The Principles of Construction

Hi Mr Defensive Specialist,

I was on one of my favourite websites today and came across a post by someone using his experience as a baseball coach to critique the coaching/game plan of Matthew Knights who coaches the mighty Bombers!

Like this person I am a coach (and player) of a baseball team and I would like to believe I have a better than average understanding of the game, I found his comments on constructing a side a little wrong.  Can you give me a breakdown on constructing a baseball side from putting your side on the field to constructing the lineup.

This what he had to say.

"There seems to be this unwritten rule in baseball, pitcher and catcher aside, that all your best players absolutely have to be your middle infield (shortstop and second base) and your strongest arm goes at 3rd, your best hands at 1st. With this team, those rules were certainly engrained in them. Also the rule that you hid your worst players in the outfield"    http://www.bomberblitz.com

Cheers,

Team.

Dear Team,

Thank you for your email and commiserations to you for supporting the woefully inconsistent Essendon Football Club. You often can tell your team is approaching struggle town when couch commanders like the bloke you’ve mentioned start trying to break down the decisions of the coaching staff by using tactical examples from a different sport. Without viewing the context in which this chap was making this statement, it is hard to know what he was trying to get at (and before anyone suggests it, The Defensive Specialist is not prepared to risk his street cred by logging onto a fanboy chat room to find out).

Either way, it is plainly obvious that he has missed the mark and that’s why the Defensive Specialist is here – to kick the big goals.

Back in the day, there was a basic formula for trying to build a strong defensive team although it took a back seat as the game was overcome by offense. In recent times, with a crackdown on performance enhancing drugs and a greater emphasis on defensive metrics such as Probablistic Model of Range, Defensive Regression Analysis, Special Aggregate Fielding Evaluation and Ultimate Zone Rating, things have shifted back to the basic formula of constructing a defensive lineup.

So what does it look like?

Well, first and foremost you want a solid defensive unit up the middle. A catcher who can receive, control the running game (good catch and release time, strong arm) and manage a game is important. It’s definitely a position where you may consider carrying some offense although if you stumble into a Joe Mauer you thank the good Lord. The Boston Red Sox are feeling the effects of a poor defensive catcher as we speak, with the combination of Victor Martinez and Jason Varitek unable to shut down a running game. Teams are running with impunity, meaning that runners are forever in scoring position and pitchers are having to work harder to keep runners off base or closer to the base.

Second base and shortstop were positions that you would trade rock solid defence for offense but that has changed and now you require bats in both these positions. Typically the shortstop will be a premium athlete with exceptional range and arm strength in order to make the throw from the 5.5 hole. The shortstop is responsible for the longest throw in the infield and the vast majority of relay plays so they require great hands (quick and secure) and the aforementioned arm.

The second baseman should have good range but arm strength is less of a factor (although Roberto Alomar who many say changed the way the position was played had a cannon). The double play turn at second base is difficult because it often requires a second baseman to make a play with a runner barrelling in and no vision of it. Good hands for a quick turn is imperative.

Centrefield is typically a premium athlete with exceptional foot speed to cover the outfield gaps and a good arm. BJ Upton of the Tampa Bay Rays was an error prone shortstop who was moved to centre in order to make use of his physical tools and he has blossomed into a gifted defender. The centrefielder must cover a great deal of territory, hence the need for speed and athleticism. Players like Johnny Damon and Jacoby Ellsbury have been moved off centrefield as their arms didn’t cut the mustard (Johnny Damon actually looks like he was never taught how to throw).

When our boy suggests that you hide your worst players in the outfield, he has completely underestimated why the designated hitter was invented. Leftfield and rightfield do tend to be more offensive positions where lesser defenders can be hidden, however in the modern game a poor defender is more likely to find himself on the bench DH’ing rather than patrolling the outfield. The rightfielder generally has the strongest outfield arm as the throw to third is the longest outfield throw. If you have a noodle-armed outfielder, left field is the place to put them as they have shorter throws to make. Either way with pitching and defence such a focus in today’s game, no team can afford to have two plodders in the outfield.

Third base does require a strong arm and a steel nerve – also, potentially a healthy dose of stupidity as evidenced by Adrian Beltre who manned the hot corner without a cup. (He did take one off the plum last year, which ruptured the sucker!) Third base requires solid reaction times as balls get on the defender in a hurry. Premium defenders have good range, which enables them to cut off balls down the line and into the 5.5 hole. A third baseman can be less athletic than a shortstop as they do not need to move into the hole at pace. Their movement is often short and explosive.

Your first baseman used to be a hulking slugger who didn’t like to jog out to the outfield. This mentality has been rethought as the value of defenders at first base has increased. A sure handed first baseman (that is, someone who can pick balls in the dirt) can be invaluable to a team by cutting down on throwing errors. A defender like Mark Teixeira who has great range also provides value by taking away base hits to right field. You can still hide a slower footed player at first base, but you definitely want a guy who can scoop a throw out of the dirt and who has the coordination to flip a ball to a moving pitcher as he covers first base.

That’s a fairly basic overview of how you’d typically construct a defensive team. Of course, in most instances a coach is hamstrung by the talent that he has and must work around those factors.

In terms of building your offensive line up, it should look something like this:

1) Typically your leadoff hitter is a gifted runner, however you want to combine this with an ability to get on base through either hit or base on balls (or preferably both). Rickey Henderson, arguably the greatest lead off hitter of all time, was blessed with great foot speed the ability to hit and an uncanny eye for the strike zone. The most important part of the leadoff role is getting on base. Other things like making the pitcher throw a number of pitches and stealing bases is a bonus.

2) Managers like to have a left handed contact hitter in the 2 hole as it enables them to pull the ball through the hole created by the first baseman holding the leadoff hitter on. Being in the left-handed hitter’s box may also impede or intimidate the catcher as he throws to second. In the old days when small ball was more prevalent, you’d also want a guy who could handle the bat by being able to bunt or hit and run as a means to move the runner up. Once again, a hitter who can work the count and get on base is what you’re after in order to have runners on ahead of the heart of your line up.

3) The 3 hole hitter is your best hitter. You want your best hitter here in order to get him maximal at bats with runners on base. This hitter should hit for average and power and be a run producer. See Albert Pujols as the best example of this.

4) Cleanup hitter. The Yankees employee Alex Rodriguez in this position which some may say doesn’t fit with what the Defensive Specialist statedabove, but when you have as many quality hitters as they have, you can put A Rod here in order to increase his at bats with runners on. Traditionally, this hitter has been more of a bomber (homerun or strikeout), but nowadays the position has evolved to one in which the hitter will have solid on base percentage numbers

5) You want another solid run producer in this position, preferably with some power.

6) From 6-8 you’re really just placing your hitters from best to worst

9) If you have a light-hitting dude who can run, stick him in the 9 hole in the hope that he may be able to get on for the top of your order. If you have a light-hitting dude who cant run, trade him for a bag of baseballs.

You will also see managers try to alternate between right handed and left handed hitters as you move down the line-up. The purpose of this is to break up the line-up and avoid situations where a specialist reliever (say left handed) can come in and work to consecutive hitters (left handed) who may have difficulty.

So there you have it, a simple insight into the world of line up construction. If Matthew Knights and the Bombers need any further assistance, please have them call the Defensive Specialist directly!

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