Editing Baseball (section)

==Tactics==
=== Pitching and fielding ===
[[File:Baseball pick-off attempt.jpg|right|thumb|A [[first baseman]] receives a [[pickoff]] throw, as the runner dives back to first base.]]

{{see also|Pitch (baseball)}}

The tactical decision that precedes almost every play in a baseball game involves pitch selection.<ref>{{cite news|last=Paine|first=Neil|title=Game Theory Says R.A. Dickey Should Throw More Knuckleballs|work=FiveThirtyEight|date=August 13, 2015|url=https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/game-theory-says-r-a-dickey-should-throw-more-knuckleballs/|access-date=April 22, 2018}}</ref> By gripping and then releasing the baseball in a certain manner, and by throwing it at a certain speed, pitchers can cause the baseball to break to either side, or downward, as it approaches the batter, thus creating differing pitches that can be selected.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=The Mechanics Of A Breaking Pitch|magazine=Popular Mechanics|date=December 6, 2004|url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/adventure/sports/a3207/1283161/|access-date=April 23, 2018}}</ref> Among the resulting wide variety of pitches that may be thrown, the four basic types are the [[fastball]], the [[changeup]] (or off-speed pitch), and two [[breaking ball]]s—the [[curveball]] and the [[Slider (baseball)|slider]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Walsh, John|url=http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/fastball-slider-changeup-curveball-an-analysis/|title=Fastball, Slider, Change-up, Curveball—An Analysis|date=December 20, 2007|access-date=February 21, 2009|publisher=[[The Hardball Times]]}}</ref> Pitchers have different repertoires of pitches they are skillful at throwing. Conventionally, before each pitch, the catcher signals the pitcher what type of pitch to throw, as well as its general vertical or horizontal location.<ref>Stallings and Bennett (2003), p. 192.</ref> If there is disagreement on the selection, the pitcher may [[Glossary of baseball terms#shake off|shake off the sign]] and the catcher will call for a different pitch.

With a runner on base and [[Glossary of baseball terms#lead|taking a lead]], the pitcher may attempt a [[pickoff]], a quick throw to a fielder [[covering a base|covering the base]] to keep the runner's lead in check or, optimally, effect a tag out.<ref>{{cite book|last1=McCarver|first1=Tim|last2=Peary|first2=Danny|title=Tim McCarver's Baseball for Brain Surgeons and Other Fans: Understanding and Interpreting the Game So You Can Watch It Like a Pro|publisher=Random House|year=2013|pages=71, 272–273|isbn=9780307831774}}</ref> Pickoff attempts, however, are subject to rules that severely restrict the pitcher's movements before and during the pickoff attempt. Violation of any one of these rules could result in the umpire calling a [[balk]] against the pitcher, which permits any runners on base to advance one base with impunity.<ref>{{cite web|title=Balk|publisher=Major League Baseball|url=https://www.mlb.com/glossary/rules/balk|access-date=April 23, 2018}}</ref> If an attempted [[stolen base]] is anticipated, the catcher may call for a [[pitchout]], a ball thrown deliberately off the plate, allowing the catcher to catch it while standing and throw quickly to a base.<ref>Stallings and Bennett (2003), pp. 126–132.</ref> Facing a batter with a strong tendency to hit to one side of the field, the fielding team may employ a [[Glossary of baseball terms#shift|shift]], with most or all of the fielders moving to the left or right of their usual positions. With a runner on third base, the infielders may [[Glossary of baseball terms#playing in|play in]], moving closer to home plate to improve the odds of throwing out the runner on a [[Glossary of baseball terms#ground ball|ground ball]], though a sharply hit grounder is more likely to carry through a drawn-in infield.<ref name=SB45>Stallings and Bennett (2003), p. 45.</ref>

=== Batting and baserunning ===
[[File:Mookie Betts hitting the ball (36478781664).jpg|thumb|[[Boston Red Sox]] player [[Mookie Betts]] hits a pitch by swinging his [[Baseball bat|bat]].]]
Several basic offensive tactics come into play with a runner on first base, including the fundamental choice of whether to attempt a steal of second base. The [[hit and run (baseball)|hit and run]] is sometimes employed, with a skillful [[contact hitter]], the runner takes off with the pitch, drawing the shortstop or second baseman over to second base, creating a gap in the infield for the batter to poke the ball through.<ref>Stallings and Bennett (2003), pp. 5, 46–47.</ref> The [[sacrifice bunt]], calls for the batter to focus on making soft contact with the ball, so that it rolls a short distance into the infield, allowing the runner to advance into [[scoring position]] as the batter is thrown out at first. A batter, particularly one who is a fast runner, may also attempt to [[bunt (baseball)|bunt]] for a hit. A sacrifice bunt employed with a runner on third base, aimed at bringing that runner home, is known as a [[squeeze play (baseball)|squeeze play]].<ref>Stallings and Bennett (2003), pp. 42–43, 47–48.</ref> With a runner on third and fewer than two outs, a batter may instead concentrate on hitting a fly ball that, even if it is caught, will be deep enough to allow the runner to tag up and score—a successful batter, in this case, gets credit for a [[sacrifice fly]].<ref name=SB45/> In order to increase the chance of advancing a batter to first base via a walk, the manager will sometimes signal a batter who is [[Glossary of baseball terms#ahead in the count|ahead in the count]] (i.e., has more balls than strikes) to [[Glossary of baseball terms#take sign|take]], or not swing at, the next pitch. The batter's potential reward of reaching base (via a walk) exceeds the disadvantage if the next pitch is a strike.<ref>Stallings and Bennett (2003), p. 186.</ref>