How to Watch Baseball

Checkmating Bunts

Moving Day Around the Infield

Whitey Lockman, from the photograph printed with his chapter.

By Whitey Lockman,First Baseman, New York Giants

Pages 22–23 · Phillips Petroleum Company, 1953

Defense against sacrifices involves cooperation of the pitcher, catcher and the four infielders.

The pitcher has two objectives. First, he tries to deliver a pitch difficult to bunt: a high, fast ball with a lot of stuff on it, rather than a low or slow pitch. He wants to make the batter miss the ball, pop it up or poke it too hard at an infielder. Second, the pitcher tries to become another infielder. To do this, he tries to keep balanced and braced after his follow-through, so he can move quickly in any direction.

The catcher has four functions. First, he should anticipate the sacrifice and call for a pitch difficult to bunt. Second, he must pounce on bunts dropped close to the plate. Third, he should be alert, when the batter misses the ball, to pick off any runner who has taken too big a lead. Fourth, when the pitcher, first baseman or third baseman fields the bunt, the catcher should size up the situation and instruct him where to throw the ball: to third or second base for a force play, or to first base to retire the batter.

With a runner on first and a sacrifice likely, the first baseman holds the runner close to the bag until the pitcher delivers the ball. Then he breaks toward the plate to be in position to field a bunt down the first base line. The second baseman heads toward first base with the pitch so he can cover that bag in the absence of the first baseman. The shortstop covers second base in case a force throw is made there. The third baseman breaks toward the plate with the pitch so he can field any bunt aimed his way. (The pitcher is responsible for a ball bunted toward the mound.)

With runners on first and second, the first baseman edges toward the plate and breaks for it as the ball is delivered. This time he moves in a little farther from the first base foul line than he did with a man on first base only. He does this to compensate for the pitcher, who, with men on first and second, must cover bunts aimed down the third base line should the third baseman have to protect his bag.

The second baseman again covers first. The shortstop holds the runner on second against a force throw there. The third baseman fields only bunts poked directly at him. On all others, he must return to third for a possible force throw there.

When the pitcher, catcher or first baseman can field the bunt quickly enough, he should make a force throw to third. However, if a strong double play possibility is apparent, he should throw to second base. When the third baseman can field the bunt quickly enough, his first option is to throw to second for a force-out there, or to start a possible double play.

A double play that leaves a man on third with two out is good strategy, because he cannot score on an outfield fly.

So, the next time you see a runner on first or runners on first and second with nobody out and the score close,

Defending the Sacrifice
  1. 1With runners on first and second and a sacrifice likely, the first baseman edges toward the plate, and the second baseman covers first — the bag the first baseman is about to leave open.
  2. 2He breaks for the plate as the ball is delivered. The third baseman edges in too, ready for a bunt poked directly at him; the shortstop tucks in to hold second.
  3. 3The batter bunts it down toward the first-base side. Both runners break — they're forced — and the third baseman, the ball not hit his way, returns to third for a possible force throw there.
  4. 4Neither runner can leave until he has seen the ball on the ground — breaking on a popped bunt would double him off. That half-beat of reading is what the defense is playing for.
  5. 5The bunt was poked too hard, and the charging first baseman meets it — the case the chapter says the force is for.
  6. 6His preferred play: a force-out throw to third, beating the lead runner there by four tenths of a second.
Adapted from the diagram on page 23: “In proper defense against sacrifices, alert first baseman may have a play at any base. His preferred play is a force-out throw to third.”