drive between the second baseman and the shortstop.
- You earn 1/2 point for a hard-hit ground ball in the same region.
- You earn 0 points for a ball hit above 20 feet (6 m) or outside the given area.
- Your score ____ of 10
Hitting Drill 2: Soft Toss
Soft toss adds the element of timing the body movement and the swing with the ball in flight. With a coach or partner on a knee in the opposite batter's box, have the hitter in the batting stance. The ball should be shown to the hitter. The coach lowers the ball, triggering the load of the hitter. The coach then raises the arm, flipping the ball to a given contact point, thus triggering the hitter to swing (figure 5.4). For this drill, let's take three rounds of eight swings.
Soft toss drill.
To Increase Difficulty
- Have the partner toss the ball from the catcher's box.
- Speed up the pace between flips.
- Challenge the hitter's various contact points (in, out, up, down).
- Use the top hand or bottom hand only with a smaller bat.
To Decrease Difficulty
- Slow down the rhythm of the flip.
- Flip to the same spot every time.
Success Check
- The success checks remain virtually the same as those for the tee drills.
- Because the ball is in flight, your timing and rhythm may be affected.
- Can you still repeat your swing, getting successful results, as you did with the tee drill?
Score Your Success
- You earn 1 point for every line drive between the second baseman and the shortstop.
- You earn 1/2 point for a hard-hit ground ball in the same region.
- You earn 0 points for a ball hit above 20 feet (6 m) or outside the given area.
- Round 1 ____ of 8
- Round 2 ____ of 8
- Round 3 ____ of 8
- Your score ____ of 24
Save
Save
Sacrifice Bunting
Bunting is a part of the offensive game that is often referred to as small ball. For some players, bunting for a hit can be a part of their individual skill set that forces a defense to adjust positioning, and we’ll cover this skill later in the chapter.
Bunting is a part of the offensive game that is often referred to as small ball. For some players, bunting for a hit can be a part of their individual skill set that forces a defense to adjust positioning, and we'll cover this skill later in the chapter. For others, bunting is used in sacrifice situations when an offense is willing to give up an out to advance the base runner or base runners. These situations typically occur late in a game with a runner on first (figure 10.1), a runner on second, or runners on first and second (figure 10.2), with zero outs. It can also occur with a runner on third (figure 10.3). By sacrificing a runner into scoring position, that is, from first to second, the offense assumes that a base hit will then score that runner. By sacrificing a runner from second to third, the offense can then score in various ways other than a base hit, such as a sacrifice fly, a ground ball out with the infield back, a passed ball (a ball that should have been caught by the catcher, but was not, leading to a runner or runners advancing to the next base or scoring), or a wild pitch (a pitched ball thrown in a manner that the catcher had no chance of catching, leading to a runner or runners advancing to the next base), and so on. An offense that can bunt typically puts pressure on a defense. In late-inning situations, this pressure can determine the outcome of a game.
Figure 10.1 Runner on First - Sacrifice to First-Base Side
- As the pitcher becomes set, the batter squares to bunt.
- The batter should place the bunt on the first-base side between the pitcher and the first-base line.
- The runner should get a normal secondary lead and read the angle of the bunt.
Misstep
If the runner drifts too far off first base in the secondary lead, expecting that the bunt will be executed, but the hitter takes the pitch, then the runner is in danger of getting thrown out by the catcher.
Correction
The runner must be aware that the hitter is taught to bunt only strikes in a sacrifice situation. Therefore, he must see contact and a downward angle before he breaks to second.
Figure 10.2 Runners on First and Second - Sacrifice to Third-Base Side
- As the pitcher becomes set, the batter squares to bunt.
- The hitter should place the bunt on the third-base side of the infield, preferably hard enough to force the third baseman to field it.
- Both runners should get a normal secondary lead and read the angle of the bunt.
Misstep
Bunting the ball back to the pitcher is a big misstep, especially with a left-hander on the mound.
Correction
You should be sure to get the bunt toward the line, far enough away from the mound so that the third baseman has to field the ball.
Squeeze Bunting
A squeeze bunt is a sacrifice bunt with a runner on third base. The batter bunts the ball, expecting to be thrown out, but his bunt gives the runner at third base an opportunity to score. Since the bunt is a sacrifice, a squeeze bunt would not be performed with two outs. You would also not attempt a squeeze bunt with two strikes because a foul ball would mean a third strike and an out.
There are two types of squeeze bunts: the suicide squeeze (figure 10.3) and the safety squeeze. It is called a suicide squeeze because the runner at third base goes without knowing if the bunt is successfully placed. If the bunt is misplaced, it is likely that the runner will be out at home. But, if the bunt is good, it is a very hard play for the defense to cover and almost always results in a score.
The safety squeeze is performed like the suicide squeeze, but the runner at third base waits to make sure the bunt is placed correctly before going. It is easier to defend than the suicide squeeze, since the runner waits, and it is not quite as easy to score on.
Figure 10.3 Squeeze Bunt
- The technique for this bunt is the same as the standard bunt. The only difference is that the batter does not reveal he is bunting until the pitcher is mid-delivery.
- As the pitcher delivers the ball to the plate, the hitter squares to bunt. Either pivot or take a small jab step in order to quickly get into position.
- The hitter must make contact with the ball, regardless of where the pitch is located. The bunt just needs to be on the ground.
- The runner at third should wait until the pitcher's arm is at its highest point in the arm swing as he delivers to the plate. The runner must be sure that the pitcher is not picking over to third before he breaks at full speed toward home plate.
Misstep
Your failure to make contact with the ball gives the runner zero protection from being tagged out at home by the catcher.
Correction
Get into a good position to put the bat on the ball.
Save
Knowing the Situation
The pitcher must always be aware of the situation. For beginners, being aware of every situation is difficult. Teaching awareness really happens by trial and error.
The pitcher must always be aware of the situation. For beginners, being aware of every situation is difficult. Teaching awareness really happens by trial and error. By reviewing actions that happened, good or bad, a player can more easily correct the action the next time. The difficulty for beginners is being able to process the amount of information that goes into every situation, all while trying to pitch to a hitter. So let's look at how a pitcher can filter the information and still be able to execute a pitch.
A pitcher must be aware of the following list of factors at all times. Although it may seem like a lot to filter, at the professional and higher collegiate levels, this list will grow even bigger. The question format is designed to illustrate the thought process that a pitcher may go through between pitches.
Surrounding Factors
- Who are the good runners and hitters in the opposing lineup?
- What inning are we in?
- What is the score?
- How many outs are there?
- What is the count?
- Are runners on base?
- Is the runner a steal threat?
- Is this a time they might bunt or try to create action?
- Where do I go with the ball if it is hit to me?
- Has a defensive play been called? What is our defensive setup?
Hitter
- Who is at bat, and where is he in the lineup?
- Where are the outs?
- Is the hitter in a situational at-bat?
- What is the hitter trying to do?
- Has he adjusted his position in the batter's box?
- What pitch sequence have we used or are we using?
- What pitch are we trying to get to based on my strengths and the hitter's weaknesses?
Executing the Pitch and Evaluating the Information
- Is a runner on base?
- How can I control the base runner from the set position?
- Did I execute the pitch to the location?
- What reaction did the hitter have?
- Was there action with the base runner?
- Did I feel a mechanical adjustment that I can make to execute the next pitch better?
- Reset and refocus.
- How has the situation changed?
For a beginner, this cycle has an abundance of information that can be difficult to process without slowing the tempo of the game. In time, many of these specific questions will become part of the pitcher's natural process between pitches. A pitcher who is capable of understanding the situation and can cycle through this information quickly will have a higher baseball IQ and a greater feel of the game and the way in which it is played.
For those who can do this, most of the answers to the questions in this breakdown will be stored subconsciously, thereby allowing the pitcher to focus on three major factors. The three major factors for a pitcher to focus on help determine the answers to the other questions in the breakdown. The advanced pitcher will quickly adjust the answers to the other questions. Here is how it works.
Mechanics
The first major factor that a pitcher focuses on is the delivery itself. Given all the other information that the pitcher must process, he must make only minimal mechanical adjustments during the game. One goal of practice, or throwing in the bullpen, is to find those minor mechanical adjustments that the pitcher can feel and that he can use during a game.
What Is the Count? Pitch Sequencing
The count on the batter determines many aspects of how a situation is played. The count affects the running game, the hitter's approach, and the decision on what pitch is called. In turn, it can affect the defensive setup. For the advanced pitcher who is self-aware, the count encompasses all of these factors and plays a big role in pitch selection.
The cat and mouse game for a starting pitcher begins with his looking at the entire lineup. Each hitter is different, and the pitcher must figure out what weaknesses he can exploit in the lineup by using his strengths. As the game is played, the pitcher should note the sequencing he used to get hitters out. The goal is to keep the offense off balance by creating soft contact. The pitcher can do this by establishing the fact that he can command the fastball.
Working off of the fastball, the pitcher can mix in secondary pitches. Throughout the course of a game, the sequencing of pitches within each at-bat will factor into the sequencing of the next at-bat for each hitter, but the pitcher must be conscious of not getting into a pattern with the sequencing. If the pitcher throws a first-pitch fastball to every hitter, the offense is likely to notice and make adjustments, so the pitcher must be able to throw secondary pitches in every count. This unpredictability will keep an offense from getting accustomed to a specific pitch sequence.
Training the Swing
The baseball swing is complex, to say the least. The swing is a mental and physical series of actions that must work through the total body in precise harmony.
The baseball swing is complex, to say the least. The swing is a mental and physical series of actions that must work through the total body in precise harmony. Training these actions can be done in a variety of ways such as tee drills, soft toss, front toss, and batting practice, all of which have multiple variations that cater to specific needs. Our approach for training the swing will remain consistent throughout these drills.
"Squaring up" the baseball, or perfect contact, can be defined as hitting the ball on the same trajectory as it was delivered. You will be hitting on a line straight through the pitcher's release point. With this in mind, the following drills are designed to create a repeatable swing so that you can consistently square up the ball at contact.
Each swing has a result called ball flight. The trajectory of the ball off the bat will help you determine the quality of the swing, giving you immediate feedback regarding flaws in your timing or mechanics. Using the ball flight as a tool, you should be able to make minor adjustments to correct the issue.
Hitting Drill 1: Tee Work
Tee drills eliminate the movement of the baseball. The object is to place the ball at the exact point where you want to make contact. From your batting stance, our first drill will have the ball placed at belt height, even with the front leg, and centered on the plate (figure 5.3). This contact point is the neutral reference for perfect contact, resulting in a line drive through the middle of the field. Take 10 swings, driving the ball through the center of the field.
Tee work drill.
To Increase Difficulty
- The tee drill has many variations. Each variation focuses on certain skill elements that the hitter can single out. These variations are:
- The outside or inside pitch
- High tee or low tee
- Blind swings
- Step through and swing
- Top hand or bottom hand swings with a smaller bat.
To Decrease Difficulty
- Place the tee at a single contact point in the center of the plate.
Success Check
- What was the flight path of the ball after contact? Did it slice away from you? Did it topspin to the ground?
- What did you feel that was different when you squared up the ball versus when the ball had a different flight path?
- Were you able to make adjustments from swing to swing?
- Did your results remain consistent throughout the drill?
Score Your Success
- You earn 1 point for every line drive between the second baseman and the shortstop.
- You earn 1/2 point for a hard-hit ground ball in the same region.
- You earn 0 points for a ball hit above 20 feet (6 m) or outside the given area.
- Your score ____ of 10
Hitting Drill 2: Soft Toss
Soft toss adds the element of timing the body movement and the swing with the ball in flight. With a coach or partner on a knee in the opposite batter's box, have the hitter in the batting stance. The ball should be shown to the hitter. The coach lowers the ball, triggering the load of the hitter. The coach then raises the arm, flipping the ball to a given contact point, thus triggering the hitter to swing (figure 5.4). For this drill, let's take three rounds of eight swings.
Soft toss drill.
To Increase Difficulty
- Have the partner toss the ball from the catcher's box.
- Speed up the pace between flips.
- Challenge the hitter's various contact points (in, out, up, down).
- Use the top hand or bottom hand only with a smaller bat.
To Decrease Difficulty
- Slow down the rhythm of the flip.
- Flip to the same spot every time.
Success Check
- The success checks remain virtually the same as those for the tee drills.
- Because the ball is in flight, your timing and rhythm may be affected.
- Can you still repeat your swing, getting successful results, as you did with the tee drill?
Score Your Success
- You earn 1 point for every line drive between the second baseman and the shortstop.
- You earn 1/2 point for a hard-hit ground ball in the same region.
- You earn 0 points for a ball hit above 20 feet (6 m) or outside the given area.
- Round 1 ____ of 8
- Round 2 ____ of 8
- Round 3 ____ of 8
- Your score ____ of 24
Save
Save
Sacrifice Bunting
Bunting is a part of the offensive game that is often referred to as small ball. For some players, bunting for a hit can be a part of their individual skill set that forces a defense to adjust positioning, and we’ll cover this skill later in the chapter.
Bunting is a part of the offensive game that is often referred to as small ball. For some players, bunting for a hit can be a part of their individual skill set that forces a defense to adjust positioning, and we'll cover this skill later in the chapter. For others, bunting is used in sacrifice situations when an offense is willing to give up an out to advance the base runner or base runners. These situations typically occur late in a game with a runner on first (figure 10.1), a runner on second, or runners on first and second (figure 10.2), with zero outs. It can also occur with a runner on third (figure 10.3). By sacrificing a runner into scoring position, that is, from first to second, the offense assumes that a base hit will then score that runner. By sacrificing a runner from second to third, the offense can then score in various ways other than a base hit, such as a sacrifice fly, a ground ball out with the infield back, a passed ball (a ball that should have been caught by the catcher, but was not, leading to a runner or runners advancing to the next base or scoring), or a wild pitch (a pitched ball thrown in a manner that the catcher had no chance of catching, leading to a runner or runners advancing to the next base), and so on. An offense that can bunt typically puts pressure on a defense. In late-inning situations, this pressure can determine the outcome of a game.
Figure 10.1 Runner on First - Sacrifice to First-Base Side
- As the pitcher becomes set, the batter squares to bunt.
- The batter should place the bunt on the first-base side between the pitcher and the first-base line.
- The runner should get a normal secondary lead and read the angle of the bunt.
Misstep
If the runner drifts too far off first base in the secondary lead, expecting that the bunt will be executed, but the hitter takes the pitch, then the runner is in danger of getting thrown out by the catcher.
Correction
The runner must be aware that the hitter is taught to bunt only strikes in a sacrifice situation. Therefore, he must see contact and a downward angle before he breaks to second.
Figure 10.2 Runners on First and Second - Sacrifice to Third-Base Side
- As the pitcher becomes set, the batter squares to bunt.
- The hitter should place the bunt on the third-base side of the infield, preferably hard enough to force the third baseman to field it.
- Both runners should get a normal secondary lead and read the angle of the bunt.
Misstep
Bunting the ball back to the pitcher is a big misstep, especially with a left-hander on the mound.
Correction
You should be sure to get the bunt toward the line, far enough away from the mound so that the third baseman has to field the ball.
Squeeze Bunting
A squeeze bunt is a sacrifice bunt with a runner on third base. The batter bunts the ball, expecting to be thrown out, but his bunt gives the runner at third base an opportunity to score. Since the bunt is a sacrifice, a squeeze bunt would not be performed with two outs. You would also not attempt a squeeze bunt with two strikes because a foul ball would mean a third strike and an out.
There are two types of squeeze bunts: the suicide squeeze (figure 10.3) and the safety squeeze. It is called a suicide squeeze because the runner at third base goes without knowing if the bunt is successfully placed. If the bunt is misplaced, it is likely that the runner will be out at home. But, if the bunt is good, it is a very hard play for the defense to cover and almost always results in a score.
The safety squeeze is performed like the suicide squeeze, but the runner at third base waits to make sure the bunt is placed correctly before going. It is easier to defend than the suicide squeeze, since the runner waits, and it is not quite as easy to score on.
Figure 10.3 Squeeze Bunt
- The technique for this bunt is the same as the standard bunt. The only difference is that the batter does not reveal he is bunting until the pitcher is mid-delivery.
- As the pitcher delivers the ball to the plate, the hitter squares to bunt. Either pivot or take a small jab step in order to quickly get into position.
- The hitter must make contact with the ball, regardless of where the pitch is located. The bunt just needs to be on the ground.
- The runner at third should wait until the pitcher's arm is at its highest point in the arm swing as he delivers to the plate. The runner must be sure that the pitcher is not picking over to third before he breaks at full speed toward home plate.
Misstep
Your failure to make contact with the ball gives the runner zero protection from being tagged out at home by the catcher.
Correction
Get into a good position to put the bat on the ball.
Save
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