Tag: softball

What is a force play in baseball or softball?

Dear Sports Fan,

What is a force play in baseball or softball? I’m new to watching and it seems like force is an important concept but I’ve yet to here a good explanation. Can you help?

Thanks,
Caroline

Dear Caroline,

The force play is one of the most integral concepts in baseball and softball. Without an understanding of it, not much in the game will make sense. Unfortunately, because most baseball broadcasts assume that all of their viewers grew up playing or watching baseball or softball, there aren’t commonly explanations of what a force play is or what its implications are. A force play is a kind of short-hand; a convenience that the defense or fielding team gets to use against the team that’s trying to score.  In some situations, instead of having to tag the opposing player with the ball to make an out, a defensive player with the ball can step on a base and immediately create an out. The reason for this convenience is predicated on a single concept – two base runners can never occupy the same base at the same time.

How do we make the leap from two players not being able to be on the same base at the same time to being able to get someone out just by stepping on a base? Let’s run through a scenario where there is no force play available to the defense. Imagine that there is a base runner on second base but not first or third. When the player that is batting hits the ball into the field, he has to run to first. The player on second can either stay on second base or run to third. He starts running and then sees that the opposing team has a chance to throw the ball to third before he can get there. If he keeps running, he’s likely to get tagged by the player with the ball before he can make it safely to third. So, he turns around and runs back to second base. If he can make it back there without being tagged, he’s safe. He has options – second or third base. Either one is a safe haven. There is no possible force out.

Now we’ll take a similar scenario but add in a force play. Imagine everything were the same except that instead of having only a runner on second base, there was also a runner on first base when the batter hit the ball. The batter still has to run to first base. But wait! There’s a runner already there. If he stays put, there will be two runners on first base — and we know that’s not allowed. So, the runner on first base has to run to second. Now our runner on second base faces the same dilemma. He has to run to third or else he and his teammate who started the play on first base will both be occupying the same base. So, he starts running to third. The fielding team makes the same play and throws the ball to the defender on third base. The guy running from second to third sees that he’s in trouble but unlike in our first scenario, he can’t turn around and run back to second base. He has teammates already on first and second base, so he can’t run backwards. He has to run forward.

In an imaginary baseball world without the force play rule, the defender standing on third base with the baseball would wait for the runner to get to him and then step forward to tag him with the ball. This would work close to 100% of the time because the runner has no options other than to run straight into the defender. In effect, the outcome of the play is set by the time the defender gets the ball on third base. The out is fait accompli. Instead of waiting for the inevitable, baseball created the force out rule. If a runner has no option but to run forward to a base, and a defender can get to that base with the ball before the runner does, it’s immediately an out.

This seemingly small convenience has widespread tactical consequences. The double-play, one of the most exciting plays in baseball, when the defense records two outs on a single hit, would be drastically less possible without the force out. The most common double play, one where there is a runner on first when the batter hits the ball and the defense is able to get the ball to second base, step on it, and then throw the ball to first base before the guy who hit the ball can get there, relies entirely on force plays or outs. If the defense had to wait for the runner on first to get to second before being able to get him out, they’d never have enough time to throw the ball to first before the batter got there.

Here are the two scenarios we described above:

Scenario 1: Home plate [•] First base [ ] Second base [•] Third base [ ]

Scenario 2: Home plate [•] First base [•] Second base [•] Third base [ ]

Can you figure out where the force plays are in these other scenarios?

Scenario 3: Home plate [•] First base [ ] Second base [ ] Third base [•]

Scenario 4: Home plate [•] First base [•] Second base [ ] Third base [•]

Scenario 5: Home plate [•] First base [•] Second base [•] Third base [•]

If you answered – first base for scenario three, third base for scenario four, and first, second, and third base and home plate for scenario five, you’re well on your way to being a baseball and softball force play expert! Here are two bonus facts you might also have picked up on. First base is always a force out. It’s not intuitive because there are no runners moving behind the batter, but nonetheless, once he hits the ball, he has to move to first base. He cannot simply stay at home plate and try again next time. The other bonus fact is a pretty advanced tactical one. In terms of force outs, it’s sometimes better defensively to have more players on base. Referring again to our first two scenarios, the defense may not have been able to get anyone out in the first one, but definitely would have been able to in the second. This goes against what seems to be the normal logic of playing defense in baseball — you want fewer people on base not more. In some situations, teams will intentionally walk a batter to get more runners on base so that they create more force play opportunities during the next at bat.

Thanks for your question,
Ezra Fischer

What are outfielders in baseball or softball?

Center Fielder

Dear Sports Fan,

What are outfielders in baseball or softball? How many of them are there and what is the difference between the outfield positions?

Thanks,
Jack

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Dear Jack,

Outfielders are the players who play farthest from home plate. If you imagine a baseball field seen from above, there’s the diamond that the four bases make, which is covered with a dirt and then the area beyond it, which is grass. The outfielders are those players who play literally out in the field. There are three outfielders in competitive baseball and softball: left field, right field, and center field. In “beer-league” or recreational softball, there is sometimes a fourth outfielder added into the mix. The primary responsibility of outfielders is to track the ball when it is hit, do the complicated calculation of where it is going to land, figure out in a split second whether or not they will be able to catch it, and then sprint to the best spot to catch it or, if that’s impossible, to grab it and throw it to the correct teammate in the infield. Playing in the outfield requires speed, good judgement, and a strong arm. Although it only happens once every dozen games or so, outfielders also have to be ready physically and psychologically to climb or smash themselves into the outfield wall while going at full speed to catch the ball. Although the outfield positions are much closer to each other than the infield positions are, there are some differences in what is required at each position.

Center Field

Center fielders are the unofficial captains of the outfield. They cover the most ground and field the most balls. They are also responsible for coordination if there’s any indecision about who is going to field a ball. In case the player trying to catch the ball misses it, outfielders back each other up on every hit. For center fielders, this means they are either fielding or backing up their neighbor on every single ball hit to the outfield. That’s a lot of running! Center fielders need to have endurance as well as speed.

Left field

Left fielders field the second most balls in the outfield. This is especially true in youth, recreational, or college ball because most hitters are righties and most righties naturally hit the ball in the direction of their swing — towards left field. The left fielder is able to have the weakest arm of all the outfielders. This is because, if a ball is hit to left field, there’s no real chance of getting the ball to first base before the runner gets there. In this case, the left fielder is usually able to throw the ball to the second baseman — or the third baseman who runs over to a spot between the outfielder and second base — in time to stop the runner from getting to second. If there’s already a runner on base and the ball goes to left field, the necessary throw to prevent things from getting out of hand is the shortest one possible — to third base. This great, old-school, typed Outfield Fundamentals by Mike Evans points out that a right-handed player will find left field easier.

Right Field

Right fielders field the fewest balls, but when they do, they have to make the hardest throws to prevent runners from advancing from first to second base or second to third. The throw from right field to third base is particularly far, difficult, and important. The reason why right fielders field fewer balls than the other positions is because batters tend to find it easier to “pull” the ball across their bodies as opposed to angling it to the “opposite field.” Only left-handed batters can pull the ball to right field. The practical result of this is that right fielders tend to be the weakest fielders in the outfield. In recreational softball or baseball, right field is frequently a place you can stash someone who really doesn’t know how to even catch the ball because so few balls will be hit to them. In major league baseball, where pretty much everyone knows how to catch, the difference between fielders is smaller but right field is still the place where you’ll find players who deserve their spots on the team because they are great hitters but who aren’t great fielders.

Outfielders cover an extraordinary amount of space in an impressive way. Baseball fields don’t have to have standard dimensions and in fact, they vary quite a bit. According to Business Insider, the average ball park is 2.49 acres. The largest field is home to the Colorado Rockies and is .18 acres bigger than average. The smallest is Fenway Park in Boston which is .15 acres smaller than average. That might not seem like a big range, but consider that the outfielders in Boston play their home games in a park 14,375 square feet smaller than the outfielders in Colorado. These differences, can play a part in how a team constructs their lineup. The Red Sox may be able to do with better offensive players who are weaker defensively in the outfield while the Rockies first priority has to be defensive range.

Hope this has helped you understand what outfielders in baseball and softball are,
Ezra Fischer

What are infielders in baseball or softball?

Infielder

Dear Sports Fan,

What are infielders in baseball or softball? Doesn’t everyone play in the field?

Thanks,
Jacqueline

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Dear Jacqueline,

Infielders in baseball or softball are players who play any one of these four positions: first base, second base, third base, or shortstop. Each of these positions have their own unique set of responsibilities which favor particular skills. With some exceptions, of course, the positions seem to attract or mold the personalities of people who play them in distinctive ways. The wrinkles of each position often shape the roles players play when their team is up to bat in addition to when they’re on defense. Although some major league players shift from position to position, most stick to one spot for the majority of their careers. As an added bonus, infielders in baseball were the focus of one of the funniest comedy bits of all time. Starting with first base and moving to third, we’ll describe each position in detail. For describing where things happen, we’ll use the perspective of the batter. As we go through the positions, I’ll notate the names of the players on Abbot and Costello’s team.

First Base

First basemen (the eponymous Who) stand farthest to the right as seen from the batter’s point of view. Their primary defensive responsibility is to bustle over to their base when the ball is hit into play and be their to catch the ball if one of their teammates gets it in time to try to throw the runner out at first. If the first baseman catches the ball while she is touching first base before the batter runs to first base and touches it himself, the batter is out. A throw to first base is the most common outcome from a hit and there are often reasonably close calls between the runner getting there first and the first baseman catching the ball. The first basemen plants one foot on his base and reaches, stretches, lunges, for the ball. Shaped by this requirement, the first baseman is the biggest of the infield players. He doesn’t need to run very much and every inch of height and wingspan help him reach the ball a split second earlier or snag errant throws that might go over a smaller player’s head. This has implications for batting too. Since size is an advantage at first base in a way it often isn’t at other positions, first basement are often big power hitters who aim for home runs whenever they can. After all, if you get a home run, you don’t have to run as fast. Playing first base is a challenging position. It’s hard to hide there because every infield hit is going to involve you catching the ball.

Second Base

Second base (What) is the least glamorous of the infield positions. Before the ball is hit, second basement usually line up between second base and first or just to the right of center from the batter’s perspective. They are in one of the least likely spots for a ball to be hit (assuming the majority of batters are right-handed) and their job is easiest when a ball does come to them. The throw from where a second baseman lines up to first base, where the play most frequently is, is quite short. The one truly exciting thing that a second baseman does is play a vital role in most double plays. A double play is when a defensive team is able to get two outs on a single hit. This usually happens when there is a runner on first. Because two runners cannot occupy one base at the same time, the runner at first is forced to run to second as her teammate runs from the batters box to first base. If the defensive team can get the ball, throw it to second base and tap their foot on second base while holding the ball, they can then try to throw the ball to first base and beat the runner there too, making for two outs. There are all types of strange ways to make this happen, but usually it involves someone throwing the ball to the second baseman, who stands on second base, catches the ball, and whirls around to throw it to first base. Runners headed to second base in this situation will slide at the second baseman dangerously, trying to break her nerve (or her ankles) to prevent the throw to first. As a result, second basemen are often small, agile people who have become very good at leaping out of the way while throwing accurately. Second baseman use their speed on offense too, often hitting first or second in the order.

Shortstop

The shortstop (I don’t give a darn) is the most glamorous position in the infield and arguably the whole team. Shortstops have the most balls hit at them and they are hit the hardest. Shortstops are athletic and acrobatic, leaping or diving to catch or even just get in the way of balls hit between second and third base. Once they get their hands on the ball, they have the second farthest throw in the infield from their position to first base. Often, instead of throwing to first, they might flip the ball to the second baseman to start a double play or just sprint over there and touch the base themselves. Shortstops are proud of their position and rightly so. In any casual game of baseball or softball, the best athlete in the group plays shortstop by default. Shortstops can have such an impact on defense that they can sometimes get away with being a weaker hitter compared to other positions.

Third Base

Third base (I don’t know) takes guts and a rocket arm. Third basemen line up closest of any infielder to the batter, so when a ball comes to them, it gets there fast! Playing third base, even in a rec-league softball game, can be a harrowing experience because so many of the hits come at you so quickly. Once a third baseman has successfully fielded a ball, they have the farthest throw to get it to first base. If you imagine a baseball field as a triangle between home plate, first base, and third, the line from third to first is the hypotenuse. On a major league baseball field, the distance from third to first is over 125 feet! When a third basemen stops being able to reliably make that throw, because of physical limitations or mental blocks, he or she has got to move to another position.

The infield positions are all unique and their peculiarities shape how baseball is played. Personality and physical attributes define who will be best playing which position. I hope this post has helped make the positions more understandable and baseball more enjoyable to play and watch.

Thanks,
Ezra Fischer