"Coach Dunn's Quick Pitches" — By Coach Jack Dunn

Deep Thoughts about Defense

“I don’t like them fellers who drive home two runs and let in three.” —Casey Stengel

Defensive Observations

Defense Wins!

To be a consistent winner, a team must play solid defense. Defense decides who will win and offense decides by how much.

• An alert, capable defense makes for a winning team. The ability to make the routine play consistently is the hallmark of solid defensive play.
• In rare cases, an exceptionally good pitcher is able to win consistently with a mediocre defensive team playing behind him. This is the exception and not the rule.
• Good defense will keep a team in most games.
• Defense can be taught.
• In a nine-inning game, there will be approximately 27 opportunities to put someone out. The team that makes the most of these opportunities—with the fewest errors—will most likely win the game.
• A good hitter who is weak defensively will never knock in the number of runs he lets in (the designated hitter being the obvious exception). Consider playing the solid defensive player ahead of the good hitter who is poor defensively, You may want to play the good hitter early in the game and, if ahead, play the better defensive player later in the game.
• By minimizing defensive errors and mistakes, you limit your opponents to only those opportunities they earn

Build your defense up the middle

• Develop your pitching staff. Pitching is considered to be 80 to 85 percent of the defensive game. It’s cliché because it’s true: good pitching beats good hitting.
• Develop your catcher. A strong, mentally alert catcher is necessary if a team is to be solid defensively. The distinguishing mark of a great receiver is his ability to catch the low ball and balls in the dirt to prevent runners from advancing. Practice catching low-thrown balls often.
• Develop your shortstop and second baseman. The majority of batted balls are handled by the infield; of these, most are played by the shortstop and second baseman. Many coaches feel the shortstop should be the team’s best athlete and best player because he is involved in more defensive plays than any other team member (except the catcher). An alert, capable middle infield is a primary ingredient for a winning team.
• Develop a centerfielder. The centerfielder should be the outfield quarterback—that is, he should take charge of the outfield. Because he must cover the greatest amount of territory, he must have the ability to get a jump on the ball, be fast afoot and possess a strong throwing arm. A solid defensive centerfielder complements the team’s total defensive scheme. Often, the outfield corrects the pitcher’s mistakes and infielder’s errors.
• Building a team defensively up the middle maximizes the chances of being strong defensively, or at least being as good as your team can be. It is the backbone of team defense!

Tenets of Defense

• Get one out for sure. Regardless of what happens during the course of a play, get someone out. This is particularly true when your team is ahead.
• Make the easy, routine play, make it consistently—and make it under pressure. If you make the easy plays, the hard plays will take care of themselves. Limit your opponents to what they earn. Being good is being consistent!
• Eliminate the random throws. When a player makes a throw where there is little or no chance of making an out, it is considered a random throw. The only result of a random throw is something bad.
  • When a player is trying to throw out a base runner, the nearer that base runner is to home plate, the more certain the player making the throw must be that there is an actual chance of throwing that base runner out.
  • If a throw is to be made to third base, the defensive player should be 90 percent certain he has a play before making a throw.
  • Don’t give your opponents an easy unearned run by throwing the ball away when no play on the base runner exists. (Catchers, take note.)
• Know the priority system of "ball, then base." If you are catching a throw and you’re uncertain whether to leave the base or get the ball on a throw, go get the ball.
• If you are not involved in a play that is taking place, cover your base—a subsequent play may develop at your base and you must be there. The base runner must come to the base and if you’re not there, there is no play.

Defensive Strategy

Count your runs.

Determine what the score would be if the batter and all runners scored. By doing so, you will know when you can give a run and when you cannot.

• Count your runs: Understand which runs are important and which are not. This can be ascertained by counting the number of runners on base, plus the batter, and determining what the score would be if they crossed the plate. For example, if you lead 4–0, with a runner on third base, and the runner and batter both scored, the score would still be 4–2 in your favor.
• Concede the run: If you lead 2–0, with a runner on third base and less than two outs, concede the run at third base (which would make the score 2–1) by playing your infield back and increasing your chances of keeping the batter—the tying run—off base.
• Avoid fanning the flames: When your team is ahead, don’t keep your opponent’s rally alive by throwing to home plate (or third base) in an effort to nail a base runner whose run means nothing even if he does score.
• Keep the double play in order: Throwing to home plate or third base on a single to the outfield when the run is meaningless allows the batter/runner to advance to second base. This takes the double play opportunity away from the infield, scores another run on a single, and keeps your opponent’s rally alive. Keep the double play in order by conceding the run and keeping the batter/runner off second base.
• Pay attention to the tying run: Know which batter or base runner is the tying or go-ahead run and keep him out of scoring position by throwing to the correct base. Keep the tying or winning run off second base if possible.
• Don’t be afraid to give a run: Concede a run early in the game to get a sure out and prevent your opponents from having a big inning. If you don’t score at least one run, you can’t win anyway.

Infield in or back?

• Know the situation: The coach has the responsibility of knowing the defensive situations and strategy of play. Tactical errors in judgment, such as playing the infield in when it should be deep, can have disastrous results and can result in unnecessary losses.
  • Counting your runs will make your decision easier.
  • Correct infield depth can mean the difference between winning and losing a ball game.
  • Playing the infield in to cut off a run turns a .250 hitter into a .500 hitter—it doubles the batter’s chance of getting a hit, because the infielders have less time to react.
  • Playing the infield back early in the game can be the difference between a big inning and a one-run inning for your opponent.
  • Strategy will vary, depending upon the score of the game, the inning (early innings vs. late innings) and the hitter’s ability.
• With a runner on third base, play the infield deep…
  …when it’s early in the game.
  …when ahead by two or more runs.
  …when bases are loaded or if there are runners on first and third with one out—go for the double play unless the runner at third base is the winning run, late in the game.
  …with runners on second and third base—unless the runner at third base is the winning run. With the infield in, the hitter’s chances of getting a hit are doubled, which could score two runs.
• With a runner at third base, play the infield in…
  …to prevent the winning run from scoring.
  …when you are behind by a large score.
  …with one out and a runner on third base, playing the infield in is a fairly good gamble. If the batter hits safely, the offensive team is apt not to bunt, the chances of a big inning are not too great, and you may prevent a run from scoring.
  …in the bottom half of the last inning when the winning run is on third base and there are less than two outs. Also, bring the outfielders into shallow position—this way, no ball can fall in front of them, and they can throw out the runner on third base after catching a fly ball. (A deep fly would score the run even if the ball were caught.)

Quick Quiz

How would you play your infield during the following situations?

1. Runner on second and third bases, one out, you are ahead 3–1.
   1. Infield in.
   2. Infield deep.
   3. Infield halfway.
   4. Corners up, middle back.
2. Runners on first and third bases, one out, your team is leading 4–2.
   1. Infield in.
   2. Infield deep.
   3. Infield halfway.
   4. Corners up, middle back.
3. Bases loaded, first inning, no outs.
   1. Infield in.
   2. Infield deep.
   3. Infield halfway.
   4. Corners up, middle back.
4. Runner on third base, one out, your team leading by one run.
   1. Infield in.
   2. Infield deep.
   3. Infield halfway.
   4. Corners up, middle back.
5. Bases loaded, no outs, your team leading by five runs in the last inning.
   1. Infield in.
   2. Infield deep.
   3. Infield halfway.
   4. Corners up, middle back.
6. Last of the ninth inning, score tied, one out, batter triples.
   1. Infield in and pitch to the next batter.
   2. Infield and outfield in.
   3. Infield halfway, outfield normal.
   4. Intentionally load the bases, infield in, and outfield in shallow.

Answers

1. B — The infield plays deep. The batter is the winning run and the runner on second base is the tying run. Concede the run at third base on a ground ball for the out. Playing deep will increase your chances of keeping the winning run (the batter) off base, and decrease the chances of tying run scoring.
2. B — The infield plays deep and tries for the double play. The run at third base means nothing—the tying run is at first base and the winning run is at bat. Keep the tying run off second base, if possible, but get one out for sure.
3. B — The infield plays deep and concedes a run in an effort to get a double play and break the inning. One run is nothing. Remember: if you don’t score at least one run, you can’t win anyway. Give a run in hopes of breaking up a big inning.
4. A — Play the infield in. This is a good gamble even though the batter constitutes the go-ahead run. Playing the infield in with one out, in this situation, is fairly safe. A base hit will put the go-ahead run on base, but the offensive team will usually need two more hits to score, and you have the double play in order defensively.
5. B — Play the infield deep. Don’t keep the opponent’s rally alive by playing the infield in. You are ahead by five runs. Give a run for an out, and you win.
6. D — Option #1: Intentionally load the bases, play your infield in and your outfields shallow. (The outfield must be shallow enough to throw the runner out at home or discourage the runner from trying to score. All plays are to home plate.) Option #2: You may want to pitch to a particularly weak hitter. If he is retired, then walk the following hitter or hitters and then move the infield and outfield back.

Good Luck!

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