Cardinal Sins of Baseball (Part 1) - Defense

A "Cardinal Sin" refers to the most important behaviors people should avoid.  In baseball, cardinal sins involve the worst mistakes players can make on the field.  Old Timers probably have a more extensive list than today's players which is why it is tough for some in the older baseball generation to watch today's modern game.  More players seem to not care or have never been taught things that were standard years ago.  At least that's what my father says!
Today's list involves the cardinal sins on the defensive side of the ball that I grew up hearing.

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• A 1st baseman letting a routine ground ball get past him.  He's 10 feet from the bag and has the pitcher to help over there as well.
• An outfielder losing a ball in the sun and then asking for sunglasses.  Should have had them prior to missing the ball.
• Failing to make sure of one out on a double-play attempt.  Now you have the start of a rally.
• Not knowing (or forgetting) how fast a base runner is.  If you don't know, assume he's fast.
• "Olay-ing" a thrown or batted ball in the dirt and allowing it to go into the outfield.  You don't have to make the out but you do have to keep the ball in the infield.
• An infielder not diving for a ground ball with runner(s) in scoring position.  The pitcher will not be happy.  Remember, he'd rather not have numbers added to his ERA.
• An infielder not diving for a ground ball with runner(s) in scoring position when a pitcher has a shutout.  Now the whole pitching staff hates you.  
• Not diving for a ball when a pitcher has a no-hitter/perfect game going.  Congratulations.  Now the whole team hates you.
• A catcher who tries to "catch" a ball in the dirt as opposed to "blocking" it.  That's why they call it blocking drill and not catching drill.
• Walking out to your position.  There is no walking in baseball.
• Allowing poor at-bats to impact your performance on defense.  Get over it and do your job on defense.
• An outfielder missing the cut-off man allowing other runners to move up.  A ball that slips out is excusable.  Forgetting how important it is to hit the cut-off man is not.
• Failing to get an out on a sacrifice bunt.  The other team is giving you an out.  You have to take it.
• Forgetting how many outs there are.  Somebody paid good money for that scoreboard.  Look at it once in awhile.

Know any more?  There are many!

The next two cardinal sin posts will cover offense and pitching.  Stay tuned.

Parents after tryouts: This one's for you

Dear Parents/Guardians,

                This time of year brings mixed emotions to the baseball coaching staff at _____High School.  Although we are excited for the start of another season, we know that this time of year involves tryouts and the painful reality that not all the players can make the team.  The number of kids trying out provides the program with many talented athletes to choose from.  It also creates the problem of having to let players go, many of whom have some ability. 

                We keep the players that in our opinion have the best chance to succeed at the high school level now and/or in the future.  Just because a player has succeeded in the past does not automatically mean he will be successful at the high school level.  To get a better idea of what  we look for during tryouts, go to our team webpage and click on Tryouts: What we look for.

                After tryouts are completed, we are more than willing to schedule a time to sit down with any player to discuss where they fell short and how they can improve in those areas. Not making your high school baseball team can be very disappointing to young players, many of whom have played and succeeded at each level until now.  However, there are life lessons that can be taken from this disappointment.  We are firm believers in the saying “when one door closes, another opens.”  Not making a team, in many cases, frees players up to find new activities and interests in which they can excel.

                Like players, each parent reacts differently to the news that their son did not make the team.  Some take it in stride. Some saw it coming.  Some may be shocked. Some may be very upset and angry. Regardless of how a parent reacts, we ask that the following be considered:

1. We will gladly speak to parents but only after speaking to the player.  Although it may be difficult for players to speak to a coach after tryouts, we realize that this is a life skill that should be practiced.  If parents jump in beforehand, the player loses this opportunity to learn this skill.  Please encourage the player to come speak to a coach.
2. Stay positive and focus on the big picture.  Being openly negative about coaches, other players, and the baseball program does not help players move on in a positive way.  It shifts attention away from areas that the player needs to improve in and places the focus on external factors. 
3. Encourage the player to continue with baseball.  Nowadays, there are many teams to play for outside of school.  Understand that growth rates and skill development are different for every player.  Some continue to improve and some peak early in their careers. Umpiring, coaching Little League, being a team manager, statistician, or assistant are all ways to continue their love for the game outside of playing.    

We would like to thank all the players for their effort during our workouts.  We wish all of them the best of luck in their academic and baseball careers.

The Baseball Coaching Staff

Baseball tryouts & what coaches look for

I hear that many high school baseball teams around the country have begun tryouts.  I look outside and still see a few inches of snow and temperatures in the teens so I'm envious of those warmer states.  Anyway, I thought I'd dedicate a few posts to high school tryouts.  Yesterday's was about getting your coach to notice you.  Today's is what I look for during tryouts.
The following is information I provide for my high school players and parents before tryouts begin.  I'm guessing most coaches probably approach tryouts similar to the way I do.  

60 yard times are one thing.
"Usable speed" is another.

Speed: As players get older, the game gets faster. The players who are able to keep moving up the ladder from middle school to high school to college and to the professional levels are the ones who can keep up with the faster paced game at each level. Players are evaluated to see if they can perform at the speed needed to be successful in high school. Speed, however, does not simply mean running speed. It also means first step quickness, the speed of catching and throwing, bat speed, and the ability to think quick to adjust to changes in the play and/or game. When we time players in the 60 yard dash, we are looking at the player's overall athletic ability. Professional scouts look for times generally under 7 seconds but it can vary due to the position you play. If a player is slow compared to others, it doesn't mean he is at a disadvantage since we are more concerned with what is called "usable speed." A player might be very fast in the 60 yard dash but very slow with his first step when getting to a ball or getting a jump on the base paths. We would rather have players with speed that will help him in game-like situations.

Throwing: The ability to throw a baseball is toward the top of our list of things we look for during tryouts. If a player has a strong, accurate arm with good mechanics, he can generally be taught to play any position on the field. If a player lacks a strong arm or has problems with accuracy, there is no place for him on the defensive side of the ball. He would need to be an outstanding offensive player in order to make up for his throwing difficulties. Remember, there are nine defensive positions. There is only one Designated Hitter.

Offense: Offense, in our opinion, does not simply mean the ability to get hits. It means bat control, the ability to get on base, and the ability to score runs. It includes both hitting and base running. A player does not need to show the ability to hit .400 to be valuable. He must show the hitting mechanics and bat speed that will allow him to keep pace with high school pitchers. We look for a player's ability to hit the ball to all fields, bunt, and move/score runners. On the bases, he should hustle and show baseball knowledge and "instincts" that help runners take the extra base and score runs.

Defense: The player who shows good defensive skills has an advantage over others because that will allow him to play numerous positions and therefore be more valuable to the team. The ability to catch and throw properly and effectively is the number one skill needed for defense. We look for players who have good, quick footwork and hands on the field. For outfielders, we look for the ability to get good, quick jumps on batted balls and their ability to catch. We also look for quickness in their ability to return the ball to the infield with strong, accurate, overhand throws.

Pitching: Although many kids tend to focus on velocity, we focus more on command of pitches. Throwing the ball harder does give a pitcher an advantage but it does not guarantee success. The ability to throw strikes with all pitches and to locate them within the strike zone is what ultimately will determine a pitcher's success. The pitcher who can do this with the added bonus of velocity has the advantage over others.

Showing passion and enthusiasm
can go a long way during tryouts.

Potential: Player potential is a difficult thing to judge because every player peaks at different times. Some peak prior to coming to high school. Others peak at the JV level. Some start out as average players but grow into very good players by the end of their high school career. Some don't peak until college or even after college. We try to keep the players that, in our opinion, have more potential for growth in their baseball skills.

Work Ethic: Players should show a strong work ethic during the tryout period. The level of work a player puts into his game can tell a lot about the character of the individual. It can provide a clue into how much he enjoys the game and how well he can handle the length of the season and the huge amount time spent in practice. It also provides a window for coaches to see how interested the player is on improving on a daily basis. We understand that some people improve their work ethic over time but in many cases, if a young man has not developed a strong work ethic by the time they are in high school, it's almost too late.

Passion: Passion for the game never goes unnoticed by coaches. Many athletes have talent but talent + passion is something special. Coaches love kids who want to be on the field, who never seem to get enough baseball, and who always want to learn more and get better. The more time you are expected to put into the game at the high school level the more you have to enjoy the game. If you don't, you will begin to resent the game, complain often, and become a problem to coaches and teammates. Kids with no passion for the game are easy to spot. No coach wants one.

How to get noticed by your high school coach

Attend off-season workouts with the team. Whether it's lifting sessions, pre-season meetings, open gym sessions, or whatever else the coach offers - be there as much as possible. It may not guarantee you a spot on the team but it can't hurt either.


Respect the game. Most coaches at the high school level have a great respect for the game. You should too. That means...

• NEVER wear your hat on backwards.
• Wear your uniform correctly.
• Take care of your equipment.
• Never walk on a field. Always run or jog on and around a field.

Give teachers, counselors, and administrators something good to say about you.
Coaches talk to everyone. They want to know things like your work ethic in class, your discipline record, and your absences and lates to school/class. Coaches do not want problems on their teams. Goofballs in school will ultimately end up being goofballs on the field.  Answer this...What will the adults at your school say about you?

Play multiple positions. Do more things on the field and I will think more highly of you. Learn some new positions. If you don't pitch or catch, consider it. You don't even have to be that good. Just show that you have some skills and knowledge of a few positions and that you enjoy them all. If you don't, pretend you do. It shows you'd be willing to help the team in any capacity.

Show passion for the game. Be the first on the field everyday and the last to leave.

Note:  If you make the team and stop doing the above, you're a fraud!

Baseball Instincts

Before we begin, can I trouble you with an experiment?  Watch the clip below and do the following:

When the teams start to run around, count how many times the team in WHITE passes the ball. 

Did you see the Bear?  I didn't either!  Nobody does if they are focusing.  That's the point.  So why do I share this experiment?  Because I think it relates to "baseball instincts."  That's a term you may hear coaches and scouts use to describe a player.  "What I like about him is that he has great instincts on the bases." "The kid has talent but poor instincts."  Another similar term is "baseball awareness" or "field awareness."  What do these terms mean?


In general, they refer to a player's ability to "see" more things than the average player and apply it correctly to situations on the field.  The following versions of the same play are an example:

The set-up:  There are runners on 1st and 2nd with the score tied in the bottom half of the last inning, no outs.  The coach puts on a rotation bunt play to try everything possible to get the runner going to third base be out on the force.  The ball is bunted and the pitcher fields it.

Version #1:  The pitcher fields the bunt, spins, and throws to third base because that's how the play is designed.  The runner is safe.  Now bases are loaded with nobody out.

Version #2:  The pitcher recognizes right after contact that the soft bunt is heading slightly to his left which is going to make it tougher for him to charge, field, and throw back to third.  He also knows that the runner on second base had a good lead before the pitch and can fly.  Even though the play is designed to get the guy at third, he recognizes that there is no play at third base and gets the out at first base.

The pitcher in Version #2 showed better "instincts" on this play because he noticed more things prior to and during the play which enabled him to make the correct choice.  There are thousands of examples like this that occur during baseball games. 


Good instincts: Born with or learned?

One question that arises might be "how do we get players to focus on the play but not focus too much and ignore important aspects surrounding the play?"  I think players need to be introduced to examples like the one above to plant a seed in their mind that there is more going on around them than they might realize.  Spending more time around the game - practice, games, talking baseball with friends and coaches, reading baseball blogs (!) and books, watching games on TV, listening to the announcers, etc. - certainly helps.  The point I'm making is that what we commonly label instincts really is behavior that can be learned. Instinct implies that you are born with it.  That's the danger with using a term like baseball instincts.  It leads some people to think that a player either has it or he doesn't.  It may take quite some time to learn but I think it can be done.

Once a player learns to see something, he'll rarely miss it again. 
Just like the video clip above ... you'll never be able to NOT see the bear again.

A stopwatch will not lie

This one is for the coaches out there who are searching for ways to pick up the tempo of their games and practices. 

A must for any coach

A stopwatch is a great way to help players go from good to great in many areas of the game.  Players get used to performing at the speed in which the game is played at their current level.  A stopwatch enables them to practice and play at the speed of future levels.  It also allows coaches to demand respect for how the game should be played and gather data in the process of doing so.  Much of this advice and the examples that follow come from a friend of mine who is the head coach at Mississippi State.  He spoke on the topic at a coaching seminar. 

The following are situations where coaches can use a stopwatch to time players and/or monitor the progress of their team as a whole.

• Running on and off the field as a team.
• Individual times for players on and off the field.
• Time between pitches.
• Time between innings.
• Outfield release times. (time between the catch and the throw)
• Infield release times.
• Ground balls. (contact point to 1st baseman's catch)
• Double plays by infielders.
• Home to 1st double play. (1-2-3)
• Pickoff plays.
• 1st to third base running.
• 2nd to Home base running.
• Relays.
• Catcher pop-times.

A good idea is to establish a baseline for times on and off the field, in-between pitches, etc. and have someone (a manager or guys on the bench) record how the team and/or individuals are progressing.  Telling a kid he is doggin' it might invite a conflict.  Showing a kid that when he was hitting well he ran a 4.2 to first base but now is coming in at 4.6 during his slump has much more power.  It also allows you some opportunities to say something like "Ryan hit a one hopper back to the pitcher and could have just pouted and jogged down the line but he beat his best time to first!"  There are endless ways to utilize a stopwatch.  Give it a try.

To get an idea on various running times and ratings, the following chart was given to me by a Pirates scout a few years back.  You can see how your players stack up both as runners and as defensive players trying to get these runners out.

Description	60 yards	Home to 1B L/R	Steal 2nd
Superior	6.4 or under	3.7/3.8	3.00
Outstanding	6.5	3.8/3.9	3.05
Well above avg	6.6	3.9/4.0	3.10
Above avg	6.7/6.8	4.0/4.1	3.15
Average	6.85	4.1/4.2	3.20
Fair	6.9	4.2/4.3	3.25
Below avg	7.0	4.3/4.4	3.30
Well below	7.1/7.2	4.4/4.5	3.35
Poor	7.3/7.4	4.5/4.6	3.40
Inferior	7.5+	4.6/4.7	3.50

Base running: Watch the flight of the pitch

Many times the best base runners on a team are not the fastest guys.  Slower guys know they cannot solely rely on their speed to get around the bases.  They have to be smart.  They know where all the fielders are before the pitch.  They know the situation.  We could list a lot of things top base runners do but I'll focus on taking extra bases on pitches in the dirt.  

)Great base runners watch every pitch on its way to home plate.  That may sound obvious but it really is not done very often.  Most runners on base watch the pitcher until he delivers the ball and then shift their eyes to the batter to see what the ball does in the hitting zone.  However, smart runners know that there is a lot of information to pick up in between the release point and the hitting zone.  They watch the flight of the ball on its way to the catcher.  As a result, they can see when the ball is heading towards the dirt and sometimes react - start to go towards the next base - before the ball even hits the ground.  This is a great play that has a surprisingly high rate of success because the catcher instinctively drops to his knees to block a ball heading for the dirt.  Even if he catches it cleanly on the bounce, he'll have to get up off his knees and throw a strike to second base.  Not likely.  Especially since catchers usually focus on blocking those pitches instead of catching them.  

Most runners who think about taking the next base wait until they see how far the ball bounces away from the catcher.  Great runners don't even wait until the ball hits the ground.  They're gone.  
It certainly takes practice, confidence, and initiative to master a play like this but it is well worth the effort.

Why baseball is better than football

In honor of Super Bowl Sunday I thought I'd address this obvious statement.
First, you can't have this argument without showing one of the best performances on the debate by the late George Carlin.  If you've never seen this before, it's a must.  Enjoy.

Here are 10 of my own reasons as to why baseball is better.

1. Pre-game shows don't last half the day in baseball.
2. Nobody ever starts a song by saying "Take me out to the football game!"
3. We don't have to endure the Black Eyed Peas during any "halftime" in baseball.  People come to see the game, not singers or commercials
4. On that note, there is no halftime.  Baseball coaches don't have the luxury of having a half hour in the middle of the game to conference and change strategies.  You do it on the fly or you lose in baseball.
5. A MLB player wouldn't dare do what we see all the time in football games - a player do some sort of a dance even when his team is losing.
6. The popularity of baseball is because of the game itself, not the "show" surrounding the game like in football.  Football has become one small step above professional wrestling.
7. Average people can relate to baseball players.  You can have the physique of John Kruk, the skinniness of Tim Lincecum, and the height of David Eckstein and still be world class. 
8. Baseball players can't hide.  In football, if a receiver stinks you don't throw it to him.  Ever.  In baseball, sooner or later every player comes up to the plate with a bat and all eyes are on him.
9. You don't have to endure the typical football coach pre-game analysis .. "If we can limit their running and passing game, get some turnovers, move the ball down field with a good mix of running and throwing, and limit our mistakes, we should be ok."  No kidding genius.

and the final one is ...

    10. In football, an endzone dance will get you on ESPN.  A homerun dance in baseball will  

           get you a baseball planted in your ear ... or one of your teammates.

I could go on but why beat a dead horse?  Go Steelers!

Hitting: Watch the middle infielders

Paying attention to these two guys can
sometimes pay off big for hitters.
(Photo by Post406)

In a couple previous posts, one for shortstops and one for third basemen, I mentioned the need to adjust positioning based on the batter and what pitch was being thrown.  As a hitter though, sometimes you can notice these adjustments if the infielders make their movements too early or too obvious.  A good tip for hitters is to watch the middle infielders after the pitcher gets the sign from the catcher.  Some infielders who sees a fastball called may move a step towards the opposite field thinking the batter may be late on a fastball.  An off-speed pitch may make the infielder play the batter more to pull.  These scenarios certainly can vary depending on who is pitching and who is hitting so understand that there is never one way that it's done.  The point is, observing middle infielders can sometimes pay off big for the offensive team if one or both of those middle guys are tipping off what is being thrown.  Of course, this all depends on players being very observant to things that are oblivious to most people watching the game.  These are great things to look for if a player is a bench guy and looking for something to do.  Pay attention.  You might be surprised with what you see. 

It could be worse!

As a baseball guy, I'm not a fan of Winter.  Never have been and never will be.  I'm also not the type of person who needs to experience the cold months in order to appreciate the warm months.  It actually annoys me when people say that.  I fully appreciate warm weather without the help of snow, ice, and wind.  However, every now and again a picture like the one below puts my Pennsylvania winter misery in perspective when I realize I shouldn't complain so much.  It most certainly could be much worse.  This picture is from what is sometimes referred to as the "Japanese Alps."  And no, it's not Photoshopped.  Below the picture is a YouTube link on how it's done.  I'll take a wild guess and say that Ichiro is NOT from the Japanese Alps.

YouTube Link

Pitching - Making the switch to the bullpen

On a high school baseball message board I check every now and then, a college player asked what he needs to know now that he has gone from a starting pitcher in high school to a reliever in college.  It's a common switch that many high school pitchers have to go through early on in college.  Here are some things all new relievers, whether at the high school, college, or professional level, need to be aware of.


Know your role.  Ask the coach what your role is going to be.  Closer?  Long-relief?  Set-up guy?  The more you can narrow down your role the better you can predict when you will pitch and how to prepare.

Being a reliever can be both physically and mentally
challenging and needs to be handled well.

Embrace your role.  A big problem kids have when switching to the pen is they still think like a starting pitcher or even worse they think they should be a starting pitcher.  Don't complain, accept your role even if you don't like it,  and embrace it instead of just wishing and waiting for a starting job.


Know yourself.  The toughest part about the pen is not knowing when you are going to pitch.  A starter can plan and prepare days in advance.  You can't.  Every pitcher has different needs in terms of how much preparation is needed before pitching.  Some guys can get ready in a flash.  Some take longer.  Know what your needs are and do whatever it takes to be ready when called on.  If you take longer to warm-up, be the guy that warms up the outfielder prior to the inning.  This keeps your arm somewhat loose throughout the game so that you don't need as much time to warm-up if called on.  Monitor your arm and adjust your throwing routine as needed.


Don't rely on coaches.  Managers have a million things to think about during the game and may be late in telling a relief pitcher to warm up.  It's your job to make sure you are ready to go.


Pay attention.  It's very easy to get distracted in the bullpen.  Pay close attention to the game so that you can better predict when you might be needed.  If you are a long-relief guy and you notice the starting pitcher is all over the place in the pen prior to the game, start your preparation - at least mentally.  If you're a lefty and you know that a string of lefties is coming up later in the line-up, start moving around.  Paying attention allows you to get going even before the coach tells you to.  You should NEVER be caught off guard when they tell you to get up and start throwing.  It's your job to get yourself ready.  It's not the coaches' job.


MOVE!  A pet-peeve of mine is telling a kid to warm up and watch him take his sweet time getting his glove, a ball, a catcher, and then casually walk to the bullpen mound as if he might be needed in 30 minutes.  I need you 5 minutes ago!  Move it!


You don't have to be 100% when leaving the pen.  Remember, you get 8 more warm-up pitches when you enter the game.  Don't keep throwing just because the coach hasn't called on you yet.  Quickly get to about 90% ready and then stop.  Don't worry about getting all your pitches to be perfect.  Just quickly get  your arm loose and get a "feel" for your pitches and command.  You can fine tune when you get your 8 warm-up pitches on the field.


Throw from the stretch.  This may seem obvious but it constantly amazes me how many times I see an opposing relief pitcher getting loose in the pen by pitching in the wind-up.  That's a tell-tale sign of a pitcher being completely clueless of the situation he will be walking into.


Go with your best stuff.  If you enter in the middle of an inning, especially in a jam, go primarily with your two best pitches.  If you are going to get beat, have them beat your best.  You are open to a lot of criticism if you give up runs on your 4th or 5th best pitch.  If you start an inning, all your pitches are fair game.

Mental Toughness - Cliff Lee

About a year ago I conducted a seminar for teachers about how concepts and strategies within sports psychology can help underachieving students in the classroom.  One thing I talked about was mental toughness.  To give an example of mental toughness, I used an ESPN clip of Cliff Lee speaking after his phenomenal 1-0 win over the Yankees in Game 1 of the 2009 World Series.  The link to the interview is below.


2009 World Series Post-Game Interview


Here are some of the main points young players can take from the clip:

Phillies pitcher Cliff Lee

• Staying calm under pressure is in large part a result of putting in the work beforehand.  If you practice correctly, both physically and mentally, there is no need to be nervous.  You know that you have done everything you can do to prepare for the game.  Players that have not prepared correctly are many times the ones that get too nervous because they know they are not fully ready to perform at their best.
• Don't try to do too much.  Pitching is about changing speeds and location, avoiding patterns, getting ahead of hitters, and pitching to contact.  It's not really that complicated.  Even on the biggest stage of all. 
• Understand that things will never be ideal.  His number of days rest and therefore his preparation routine was screwed up because of the extra days between starts.  Did it faze him?  Nope.  Almost a complete non-factor because he didn't let it be.
• Mental toughness does not necessarily mean an aggressive, rah-rah, in-your-face type of personality.  It can simply be remaining calm under pressure and eliminating any distractions.  It's the quiet confidence Cliff Lee showed throughout the short interview.
• The final point involves what he didn't say.  Think back to that game.  Do you remember the weather in Philadelphia?  It was in the low 40's and drizzling.  Quite possibly the worst pitching weather there is.  What's very telling is that it's never even mentioned in the interview!  Too many players would have just complained about the conditions and allow it to impact their thinking and performance. Not Cliff Lee.  Another complete non-factor because he didn't allow it to be.

All valuable lessons for players looking to go from good to great.


Below are some of my previous posts that involve the mental side of the game.


Mental Game Resources
The Mental Side of the Game
Show up, Suit up, Shut up, Play Hard
"Make-Up"


Thanks for reading!

Infielder tips for shallow fly balls

We've all seen these plays ...

• An infielder goes out on a shallow fly ball and collides with an outfielder charging in to make the catch.    or
• An infielder goes out, both the outfielder and infielder call for it, everyone stops, and the ball drops in between them.

Communication is always important in baseball but especially during plays like these.  Here are a couple tips for infielders to help avoid these two problems:

Give a verbal and non-verbal signal.  Sometimes it comes down to just not hearing your teammate calling for the ball.  This happens more in big, noisy stadiums at the higher levels but it can be a problem at any level.  An infielder goes back into shallow outfield, faces the infield, and calls for the ball.  Because he is facing the infield, his voice is projected away from the outfielder.  When the wind is blowing in from the outfield, this becomes even more of a problem.  To combat this, you'll see many MLB infielders use both a verbal and non-verbal signal to let the outfielders know that they are calling for the ball.  They not only yell for the ball but they will hold their arm(s) out to the side as they yell for the ball.  This gives the outfielder a chance to see and/or hear that the infielder is calling for the ball.

Run out of their vision.  When an infielder is called off by an outfielder, it is important for the infielder to run out of the outfielders line of vision.  If the outfielder is moving in and looking up at the ball he can still see the infielder in his line of vision.  Even if the infielder has conceded the play the outfielder may think the infielder is still going for the ball and may slow down or back off.  That's when the ball bounces in between them.  When called off, an infielder should run away from the play by going left or right.  This takes the infielder out of the outfielders line of sight so the outfielder clearly knows that the infielder is no longer going after the ball.

Don't be this kid.

Pitchout tips for Catchers

Yesterday's post described why a pitchout, even if the runner does not steal on the pitch, can be valuable and what pitchers can do to make their pitchouts more effective.  Today I offer four tips for catchers on pitchouts.

Make sure this guy is not looking in to steal your signs.
(Photo by Computeress)

Peek at the runner.  Many base stealers at the upper level can decide to steal on their own.  They are given the "green light" which means they are allowed to steal when they want to.  In an attempt to pick a good pitch to steal on (anything slower or downward breaking), many of these runners will take their lead at first base and peek in at the catcher's signs as he gives them to the pitcher.  If the runner sees the pitchout sign, usually the fist or thumb, he won't go.  Catchers need to be aware of this and take a look at the runner before the sign to see if he is peeking in.  If he thinks the runner is, the catcher should try to hide the signs more or change them up.

Set up outside.  As mentioned in yesterday's post, some pitchers have trouble throwing a pitchout to the proper spot.  One way to help them is to give the sign and set up on the outside corner.  The catcher's body is closer to the opposite batter's box which makes it more likely the pitchout will be thrown there instead of down the middle.  Be careful though because a very smart runner may notice that a catcher does this and not steal.

This catcher correctly angles out and forward
to receive the pitchout. (Photo by 2Eklectik) 

Angle out to catch.  If you watch a MLB catcher carefully on a pitchout you'll notice he does not simply stand up and move straight to the side to catch the ball in the opposite batter's box.  He angles forward as he moves to the side so that he catches the ball a foot or two quicker than if he just shifted straight to the side and waited for a full length throw.  This also starts to build some momentum forward before catching the ball.

Timing. The timing of when to get up and angle out into the opposite batter's box is important as well.  Too early may tip it off and too late defeats the purpose of a pitchout.  It might vary based on each pitcher's delivery but the best time to start moving is when the pitcher's throwing hand starts to come forward in his delivery.  That usually gets the ball and the catcher to arrive at the proper pitchout spot at the right time.