Y Chapter I Joes Baseball Flaybook ln fhis Chapter Handlingsiogles Fielding doubles or triples '. Covering bunts Settlng up ior pop Ilies t f /e could hrte ar cntife book devoted to defensive situations and V|7 strategies. These 26 plays are the ones you encounter in almost ewery gane. It do€sn't nlatter whether you coach or play ir Little i-eague, hlgh school, college, a professional league. or your coinpany s softball team; nake sure vou have a handle on these plays. If you want tcr know nore about the (lefensive rcle of each player on the tield a$ well as sorle ol the vocabulary used to describe these plays, be sure to check out Chapt€r 7. To read the diagrans thai follow. here is all that you Synhol Meaning @ pitcher \:/ catchsr \9t F rst basemdi /,;t 6n -_@- Shortstop Third baseman @ Riqhtfielder \2 C-"nterf elder @ Laftlielder Path of a player Path of de ball @ 6: ": Single to left: Bases emptt1 Catcher: ai^ef fifst base in (ase ll,r run,rer takes a t,:ro-nici! rurn. Pitcher: llack up ant' throw lo seconcl bdsc First basemar: ( herk ihal tl!. baiter touches first base all(t rhen bac[ !p ihe in(onri g thro$ ti) seconil 1)ase. Second basemai: C.rver se(ond basc. Shorlsiopr PursU. Lhe ball: th.n lile up L--t$een tIe lelt iietdcr l|nd second base l() take the cutolJ thrc\!. 'Ihird baseman: (lo\'€r thi(l basc Left ffeldec Fiel(l ihe bnll and thros. il to the culi)ff ma! (thc shorrsn)t)). If the s|(rtstop is ()!t oI posilion, throw io secon( Dasc. Cenler frclder \r. , ^ ,.rl. Right tielder: Nl,rve to(ard thc infield Lo uover a poof rhrow lrom the L.fr fielder t., the se((nd basenran. Chapter 9:Joe's Base ball Playhook /l $ \ \@ Singte to center: Bases emptq Catcher: Cover home plate. Pitcher Stay near the mound and back up any throw to second base. back up re First bas€man: Mate sure the batter touches first base. and then covcr the Second baseman: Go n) second base to tate the throw- Shortstopr Go out to be the cutoll man for second base. Third baseman: Cover third basc. tstop).If l€ft fielderi Back up the c€nter liekler Center fielder: Fiel.l the ball and thrc'w ii io second base or the cutoff man (shortsiop), the left Right ilelden Backup the center fieldcr- / | $ eartll:tauing Your swings: Hour to Plat/ {he Game K \ Singte to ri#kt: &eses eletptg Catcher: Cove! honc platc. Pitcher: Follow the Ilight o{ the bali and then dc.ide wh,"!e i.r bact Llp (u,(u First bas€Dran: Checl ihat ihe tratier (rLthes first base: iher covet ihe base Second bsetrlan: P'r|srre lhe ball:rhen iak. th.:.ut{)ll Ir)siiid! bei$re€r ihe righL fiel.ter arld sccon(l l)ese. Shortitop: Cover second lrase Third t lffm€|l: Co\.cf thir.l lras€. Left frelder Move tolrard ihe inlield ir! case the riqhr lielctef nakes a tiad thfoi! to second base. Center fielder Bnck up the righi fielder. Right lielder: Field ihe hil ancl nake ihe .,it,:rfi throw to the second baseman. Il ihe secoDd baseman 1s out ot posiil.Jn, th.ow it to sccon.l base. Chapter 9: Joe's Baseball Playbook 2t7 mpta Single to left: Runner on first, or runners on first and third en decide whefe io track uP (usu- Catcher: Cover home plate. Pitcher: Follow rhe flight of the balland ihen decicte wtrere to backup hes first baser.then cover the base (usually third base). First bas€man: Make sure tbe batter touches lirst base, and then cover the ke the cutofl position between the Second ba5eman: Cover second base. ShortEtop: Line up between the left fielder and third base for rhe cutoffrhrow Third baseman: Back up the shortstop (then covef third once the ba is se the right fielder males a bad caugnrl. Left frelder Field the ball and rhrow it to rhe curolf man (the shorrsrop). II the shortstop is out of position, throw it to third base. rutoff throw to ihe second basemar Center frelder: Back up the left fielder throw it to second base. Right frelden Move toward the iniield ro field any bad rhrows. .p f$ Part lf:',ating Your Swings: How to Play the came *..-.-__,.-a Siwg{e to center: Runner os first, 0r ytwrqers 0n first qnd third {]atcher Cover hollle plate. Pitcher: Rack !p the ihros. to third base. aitrsi hasemar: Chcck that the batter timches lirst baser then cover the base Se.ond b6emd: Cover secolrd base. Sirortstop: Line up lor the {ruioif throw beh{een the center fielder ard third tbird bareman: Cover thifd base. :eft fielder: Eack up tlr€ center lielder Center fielder Field llle hii and throw it to the cutoil nan (the shortstop). ll lhc shortstoD is out oI position. ihrow it to ihird base. Right fielder: Back up the center lieider T Chapte. g: Joe's Baseball Playbook J j I 6A Single to right: Runner on first, ot runners on first and third Catcher: Cover hone plate. Pitcher Back up third base. First baseman: Nlake sur€ that the batter touches lirst base, and then cover Second bas€man: Cover sccond lrase Shortstop: Lire up for the (utoIf throw between the right iielcler ancl third r fielder and third Third baseDaD: Cover thircl base. Left fielder: Back up the throw to third base Center fieldcr: Back up the right lielder 1 (the shortsrop) Right fielder: Fiekl the hit and thro it to the cuiofl Eran (the shortstop). flS rart ff:fating Your Swings: How to Play the Game .t@ Siwgte to feft: l?o*nner on second, yun$eys or firsr and secarad, w &ases lsq ect Caither Colel hol]1e plate. Pit(h€r: Back up thc thron at hone plate. First basemd: Coler llrst Dase. Second lrns€nan: C.,vef secoird base. Shortetop: Cover ihif.l base. Third basenian: Take the cutoll position lor a throw lo honre plate. !-ef1 fielder: lliel.l the hil and thfow it to the ctrtoli l]lan (the ihird basenanl. CeDier fielder: Back up the left fiekle!: Righi frelder: Back up ary throw to sccond. Chapter 9:Joe s Base hall Playhook // | o-@ a i\ ilt"\,/ ,ners Single to center: Runner on second, run- ners on first and second, or bases loaded Catchen Cover home plate. Pitcher: Back up the catcher at hone plaie. First baseman: Take the cutoff position near the mound for a throwto home Se€ond baseman: Cover secoDd base. Shortstop: Take the cutoff posiiion for a ihrow to third base. Third baseman: Cover third base. Left {ielder: Back up ihe center tielder and then become a quarterback. Tell the center fielderwhere the thro{ should be gonrg. Center frelden Field the hit, listen lor the left or right fielder's instructions, throw to one of the iwo cutoll nen: the shortstop (if the play is at thlrd basel or the first baseman (ifthe play is at horne plateJ. Right nelden Backup the centef iielder and then become a quarterback. Tell the center IieLder where the throw shoukl be goirlg. /// eatttl:taxing Your swings: How to Play the Game :\ Single to right: t?unner on second, runners on first and secofid, or bases loaded Catcher: Covei hoore plate. Pitcher Stand outside the base paths betvcen third base ard h.,me plate. uatch ihe play evolve and back up the tluow (usuallv at homc plate). Fil5t baseman: Take ihe cutof{ p.rsition ior the thro$ to hone plate. Second baseman: Cover scconrl base. Shortstop: Take the cutolf position for the thro( kr ihird base. Ttrird basemanr Cover third basc. Left ffelder: Come toward third base in ordef to lre able to back up at third or second lrase. depending on where ihe play is evolving. C€nter fi€tder: Back Lrp thc right ljcldcr and tell hlor where to thro$l Right fielder: lield the lrall. listen ior the center fielder's instructions. and throw io the appropriate cutoff man: the shortsiop (i)n a play at rhird base) o. the first basenan (on a play at hone plate). Chapter 9:Joe's Base tal etaybook //J <-@ "P o ufiners Double, possible triple down the left field line: Bases enpttl Catcher: Cover home plate. Pitcher tsack up third base. '1ate). First basemD: Make su.e the batter touches first basei th€n trajl rhe runner Second baseman: co to the trail position behinci the shortstop. Sray irear ShortEtop: Take ihe cutolf position down the lefr fietct lin€. Thtud ba5eman: Cover third base. up at third or kft fielder: Field the hit and make rhe cutolf throw to the shortstop. Center freldec Back up the lefr fielder Right frelder: Back up any rhrow to second base. third base) 22 fi e"ttl,t^uing Your swings: How to Plav the Game f / lGi fioubte, ytossible *iyile to the left eewter field gap: Bases emptg Catcher: Cover hotne plate. Pitcher Back up thif.l base. First basemdr N{;rke sure the batter touches llrst bas. and then trail hinr tt) Second baseman: Go to thc irail poslti.rn behilrd ihe shortstop. Third basenian: Cove,' tf ird Lrasc. Shortstop: Lirle up $ith thi(l base a d the Iiekler for th-- cutolf throt{ Left fielder: Back up the (:enter fieldef. Celrer fietder: Field lhe hit an.l then nake the cutoli throw to the shorlstop Right fietder: llack up any throw to sec('rd base.