Pitching and Fielding Tactics

Strategy and tactics
See also: Baseball positioning
Many of the pre-game and in-game strategic decisions in baseball revolve around a fundamental
fact: in general, right-handed batters tend to be more successful against left-handed pitchers
and, to an even greater degree, left-handed batters tend to be more successful against right-
handed pitchers.[29] A manager with several left-handed batters in the regular lineup, who knows
the team will be facing a left-handed starting pitcher, may respond by starting one or more of the
right-handed backups on the team's roster. During the late innings of a game, as relief pitchers
and pinch hitters are brought in, the opposing managers will often go back and forth trying to
create favorable matchups with their substitutions. The manager of the fielding team trying to
arrange same-handed pitcher-batter matchups and the manager of the batting team trying to
arrange opposite-handed matchups. With a team that has the lead in the late innings, a manager
may remove a starting position player—especially one whose turn at bat is not likely to come up
again—for a more skillful fielder (known as a defensive substitution). [30]
Pitching and fielding tactics
A first baseman receives a pickoff throw, as the runner dives back to first base.
See also: Pitch (baseball)

The tactical decision that precedes almost every play in a baseball game involves pitch selection.
[31]
By gripping and then releasing the baseball in a certain manner, and by throwing it at a certain
speed, pitchers can cause the baseball to break to either side, or downward, as it approaches
the batter; thus creating differing pitches that can be selected. [32] Among the resulting wide variety
of pitches that may be thrown, the four basic types are the fastball, the changeup (or off-speed
pitch), and two breaking balls—the curveball and the slider.[33] Pitchers have different repertoires
of pitches they are skillful at throwing. Conventionally, before each pitch, the catcher signals the
pitcher what type of pitch to throw, as well as its general vertical and/or horizontal location. [34] If
there is disagreement on the selection, the pitcher may shake off the sign and the catcher will
call for a different pitch.
With a runner on base and taking a lead, the pitcher may attempt a pickoff, a quick throw to a
fielder covering the base to keep the runner's lead in check or, optimally, effect a tag out.
[35]
Pickoff attempts, however, are subject to rules that severely restrict the pitcher's movements
before and during the pickoff attempt. Violation of any one of these rules could result in the
umpire calling a balk against the pitcher, which permits any runners on base to advance one
base with impunity.[36] If an attempted stolen base is anticipated, the catcher may call for
a pitchout, a ball thrown deliberately off the plate, allowing the catcher to catch it while standing
and throw quickly to a base.[37] Facing a batter with a strong tendency to hit to one side of the
field, the fielding team may employ a shift, with most or all of the fielders moving to the left or
right of their usual positions. With a runner on third base, the infielders may play in, moving
closer to home plate to improve the odds of throwing out the runner on a ground ball, though a
sharply hit grounder is more likely to carry through a drawn-in infield. [38]
Batting and baserunning tactics

Several basic offensive tactics come into play with a runner on first base, including the
fundamental choice of whether to attempt a steal of second base. The hit and run is sometimes
employed, with a skillful contact hitter, the runner takes off with the pitch, drawing the shortstop
or second baseman over to second base, creating a gap in the infield for the batter to poke the
ball through.[39] The sacrifice bunt, calls for the batter to focus on making soft contact with the ball,
so that it rolls a short distance into the infield, allowing the runner to advance into scoring
position as the batter is thrown out at first. A batter, particularly one who is a fast runner, may
also attempt to bunt for a hit. A sacrifice bunt employed with a runner on third base, aimed at
bringing that runner home, is known as a squeeze play.[40] With a runner on third and fewer than
two outs, a batter may instead concentrate on hitting a fly ball that, even if it is caught, will be
deep enough to allow the runner to tag up and score—a successful batter, in this case, gets
credit for a sacrifice fly.[38] The manager will sometimes signal a batter who is ahead in the
count (i.e., has more balls than strikes) to take, or not swing at, the next pitch.[41]

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Strategy and tactics

See also: Baseball positioning

Pitching and fielding tactics

A first baseman receives a pickoff throw, as the runner dives back to first base.

See also: Pitch (baseball)

Batting and baserunning tactics

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