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In sabermetrics, the defensive spectrum is a graphical representation of the positions on a baseball field, arranged from the easiest (such as first base and the outfield corners) on the left to the hardest (such as the catcher and middle infielders) on the right.
A ball striking the field tarp and rebounding onto the playing field is in play. No chairs can be brought out of the dugout or bullpen and onto the playing field. All yellow lines are in play. A live ball striking the backstop screen or protective netting located on the field boundaries along the first and third base lines is in play.
The wheel play begins with the shortstop running to cover (defend) third base. As the pitch is thrown by the pitcher, the third baseman and first baseman rush toward home plate, to be in position to field the bunted ball as quickly as possible, while the second baseman runs to cover (defend) first base. Additionally, the pitcher moves into a ...
A method of defending against a bunt in which the first and third basemen charge towards the batter to field the ball, the second baseman covers first base, and the shortstop covers second or third, depending on where the lead runner is going. May also refer more generally to the action of any infielder charging towards the batter on a bunt.
Stolen bases are one element of small ball. Here, the all-time stolen base leader, Rickey Henderson, swipes third in 1988. In the sport of baseball, small ball is an informal term for an offensive strategy in which the batting team emphasizes placing runners on base and then advancing them into scoring position for a run in a deliberate, methodical way.
However, if a batter hits the ball, and the batter or the dropped bat touches the ball, it is considered a dead ball. Depending on the way the ball comes off the bat, the play has different names. A batted ball is called a fly ball if it is hit in the air in an upward arc, such that a fielder might be able to catch it before it hits the ground.
The infield shift in baseball is a defensive realignment from the standard positions, to place more fielders on one side of the field or another. Used primarily against left-handed batters, it is designed to protect against base hits pulled hard into the gaps between the fielders on one side.
A catcher attempts to block a baserunner from reaching home plate. In baseball, blocking the plate is a technique performed by a catcher to prevent a runner from scoring. The act of blocking the plate accounted for most of the physical contact in Major League Baseball prior to the 2014 season, when it was outlawed except when the catcher already has possession of the ball.