How to Watch Baseball

Scientific Gardening

The Box Score Is Not the Whole Story

Stan Musial, from the photograph printed with his chapter.

By Stan Musial,Outfielder, St. Louis Cardinals

Pages 32–33 · Phillips Petroleum Company, 1953

The average fan believes long-range ball-hawking and a strong, accurate arm make a good outfielder. Those two assets, of course, are necessary. But a good outfielder has to offer a lot more.

For example, suppose Ralph Kiner is the batter. Kiner is a right-handed pull hitter. That means he is much more apt to drive the ball to left field than to center or right. He is a home run hitter, who also hits long singles and doubles. Therefore, a left fielder with good judgment plays Kiner deep and close to the left field foul line. From this position he can more quickly field a base hit by Kiner down the left field line. Then, if he can get a quick start, scoop up the ball cleanly and make an accurate throw to second base, he can hold Kiner to a single and keep him from scoring position.

Later in the game, a player who is not a pull hitter may drive the ball to the same spot and perhaps get two bases on it, because this time the left fielder wasn’t playing so close to the foul line.

Take another example. With a runner on first base, the batter drives a ground single through the box into center field. A center fielder who is playing for himself and not for the team will wait for the ball to come to him for fear that if he rushes in on it he may fumble and be charged with an error. But the good center fielder unhesitatingly rushes in on the ball. His sole concern is to prevent the runner getting to third.

No good outfielder throws to the wrong base. Such a throw frequently costs a ball game. Suppose the team at bat in the ninth inning is behind, 3 to 1, with runners on first and third and one out. The batter lifts a medium fly ball to left field. The runner tags up with the catch and scoots for the plate.

The left fielder, especially if he has a strong arm, may be tempted to throw to the plate. But if he’s a good outfielder and team man, he’ll reject the temptation and fire the ball as quickly as he can to second base.

The runner from third will score, yes, but he does not represent the tying run. By throwing to second, the left fielder prevents the runner on first, the potential tying run, from reaching scoring position. Furthermore, if the left fielder throws to the plate, the ball may take a bad hop and elude the catcher. It may hit the runner in the back and carom away. In either case, the runner from third not only scores but the potential tying run on first may get all the way around to third, where the runner can cash in on a hit.

So don’t judge an outfielder on his catching or throwing ability alone.

Throw to the Right Base
  1. 1Ninth inning, the team in the field ahead 3-1, one out, runners on first and third.
  2. 2The batter lifts a medium fly ball to left field and runs it out. Both runners hold their bases, ready to tag.
  3. 3He catches it. The runner on third tags and goes; the runner on first takes two strides and waits to see where the ball is going.
  4. 4A good outfielder rejects the temptation to throw home and fires to second instead — the shorter throw, and the only base that matters.
  5. 5The run from third scores, but it was never the tying run. The tying run is back on first, exactly where a good outfielder keeps it.
Adapted from the diagram on page 33: “One out, team in field ahead, 3-1, men on first and third, fly to left. Fielder shouldn’t throw home, but to second to keep tying run on first.”