Baseball Coaching Tips – Relief Pitcher Strategies

Percentages in baseball show that a right-handed pitcher normally fares better against a right-handed batter, and a left-handed pitcher normally fares better against a left-handed batter. One reason for this is that balls moving away from the hitter are hardest to hit. A right-hander’s breaking ball goes away from a right-handed batter, and a left-hander’s [...]

Baseball Defense Tips – Defensive Shift Play

A team is putting on the shift when it places more defensive players than usual on a pull hitter’s strong side of second base, where the ball is likely to go if it is hit. The switch is usually done by moving either the second baseman or the shortstop to the opposite side of second [...]

Coaching Baseball – Performing A Pitchout

Players or managers call for a pitchout to combat an offensive play such as a hit-and-run, a steal, or a squeeze play. In a pitchout the ball is thrown so far from the plate that the hitter cannot reach it by swinging or bunting. The catcher receives the ball standing up and ready to make [...]

Baseball Coaching – Suicide Squeeze Play

If a team has a speedy runner on third and a good bunter at the plate, the manager may call for a suicide squeeze. In this play the runner breaks for home as soon as the pitcher starts his motion toward the plate. He runs full speed toward the plate, and it is up to [...]

Coaching Baseball Tips – Safety Squeeze Play

A safety squeeze is a specific type of sacrifice play that a manager may call for when he has a runner on third base. The runner waits until the ball is bunted, and then decides if he will be able to score. If so, he breaks for home. The best time to try the safety [...]

Baseball Coaching Tips – Sacrafice

A sacrifice is a deliberate out made by a batter in order for a runner to advance a base. This is most commonly done by bunting—that is, holding the bat out in front of the pitch, instead of swinging, so that when the ball and bat make contact, the ball rolls slowly into the infield. [...]

Coaching Baseball – Hit And Run

The hit-and-run is a strategy that requires the batter and base runner to work together. The runner breaks for the next base as the pitcher releases the ball, and the batter’s job is to hit the ball on the ground so that the runner can reach the base or beyond. (A fly ball would force [...]

Baseball Coaching – Constructing A Lineup

In constructing a lineup, a manager puts the best hitters at the top of the lineup (usually spots one through five). This has two advantages: First, the best hitters get the most at-bats in each game and over the course of a season. Second, with good hitters bunched together, the team has a better chance [...]

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