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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