A few nights ago, the Bad-News Angels were busy blowing another big lead (what’s it, 5 in a row now?), and the sad-sack closer had let them tie the game 11-11 from a four run lead. There were 2 on base - could have been loaded, I was barely watching cuz I knew what was coming - and 2 out. Scioscia had already been bounced in the second, so he didn’t call this except by cel phone, maybe. They pulled the center fielder and put an extra guy in the infield to bottle up any possible hit. Which leaves a big-ass hole in the outfield. Like an empty net in Hockey.
I don’t believe I’ve ever seen this before. Is this something new? Or just reeaallllly rare? Dumb-ass play or highly innovative?:dubious:
As it turns out it didn’t matter. The pitcher couldn’t get the ball down and tossed him a batting practice tomato that went over the left field wall.
Teams seem more willing these days to use the Shift, or pull an outfielder into the infield when it’s needed. It’s not what I’d call common, but I’ve seen it a few times.
No, there was only one out, which is critical to understanding when and why this strategy is used. (The strategy is neither new nor especially rare.)
When you have a walk-off situation (tie game, bottom of the 9th or bottom of an extra inning) with the winning run on third and less than two outs, you have to play both the infield and the outfield shallow. You play the infield shallow because you have to cut off the winning run at the plate, and you can’t do that from an ordinary infield position. You play the outfield shallow because a fly ball of medium depth or greater will win the game anyway. There is no value in catching it. Your only goal is to catch anything shallow.
Given that configuration, there is more value to an extra infielder than an extra outfielder. Since the outfielders are only covering shallow ground, two can more or less handle it–especially if they have good range. But the infielders have little time to react and can only cover a little ground, so a fifth one helps.
The strategy is not universal in walk-off situations–some managers don’t like it, and some don’t have the right personnel. (It helps to have an outfielder with some infield experience; otherwise you have to burn at least one and possibly two substitutes.) But as I say it is not rare either.
Here is a case where it happened in a minor league game yesterday:
No, I was not at the game, more’s the pity–sounds like fun.
For those who didn’t read the article: 10th inning, home team up, bases loaded, one out, CF comes in to play just in front of second, RF and LF spread to cover what they can.
Batter hits a low liner into left center. Left fielder dives to catch it. Two out.
Runner on third tags up and starts for home BUT runner from second has started toward third. LF alertly throws to CF covering 2nd for the double-up. Three outs. End of inning. Just your ordinary routine 7-8 putout…
(Yes, the baserunner screwed up. He should’ve retreated to second as soon as the ball was hit, given that there was any chance at all that it would be caught. Even if the ball dropped, and he was forced out at third, that would only have been the second out and the run coming home from third would’ve counted. That’s the low minors for you.)
I always wonder what would happen if the batter hits a ground ball for a potential double play in this situation. Should one of the regular infielders cover second base, or should the centerfielder cover the base? The centerfielder is closer to the bag, but he’s not accustomed to turning double plays.
Freddy the Pig summed it up pretty well. There is usually no double play in this situation. You can’t take the chance of not beating the guy at first. You must play the infield in and cut off the run at home.
I remember one double play that was hit right up the gut that would normally be a base hit: right to the center fielder playing behind 2nd. U-8, and 8-3 for the double play.
What? There was a center fielder on Davis’s double. What play are you talking about?
This defense is used only in very specific situations, namely a tie game in the bottom of the 9th or later, with the bases loaded and fewer than 1 out. It makes no sense to do it in the top of the inning because you increase the possibility of more than 1 run scoring. You do it in the bottom because 1 run ends the game.
Indiana pulled this off against Michigan State a couple years back. MSU had the bases loaded, one out in bottom of ninth in tie game. Hoosiers substitute an infielder for the CF and bring him in to play a five man infield. It works, they get a ground ball that they come home with for the force out. Now with two out, back to a normal defense. Except they don’t have any outfielders on the bench. So they bring in a pitcher to sub for the infielder who came in for one play, put him in left and move the LF to center. Incredibly, the ball was hit to left and the pitcher/LF makes a great catch to end the inning, and Indiana later wins in extra innings.
I don’t know the play you are talking about but when used correctly (man on 3rd, bottom of 9th or extra inning, less than two out) you never screw yourself by using it. Yes, a routine fly ball to center field will drop for a hit, but the idea is that even if that routine fly ball was caught, it would have been deep enough for the runner at 3rd to tag and score, winning the game anyways.
It is sort of like pulling a goalie in hockey. You are in a situation where anything middle depth in the outfield and beyond means a loss for your team. There is no need to defend that area. Bring everyone in.