How to Watch Baseball

Fifth Infielder

The Pitcher Plays a Dual Role

Bob Lemon, from the photograph printed with his chapter.

By Bob Lemon,Pitcher, Cleveland Indians

Pages 6–7 · Phillips Petroleum Company, 1953

A pitcher can lose a well pitched game by his own inefficiency as a fielder. By his slowness, after he has released the ball, in going after a bunt. By his unbalanced position (again after he has released the ball) which prevents him from knocking down a line drive hit back through the box. By his failure to cover first base on a ground ball hit toward the first baseman. By his refusal to back up third base or home plate on a throw from the outfield.

As a rule, the pitcher doesn’t have as many fielding chances as the four infielders. But he plays a vital role in the defensive pattern. When he does make an error of omission or commission in a close game, it usually is costly.

If, instead of following the flight of the pitched ball you will occasionally keep your eyes riveted on the pitcher, you will notice that many of them finish their follow-through with their weight on one leg and their bodies turned sideways to the batter. This lack of balanced weight distribution and this failure to face the batter head-on prevents the pitcher from:

1 — Breaking quickly to either side of the mound to field bunts or topped rollers.

2 — Knocking down line drives that are hit back directly at him. Sometimes an unexpected line drive causes a pitcher serious injury.

On every ground ball hit toward the first baseman, the pitcher should rush toward first base. The first baseman may be able to make the play unassisted, but the pitcher never should take that for granted.

Suppose the first baseman fumbles the ball. By covering first the pitcher can save the play. He should also get over there quickly enough so he won’t have to handle the throw and find the base at the same split-second. This way he will also cut down the possibility of a collision with the runner and, perhaps, costly injury.

The pitcher has no excuse for not backing up every throw made from the outfield to third base or home plate. The outfielder may make a wild throw. Even the most accurate throw may elude the third baseman or the catcher. A perfect throw can take a bad hop over the third baseman’s or catcher’s head. Or the ball may hit the runner as he’s sliding and carom off to one side.

A pitcher who is backing up the play at third often can prevent the runner from continuing on to score. A pitcher who is backing up the play at home plate may prevent a second runner from scoring or other runners from advancing an extra base.

So, remember that the pitcher has more to do than fool the hitter. Remember that he’s the fifth infielder and

The Pitcher Covers First
  1. 1Many pitchers finish their follow-through with their weight on one leg, turned sideways to the batter — the imbalance that costs them the jump toward first.
  2. 2On every ground ball hit toward the first baseman, the pitcher should rush toward first base.
  3. 3Suppose the first baseman fumbles the ball. By covering first the pitcher can save the play.
  4. 4He gets over there quickly enough that he won’t have to handle the throw and find the base at the same split-second — tagging the inside corner with his right foot, clear of the runner’s path.
Adapted from the diagram on page 7: “A pitcher should cover on all grounders, in case first baseman can’t make play alone. Tagging bag with right foot reduces chance of collision.”