BASIC MANAGERIAL DECISION MAKING
INFIELD IN VS CORNERS IN
YES—THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BRINGING THE INFIELD IN AND BRINGING THE CORNERS IN. BY BRINGING THE ENTIRE INFIELD IN (WHICH MEANS FIRST, SECOND, THIRD, AND SHORT; AS THE PITCHERS IS ALWAYS CONSIDERED IN), YOU ARE TRYING TO DO ONE OF TWO THINGS:
90% OF THE TIME IT’S THE FIRST OPTION. BY BRINGING THE CORNERS IN, YOU ARE BRINGING THE FIRSTBASEMAN AND THE THIRDBASEMAN IN ON THE INFIELD, WHILE THE SHORTSTOP AND SECONDBASEMAN PLAY NORMAL OR DEEP. THE CHART BELOW GIVES YOU A BASIC GUIDE TO FOLLOW FOR THE TIMES IN QUESTION WHEN YOU NEED THE INFIELD IN OR JUST THE CORNERS IN. THIS IS NOT A PERFECT SOLUTION, JUST A GUIDE.
(THIS GUIDE ASSUMES A RUNNER ON THIRD AND YOU HAVE LAST UPS. WITH 2 OUTS THE INFIELD OR CORNERS ARE NEVER IN)
|
RUNNER ON FIRST |
TYING RUN ON THIRD |
TYING RUN AT THE PLATE |
# 0F OUTS |
INFIELD IN |
CORNERS IN |
|
NO |
YES |
NO |
0 |
YES |
NO |
|
NO |
YES |
NO |
1 |
YES |
NO |
|
YES |
YES |
NO |
1 |
NO |
YES |
|
YES |
YES |
NO |
0 |
YES |
NO |
|
YES |
NO |
YES |
1 |
NO |
NO |
|
YES |
NO |
YES |
0 |
NO |
NO |
SAC AND SQUEEZE
THE SAC AND SQUEEZE ARE USED MORE BY LOWER OFFENSIVE TEAMS THEN BY TEAMS SCORING RUNS IN BUNCHES. OFTEN IN CLOSE GAMES, THESE MANAGERIAL CALLS CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOU.
A SACRIFICE IS WHEN YOU ARE SACRIFICING AN OUT TO GET A RUNNER ALREADY ON BASE TO ADVANCE ONE BASE. THIS IS DONE MOST EFFECTIVELY WHEN A PITCHER IS UP AND YOU NEED A RUNNER IN SCORING POSITION, OR IF YOU HAVE A HIGH CHANCE DOUBLE PLAY GUY OR WEAK HITTER, AND YOU NEED THE RUNNER IN SCORING POSITION TO WIN OR TIE THE GAME.
A SQUEEZE IS WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO START THE GUY RUNNING AT THIRD AND THE TRY TO BUNT THE BALL. THE GUY ON THIRD SHOULD HAVE SOME WHEELS OR THIS PLAY IS BOTCHED FROM THE BEGINNING. IF THE GUY ON THIRD RUNS LIKE A MULE WITH ONE GOOD LEG AND A 300LB WOMAN ON HIS ASS, THEN THE ODDS ARE NOT GOOD FROM THE START. CHOOSE CAREFULLY AND WAIT FOR THE RIGHT MOMENT.
STEALING
SO MANY THINGS HAVE BEEN SAID ABOUT THIS TOPIC, IT’S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO REPEAT SOMBODY SOMEWHERE. STEALING IS ESSENTIAL TO ANY GOOD TEAM IN THE TOP 5 OF ANY LEAGUE. YOU NEED GUYS WHO CAN GET ON BASE AND THEN SWIPE SECOND OR THIRD IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY. THIS GETS RUNNERS IN SCORING POSITION AND HELPS PAD YOUR STATS AND YOUR LEAGUE LEAD. NOT EVERY GUY ON YOUR ROSTER NEEDS TO BE RICKY HENDERSON, BUT AT LEAST 2 SPEEDSTERS ALWAYS HELP.
AS AN EXAMPLE, I AM VERY AGGRESSIVE ON STEALING. I USUALLY GO 1-13 OR 1-14 (DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION OF COURSE). THIS GIVES ME A 65-70% CHANCE OF SUCCESS WHICH IS ACCEPTABLE TO MY STRATEGY PLANS. SOME GUYS NEVER STEAL AND PLAY DEAD BALL STYLE. IF THERE IS A GUY ON FIRST WHO CAN STEAL 1-19 SAFELY, THEY’RE LETTING THE NEXT GUY BAT. IT REALLY ALL DEPENDS ON YOUR OWN VIEWPOINT. I CAN TELL YOU HOWEVER, THAT HAVING GUYS WITH WHEELS CAN GIVE YOU ANOTHER WEAPON TO EEK OUT A VICTORY AND GOOD TEAMS FIND WAYS TO WIN CLOSE GAMES.