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Baseball Strategy Tom Gillespie Level 3 Baseball Coaching Clinics Malta Baseball and Softball Association

Strategy Offensive

Approach at plate Batting order Baserunning Stolen bases Bunting Hit & Run Game situations

Defensive

Pitching Positioning Minimising mistakes Work Quickly Cut-offs Bunt defense 1st & 3rd defense

Strategy – Mindset – Contradictions? Baseball is a game of relaxed concentration. Aggressive Discipline/Disciplined Aggression Wait... Wait… Wait… BURST OF ACTION… Wait… Wait… Wait…

Strategy - Mindset Primary Offensive Philosophy – We never have enough runs. We can always score enough runs to win. Primary Defensive Philosophy – Let them hit it, we will catch it.

Vince Lombardi – “I never lost a game; I just sometimes ran out of time.”

Runs Scored from Situations Runners None 1st 2nd 3rd 1st & 2nd 1st & 3rd 2nd & 3rd Full

No outs .537 .907 1.138 1.349 1.515 1.762 1.957 2.399

1 out .294 .544 .720 .920 .968 1.140 1.353 1.617

2 Outs .114 .239 .347 .391 .468 .522 .630 .830

Offensive – Approach at Plate 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.

Baserunning Good base running is different from being fast or stealing bases. Always assume:

Groundballs you will just be safe. Singles will be doubles. Fly balls will be dropped. Balls on line will be fair. Ball will be bobbled.

Baserunning Risk of runs vs outs – when ahead you can be more aggressive; until you know the style of the game, be more conservative. Read angle of ball from pitcher’s hand. Read angle of ball from bat.

Batting Order Leadoff

On Base Percentage Patient Hitter Speed is valuable bonus

Batting Order #2

Situational hitter Mentally tough Contact hitter – able to hit with two strikes

Batting Order #3

Best overall hitter Will get on base often Will be able to drive in runs

Batting Order #4 & #5

Pressure situation hitters Show consistency & power Protect batter in front of them If 2 players are similar Consistency in 4, Power in 5

Batting Order #6 - #9

Depends on make-up of team ahead of them. Match to #5 – power/power or speed/speed. Stagger or bunch best hitters? L/R? Never put 3 weak hitters together – 3 easy innings for opposition.

Stolen Bases Penalty for getting caught is twice the gain So, must be successful 2/3 time. Unless you can do it often, the run/loss difference is minimal. That said, what do you need to do to be successful?


No outs .537 .907 1.138 1.349 1.515 1.762 1.957 2.399

1 out .294 .544 .720 .920 .968 1.140 1.353 1.617

2 Outs .114 .239 .347 .391 .468 .522 .630 .830

Stolen Bases 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…

Sacrifice Bunting Bunts lead to wins?

2003 MLB Season 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


No outs .537 .907 1.138 1.349 1.515 1.762 1.957 2.399

1 out .294 .544 .720 .920 .968 1.140 1.353 1.617

2 Outs .114 .239 .347 .391 .468 .522 .630 .830

Sac Bunting - EXCEPTIONS There are situations that change these odds. For example:

Hitter very below average. Great pitcher, low scoring game expected. Poor defensive player. Bad playing conditions.

And base hit bunting is under-used. Let’s discuss…

Hit & Run Finally, some good news!!! (kind of) Depends on what you consider “success”

Both safe – runners at 1st and 3rd Missed hit – stolen base Runner advances – runner at 2nd (equivalent of a sac bunt)

And “failure”

Foul ball Lead runner out – runner at 1st Pop up – runner at 1st Missed hit – runner thrown out Line drive – double play


No outs .537 .907 1.138 1.349 1.515 1.762 1.957 2.399

1 out .294 .544 .720 .920 .968 1.140 1.353 1.617

2 Outs .114 .239 .347 .391 .468 .522 .630 .830

Hit & Run 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.

Offensive Summary Outs are valuable – don’t give them away. Be aggressive – but that doesn’t mean be stupid. Know your players. Go with what you believe. “Coaching would be easy if there were a specific formula or exact answer for making decisions.” – Bob Bennett, Fresno State University

BREAK?

Pitching Strategy 15 Keys to Pitching, from Charlie Greene 1. 2.

3.

4.

5.

Do not waste a pitch, no matter the score. Practice patience – do not be in a hurry to get an out. Stick with the game plan. Pitch away from the middle of the plate when ahead; to it when behind. Get ahead! Locate fastball – throw other pitches for strikes. Do not try for a swing and miss with less than 2 strikes.

Charlie Greene Pitching Keys, cont 6. Don’t worry about consequences of a pitch – control what you can control. 7. Pitch to situation. For example, no outs, man on 2nd, try to stop ball being hit through the right side. 8. Double up on pitches. 9. Change intervals with good baserunners on 1st. 10. Use fastballs when ahead in the count (location) and offspeed when behind (strikes).

Charlie Greene Pitching Keys, cont 11. Offspeed 1st pitch with runners at 3rd – batter will be eager to drive in a run. 12. Pitch inside when you can afford to hit a batter (eg. Open base). 13. Use shake-offs sometimes even when the correct pitch is called. 14. Change tempo in a long inning. 15. Know the balk rule.

Pitching Strategy Work quickly. Get ahead. Put pitchers in a position to succeed.

Example of Pitching Decision 2003 Game 7 ALCS Boston vs New York Pedro Martinez pitching Grady Little is Red Sox manager Through 6 innings, Boston leading 4-1. Pedro gives up Giambi HR and 2 singles in 7th, Red Sox still lead 5-2 after 7.

Example of Pitching Decision Little “went with his gut” and left Pedro in. Look at numbers – Pedro in 2003 season: Innings 1-6: Batters have a .555 OPS Innings 7-9: Batters have a .758 OPS Pitches 1-105: .574 OPS Pitches 106+: .845 OPS

Example of Pitching Decision Jeter led of 8th inning with double off wall – Pedro’s 110th pitch. (no one warming up in bullpen) Bernie W singles him home (pitch 115), score now 5-3. Little goes to mound, leaves Pedro in. Pitch 118 – Hideki Matsui doubles. Pitch 119 – Jorge Posado doubles, 2RBI. Score 5-5. Now Pedro is removed.

Pitching decisions Put players in position to succeed. Rely on instincts, but also consider all information available. “Hunches” should be educated guesses.

Strategy of Throwing Strikes First pitch strikes –

Result of hitting from 1-0 count: .274 Result of hitting from 0-1 count: .262 OBP (due to increase in walks from 1-0): 1st pitch strike, eventual OBP .296 1st pitch ball, eventual OBP .395

MLB – 60% of first pitches are strikes

Strategy of Throwing Strikes Strike Two –

Batting average from 1-2 count: .170 Batting average from 2-1 count: .352

2-0, 3-0, 2-1, 3-1 – compiled to .350+

Overall MLB avg (2004) .267, OBP .332

0-2 count - .148 BA

Positioning Infield

Standard Double-play depth – what does that mean? Corners in Infield in

Outfield

Standard Take away doubles Do – or – die

Cut-offs Machismo to overthrow. 3 reasons to hit cut-offs: 1.

2.

3.

Cut-off man can redirect a throw that is in time, but off-line. Cut-off man can intercept a throw that will be late, and do so in time to retire some other baserunner, or at least prevent that runner from attempting to take an extra base. Even if he doesn’t touch the ball, the mere possibility of doing so (by correct positioning) may deter adventurous trailing runners.

Cut-offs Position of cut-off

Know OF arm OF full throw, position to catch in air Communicate L/R with baseman Time for double cut

Bunt Defense If they are going to give us an out, we MUST take it. Minimise movement at lower ability levels. Know situation before play begins.

1st & 3rd Defense Play catch. Communicate. Be sure to get a result. Get “tricky” only in vital situations.

Defensive Summary Know the situations before the ball is hit. Make the basic plays. Everyone on the field moves on every play. Put people in a position to succeed. Pitchers – work fast and work ahead.

Questions? Let me have them! (after lunch) Q&A back here 13:45

Thank you!!!