BaseballBaseball StrategyStrategy TomTom GillespieGillespie Level 3 Baseball Coaching Clinics Malta Baseball and Softball Association StrategyStrategy OffensiveOffensive DefensiveDefensive Approach at plate Pitching Batting order Positioning Baserunning Minimising mistakes Stolen bases Work Quickly Bunting Cut -offs Hit & Run Bunt defense st rd Game situations 1 & 3 defense StrategyStrategy –– MindsetMindset –– Contradictions?Contradictions? BaseballBaseball isis aa gamegame ofof relaxedrelaxed concentration.concentration. AggressiveAggressive Discipline/DisciplinedDiscipline/Disciplined AggressionAggression Wait...Wait... WaitWait …… WaitWait …… BURSTBURST OFOF ACTION…ACTION… Wait…Wait… WaitWait …… WaitWait …… StrategyStrategy -- MindsetMindset PrimaryPrimary OffensiveOffensive PhilosophyPhilosophy –– WeWe nevernever havehave enoughenough runs.runs. WeWe cancan alwaysalways scorescore enoughenough runsruns toto win.win. PrimaryPrimary DefensiveDefensive PhilosophyPhilosophy –– LetLet themthem hithit it,it, wewe willwill catchcatch it.it. VinceVince LombardiLombardi –– “I“I nevernever lostlost aa game;game; II justjust sometimessometimes ranran outout ofof time.”time.” RunsRuns ScoredScored fromfrom SituationsSituations RunnersRunners NoNo outsouts 11 outout 22 OutsOuts NoneNone .537.537 .294.294 .114.114 11st .907.907 .544.544 .239.239 22nd 1.1381.138 .720.720 .347.347 33rd 1.3491.349 .920.920 .391.391 11st && 22 nd 1.5151.515 .968.968 .468.468 11st && 33 rd 1.7621.762 1.1401.140 .522.522 22nd && 33 rd 1.9571.957 1.3531.353 .630.630 FullFull 2.3992.399 1.6171.617 .830.830 OffensiveOffensive –– ApproachApproach atat PlatePlate p.20 of Academy manual. Do not give away outs. Wait for your pitch to drive (until 2 strikes). Each pitch/AB matters – 0-4 or 4 -4. Know what you want to achieve. BaserunningBaserunning GoodGood basebase runningrunning isis differentdifferent fromfrom beingbeing fastfast oror stealingstealing bases.bases. AlwaysAlways assume:assume: GroundballsGroundballs youyou willwill justjust bebe safe.safe. SinglesSingles willwill bebe doubles.doubles. FlyFly ballsballs willwill bebe dropped.dropped. BallsBalls onon lineline willwill bebe fair.fair. BallBall willwill bebe bobbled.bobbled. BaserunningBaserunning RiskRisk ofof runsruns vsvs outsouts –– whenwhen aheadahead youyou cancan bebe moremore aggressive;aggressive; untiluntil youyou knowknow thethe stylestyle ofof thethe game,game, bebe moremore conservative.conservative. ReadRead angleangle ofof ballball fromfrom pitcher’spitcher’s hand.hand. ReadRead angleangle ofof ballball fromfrom bat.bat. BattingBatting OrderOrder LeadoffLeadoff On Base Percentage Patient Hitter Speed is valuable bonus BattingBatting OrderOrder #2#2 Situational hitter Mentally tough Contact hitter – able to hit with two strikes BattingBatting OrderOrder #3#3 Best overall hitter Will get on base often Will be able to drive in runs BattingBatting OrderOrder #4#4 && #5#5 Pressure situation hitters Show consistency & power Protect batter in front of them If 2 players are similar Consistency in 4, Power in 5 BattingBatting OrderOrder #6#6 -- #9#9 DependsDepends onon makemake --upup ofof teamteam aheadahead ofof them.them. MatchMatch toto #5#5 –– power/powerpower/power oror speed/speed.speed/speed. StaggerStagger oror bunchbunch bestbest hitters?hitters? L/R?L/R? NeverNever putput 33 weakweak hittershitters togethertogether –– 33 easyeasy inningsinnings forfor opposition.opposition. StolenStolen BasesBases PenaltyPenalty forfor gettinggetting caughtcaught isis twicetwice thethe gaingain So,So, mustmust bebe successfulsuccessful 2/32/3 time.time. UnlessUnless youyou cancan dodo itit often,often, thethe run/lossrun/loss differencedifference isis minimal.minimal. ThatThat said,said, whatwhat dodo youyou needneed toto dodo toto bebe successful?successful? RunsRuns ScoredScored fromfrom SituationsSituations RunnersRunners NoNo outsouts 11 outout 22 OutsOuts NoneNone .537.537 .294.294 .114.114 11st .907.907 .544.544 .239.239 22nd 1.1381.138 .720.720 .347.347 33rd 1.3491.349 .920.920 .391.391 11st && 22 nd 1.5151.515 .968.968 .468.468 11st && 33 rd 1.7621.762 1.1401.140 .522.522 22nd && 33 rd 1.9571.957 1.3531.353 .630.630 FullFull 2.3992.399 1.6171.617 .830.830 StolenStolen BasesBases Know who can get a good jump [read] Know speed of your players Know time pitcher takes to go home Know time catcher takes to throw to 2B Know accuracy of catcher’s throws Know middle infielders’ skill Know the situation Now the odds are shifting in your favour… SacrificeSacrifice BuntingBunting BuntsBunts leadlead toto wins?wins? 20032003 MLBMLB SeasonSeason NL sac bunt leaders – Florida Marlins – World Series Champions AL sac bunt leaders – Detroit Tigers – 119 losses Successful sac bunt costs a team .179 runs Unsuccessful sac bunt costs a team .363 runs RunsRuns ScoredScored fromfrom SituationsSituations RunnersRunners NoNo outsouts 11 outout 22 OutsOuts NoneNone .537.537 .294.294 .114.114 11st .907.907 .544.544 .239.239 22nd 1.1381.138 .720.720 .347.347 33rd 1.3491.349 .920.920 .391.391 11st && 22 nd 1.5151.515 .968.968 .468.468 11st && 33 rd 1.7621.762 1.1401.140 .522.522 22nd && 33 rd 1.9571.957 1.3531.353 .630.630 FullFull 2.3992.399 1.6171.617 .830.830 SacSac BuntingBunting -- EXCEPTIONSEXCEPTIONS ThereThere areare situationssituations thatthat changechange thesethese odds.odds. ForFor example:example: HitterHitter veryvery belowbelow average.average. GreatGreat pitcher,pitcher, lowlow scoringscoring gamegame expected.expected. PoorPoor defensivedefensive player.player. BadBad playingplaying conditions.conditions. AndAnd basebase hithit buntingbunting isis underunder --used.used. Let’sLet’s discuss…discuss… HitHit && RunRun Finally, some good news!!! (kind of) Depends on what you consider “success” st rd Both safe – runners at 1 and 3 Missed hit – stolen base nd Runner advances – runner at 2 (equivalent of a sac bunt) And “failure” Foul ball st Lead runner out – runner at 1 st Pop up – runner at 1 Missed hit – runner thrown out Line drive – double play RunsRuns ScoredScored fromfrom SituationsSituations RunnersRunners NoNo outsouts 11 outout 22 OutsOuts NoneNone .537.537 .294.294 .114.114 11st .907.907 .544.544 .239.239 22nd 1.1381.138 .720.720 .347.347 33rd 1.3491.349 .920.920 .391.391 11st && 22 nd 1.5151.515 .968.968 .468.468 11st && 33 rd 1.7621.762 1.1401.140 .522.522 22nd && 33 rd 1.9571.957 1.3531.353 .630.630 FullFull 2.3992.399 1.6171.617 .830.830 HitHit && RunRun So, if you can SUCCEED – do it often!! If not, DON’T! To execute, Don’t change the swing. Just let the ball “get deep.” Swing for the top half. OffensiveOffensive SummarySummary OutsOuts areare valuablevaluable –– don’tdon’t givegive themthem away.away. BeBe aggressiveaggressive –– butbut thatthat doesn’tdoesn’t meanmean bebe stupid.stupid. KnowKnow youryour players.players. GoGo withwith whatwhat youyou believe.believe. “Coaching“Coaching wouldwould bebe easyeasy ifif therethere werewere aa specificspecific formulaformula oror exactexact answeranswer forfor makingmaking decisions.”decisions.” –– BobBob Bennett,Bennett, FresnoFresno StateState UniversityUniversity BREAK?BREAK? PitchingPitching StrategyStrategy 1515 KeysKeys toto Pitching,Pitching, fromfrom CharlieCharlie GreeneGreene 1. DoDo notnot wastewaste aa pitch,pitch, nono mattermatter thethe score.score. 2. PracticePractice patiencepatience –– dodo notnot bebe inin aa hurryhurry toto getget anan out.out. StickStick withwith thethe gamegame plan.plan. 3. PitchPitch awayaway fromfrom thethe middlemiddle ofof thethe plateplate whenwhen ahead;ahead; toto itit whenwhen behind.behind. GetGet ahead!ahead! 4. LocateLocate fastballfastball –– throwthrow otherother pitchespitches forfor strikes.strikes. 5. DoDo notnot trytry forfor aa swingswing andand missmiss withwith lessless thanthan 22 strikes.strikes. CharlieCharlie GreeneGreene PitchingPitching Keys,Keys, contcont 6.6. Don’tDon’t worryworry aboutabout consequencesconsequences ofof aa pitchpitch –– controlcontrol whatwhat youyou cancan control.control. 7.7. PitchPitch toto situation.situation. ForFor example,example, nono outs,outs, manman onon 22nd ,, trytry toto stopstop ballball beingbeing hithit throughthrough thethe rightright side.side. 8.8. DoubleDouble upup onon pitches.pitches. 9.9. ChangeChange intervalsintervals withwith goodgood baserunnersbaserunners onon 11 st .. 10.10. UseUse fastballsfastballs whenwhen aheadahead inin thethe countcount (location)(location) andand offspeedoffspeed whenwhen behindbehind (strikes).(strikes). CharlieCharlie GreeneGreene PitchingPitching Keys,Keys, contcont 11.11. OffspeedOffspeed 11st pitchpitch withwith runnersrunners atat 33 rd –– batterbatter willwill bebe eagereager toto drivedrive inin aa run.run. 12.12. PitchPitch insideinside whenwhen youyou cancan affordafford toto hithit aa batterbatter (( egeg .. OpenOpen base).base). 13.13. UseUse shakeshake --offsoffs sometimessometimes eveneven whenwhen thethe correctcorrect pitchpitch isis called.called. 14.14. ChangeChange tempotempo inin aa longlong inning.inning. 15.15. KnowKnow thethe balkbalk rule.rule. PitchingPitching StrategyStrategy WorkWork quickly.quickly. GetGet ahead.ahead. PutPut pitcherspitchers inin aa positionposition toto succeed.succeed. ExampleExample ofof PitchingPitching DecisionDecision 20032003 GameGame 77 ALCSALCS BostonBoston vsvs NewNew YorkYork PedroPedro MartinezMartinez pitchingpitching GradyGrady LittleLittle isis RedRed SoxSox managermanager ThroughThrough