Little things that win big ball games: part 1

Coach and Athletic Director, Jan, 2004 by Jim Mason

Baseball is the kind of game that you can study all your life without discovering all of its intriguing nuances or, conversely, allowing yourself to get so caught up with the "little things" that you begin losing sight of the "big things."

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What follows is a list of the 35 "little things" that can help you win ball games. Several of them will pop up in every game; others just two or three times a season. Either way, they can help you do a better job of preparation for winning baseball.

1. Pitcher as a sixth fielder.

Pitchers are notoriously neglected on defense. Think of all the critical things they are asked to do: start a double play, field bunts, cover first base, back up third and home, etc. A pitcher who can make all those plays can greatly enhance the team defense.

2. Base-runner reaction to pitches in the dirt.

Aggressive base-running can change a lot of things, from how the pitcher attacks the hitters to how the pitch selection affects the basic offensive strategy.

One of the smaller but still significant aspects of aggressive baserunning is reading pitches in the dirt. Anytime the catcher has to go to his knees to block a pitch, he puts the defense at risk. Runners who can read the balls in the dirt can add a valuable weapon to the offense.

3. Good situational hitting.

Well-coached players can make something even out of their outs. For example, with a runner on second and no one out, a smart hitter can ground the ball to the right side. At worst, he will advance the runner to third. If the ball gets through the infield, the runner will score.

In the second situation--runner on third with none or one out--and the infield playing back, a ground ball past the pitcher or a mid-range fly out will usually get the job done.

4. Use of early inning information to make later-inning adjustments.

At URI we are very conscious of using the information gathered early in the game. If, for example, the pitcher uses a slider to get one of our hitters out, it is a good bet that he'll do it again later on. Hitters can pick up the way pitchers do things in pattern.

Some pitchers will tip off their curveball by digging into their mitt for it. Other pitchers will never throw back-to-back changeups. Some pitchers will always throw a fastball when behind in the count.

All this information can be used in a game. The ability to pick up the little things is the mark of a head's up team.

5. Have your pitchers work quickly.

There is a direct relationship between the quickness with which a pitcher works and his effectiveness.

First, the pitcher, especially when he's doing well, may be able to smother the offense by working quickly and not giving them a chance to think and react. In short, he'll stay on top of the hitters and never give them a chance to clear their minds.

The pitcher who works slowly will often cripple his defense. Baseball demands a high level of concentration, and this is very difficult to do behind a pitcher who works at a slow pace. The mind tends to wander behind deliberate workers, such as pitchers. Coaches should try to speed up such workers.

6. Timed pick-off plays.

This is a much under-utilized weapon that can be used before and after a pitch. Though these plays involve some risk and require practice, they can pay big dividends, such as: (1) pitcher throwing to third baseman breaking to the bag to pick off a runner with a big lead, (2) pitcher makes a quick move to shortstop or first baseman sneaking in behind a base-runner, (3) catcher exploiting an overly aggressive secondary lead by throwing behind a base-runner, particularly on the corners. A good move can catch the runner napping.

This is a great way to create outs on the basepaths as well as to send a message to an offense on being more conservative about their leads.

7. Selling the fake cut-off to prevent base-runners from advancing and keep the DP in order.

One of the ways that big innings are created is by making a low-percentage throw to the plate to catch a runner coming in from second on a single--allowing the back runner to move into scoring position (second base) and take away the double play.

There are several ways to prevent such disasters. First, the thrower must make sure he has a genuine shot at the front runner. Second, the first-base coach and the base-runner must be closely watching to see whether the ball is going to be thrown through to the plate. They must watch the flight of the ball as well as the back relay man to see whether he is going to cut off the throw.

The relay man can decoy them by simulating the cut-off--freezing the back runner. This will allow the ball to go through and maybe nail the runner, while at the same time preventing the back runner from advancing.

8. Shut-down innings.

After scoring multiple runs, you want your team to go out on the field and hold the opposition scoreless--preventing them from mounting a rally and getting their confidence back. This is where your pitchers can be a big help. By pitching strongly in the early and middle innings, they can protect whatever leads their hitters have given them and prevent the opponents from cutting into them.