22016016 BBravesraves & 111U1U MustangsMustangs

How Outfi eld & Infi eld Work Together on Defense Did you ever ask yourself this very simple question? Why do the nine fi elders on a team start out in those specifi c spots on the fi eld? Well, the and don’t have a choice! The pitcher has to throw from the mound and the catcher has to be behind the plate to receive the pitch. But for the oth- er seven guys, the answer is easy: By spreading out into those starting positions, the team can cover the most ground – and all of the bases – once the ball is hit.

Come on, . Everybody knows that... Our job isn’t just to limit Maybe so, but the tricky part is that once the ball is hit, all the RRUNSUNS fi elders have to move quickly to NNEWEW SSPOTSPOTS depending on: Our job is to limit • WWHEREHERE the ball is hit BBASESASES • HHOWOW MMANYANY OOUTSUTS there are BBASESASES add up to • HHOWOW MMANYANY BBASERUNNERSASERUNNERS there are RRUNS!UNS! • WWHATHAT BBASESASES the runners start on As we approach these situations, just remember this simple fact: The team that SSCORESCORES TTHEHE MMOSTOST RRUNSUNS wins, AANDND the team that AALLOWSLLOWS TTHEHE FFEWESTEWEST RRUNSUNS wins. When we’re in the fi eld, bases, not just runs, are what we’re trying to limit because every batter that gets on base is a potential run scored against us – AANDND – every base that those baserunners advance get them one base to scoring a run. And runs are very bad when we’re in the fi eld!  3 PPlayslays forfor BBallsalls HHitit BBALLSALLS HHITIT TTOO TTHEHE OOUTFIELD:UTFIELD: iintonto tthehe OOututfi eeldld KKNOWNOW TTHEHE SSITUATION!ITUATION! There are three different types Balls hit into the outfi eld can be the hardest plays for the of plays used when balls are hit defense because the ball travels farther away from the into the outfi eld. Good teams bases and the baserunners. Not only do outfi elders and good players know when, need to fi eld the ball cleanly and get it in quickly on why, and how to execute each of these plays because uusingsing these plays, they need to get the ball in to the right tthehe pproperroper playplay limitslimits bases!bases! base or infi elder. Getting the ball in quickly to the 11.. TThehe DDirectirect TThrowhrow proper base or infi elder limits 22.. TThehe CCutoffutoff TThrowhrow the number of bases (runs) the 33.. TThehe RRelayelay TThrowhrow other team gets. To do this DDirectirect ThrowThrow: The easiest play successfully, we must be ready to learn. It happens when the and prepared in every single outfi elder fi elds the ball cleanly situation: Think through your job and throws it directly to whatev- before every single pitch! er base will stop the lead baserunner from advancing. This play usually happens when Pitcher and Catcher Reponsibilities the bases are empty or there is just one runner at third. TThehe CCatcheratcher is the fi eld captain on all three outfi eld plays. Since he can see the whole fi eld, he takes CCutoffutoff TThrowhrow: The cutoff play happens with runners on fi rst charge and calls out the proper play to his fi elders. and/or second base, when TThehe PPitcheritcher has a simple and very important job on the outfi elder makes a clean every outfi eld play: He always backs up the throw play (groundball, line drive, or to the target base or cutoff man. fl yball). The cutoff throw does not go to a base, but goes to an infi elder who can see the 1 The Direct Throw runners and stop them all from Situation: Bases empty or one runner on 3rd advancing. Catcher: Yells “(Target Base #)!” RRelayelay Throw:Throw: The relay play Pitcher: Backs up Target Base happens when a ball gets hit past SS and 2B: Line up outfi elder or take the throw at 2nd the outfi elders. This could be a 3B: Covers 3rd in case of a throw long fl y ball hit over an outfi elder’s head, a line drive hit into the gap, Game Action (any number of outs) or a even a hard hit grounder Batter hits groundball or line drive single to an outfi elder. or line drive that goes down the If play starts with a runner on third, that runner will line or gets under an outfi elder’s glove. On a relay, an infi elder score easily so the throw goes directly to 2nd to stop the goes out to help the outfi elder by runner at 1st. If the batter hits a fl yball that will be caught, getting his throw and relaying it to the catcher yells out the proper target base. whatever base will stop If there is nobody on base, the throw just goes directly baserunners from advancing. to 2nd to hold the runner at 1st. Piece of cake! 2 The Cutoff Throw Situation: Runners at 1st and / or 2nd base Catcher: Yells “CUT, CUT!” Pitcher: Backs up Cutoff Man All Other Positions: See examples below for cutoffs coming from RF, CF, and LF WWhathat iiss a CCutoffutoff aandnd WWhyhy iiss iitt NNeeded?eeded? Let’s imagine a common situation that can come up multiple times in a ballgame: There is one runner on base - a speedy runner at fi rst - and any number of outs. The batter grounds a single into right fi eld and we know that the fast runner will easily make it to third base. WWherehere doesdoes thethe rightright fi elderelder throwthrow thethe ball?ball? Here is the challenge we’re facing: • If our right fi elder throws to third, what will happen? The batter will take second base on the throw  • If our right fi elder throws to second to stop the batter from taking an extra base, what will happen? The runner on third base will score on the throw  Both of these results are bad! We just gave away a base (or a rrunun). But if we get the ball to a cutoff man (who is closer to the mound where he can keep his eye on both runners),)p we can keep them at fi rst and third and meet our gggoal of limiting bases. CCutoffutoff ffromrom LLefteft CCutoffutoff ffromrom CCenterenter CCutoffutoff ffromrom RRightight Situation: Runner on 1st and/ Situation: Runner on 1st and/ Situation: Runner on 1st and/ or 2nd. Ball hit to left fi elder. or 2nd. Ball hit to center fi elder. or 2nd. Ball hit to right fi elder. Catcher: Yells “CUT,CUT” Catcher: Yells “CUT,CUT” Catcher: Yells “CUT,CUT” : Takes the : Takes the throw : Takes the throw from the left fi elder from the center fi elder throw from the right fi elder between 3B and the mound between 2B and the mound between 1B and the mound and looks back runners. and looks back runners. and looks back runners. Shortstop: Covers 3rd. : Covers 2nd. Second baseman: Covers fi rst. Second Baseman: Covers 2nd. First baseman: Covers 1st. Shortstop: Covers second. First baseman: Covers 1st. Third baseman: Covers third. Third baseman: Covers third. Right fi elder: Backs up 1st. Left fi elder: Backs up third. Left fi elder: Backs up third. Center fi elder: Backs up 2nd. Right fi elder: Backs up 1st. Center fi elder: Backs up 2nd. Pitcher: Backs up cutoff man. Pitcher: Backs up cutoff man. Pitcher: Backs up cutoff man.

CF LF RF CF CF 2 2 S LF S 1 RF LF 3 S 1 RF 3 2 3 1 P P P C C C 3 The Relay Throw Situation: Anytime the ball gets passed the OF Catcher: Yells “(RELAY Target Base #)!” Pitcher: Backs up Target Base* SS and 2B: Line up between outfi elder and target base to perform relay, or cover 2nd in case of rundown 3B: Covers 3rd in case of a throw All Other Positions: See examples below for relays coming from RF, CF, and LF Game Action (any number of outs) Whenever the ball gets past the outfi elders, the Relay play is on. On Relay plays, we always use the Rule of 3. TThehe RuleRule ofof 3 sayssays: When the ball gets past the outfi eld, the relay throw goes three bases ahead of where the lead runner started. Here’s why the Rule of 3 makes sense: What happens if nobody is on base and the ball gets past the outfi eld? The batter is going to make it to 2nd easily, right? Throwing to 2nd only gives the runner the chance to make it to 3rd if the throw gets away. Instead, the relay throw should go straight to 3rd (three bases ahead of where the batter started). Runner on fi rst? If the ball gets past the outfi eld, the runner makes it to 3rd easily, so the relay goes to home instead (three bases ahead of where the runner started).

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