Baseball Test

I would love a copy also if anyone has one.

ccore17@sbcglobal.net

Back when I coached in college, I made out a test that every player needed to pass. It had 100 questions that pertained mostly to situations, and some rules.

If I can find it I will email it to you.

It was a multiple choice test. Here is an example...

You are the runner at 3B
Runners at 1st and 3rd
No outs or one out
Ground ball hit right back to the pitcher. What do you do?

A - Go back to 3B
B - Take off to the plate
C - Freeze and see what the pitcher does
D - Fake a break to the plate
E - None of the above

BTW, what is the correct answer?

Assuming there is a possibility for the double play, my answer would be B) take off for the plate - with the purpose to draw the throw, but get in a run down to allow R1 to reach 3rd.

I would love a copy as well

coach2709@emabarqmail.com

To answer PG's question the key part of the question is that there might be 0 outs. In that case the runner should freeze and see what the pitcher does (assuming he doesn't have a huge lead and has to go back).

Once you see the pitcher turn to throw to 2B then take off.

coach,

We would get many that would answer that question incorrectly.

No outs... DP ball back to the pitcher.

A - Go back to 3B... Result: Two outs, runner at 3B
C - Freeze and see what the pitcher does... Result: Pitcher starts the DP, pivot man can go to 1B for out two or possibly go to HP for out two. If the runner takes off and goes to the plate after the pitcher throws to second, he will either score or be thrown out at the plate. If he is thrown out that leaves a runner at 1B with two outs.
D - Fake a break to the plate... Result: If the defensive team knows what they are doing there will be two outs and a runner at 3B.

B - Take off to the plate... Result, pitcher must decide if he is going to give up the run and get the DP or go to the plate to stop the run. If he goes for the DP, the run scores without a play. If he goes to the plate or runs down the runner, the most common result will be one out with runners on 1B and 2B.

What would you rather have? 2 outs and a runner at 3B or 1 out and runners at 1B and 2B? That is the decision you force the pitcher to make by running.

There are certain situations that could have a bearing on how this is played, but percentages for the hitting team are highly in favor of 1 out and runners at 1st and 2nd over 2 outs and a runner at 3rd. By doing (B) you either score the run or you end up with runners at 1st and 2nd with 1 out.

Anyone disagree?

If I can find that test I will gladly send it. The thing I liked about it, was that it really got people thinking. Some of the questions actually had more than one answer that could be correct.

PG I think that is a great thought process for the type of teams / players you deal with but with the average high school team I think the percentages are in the offenses favor that the pivot man won't go home or can't make a good enough throw to the plate.

Plus my scenario is dependant on having a pretty quick guy too.

coach,

I suppose the competition level could make a difference. However, it always bothers me when I see youth baseball doing things that are not done that way at the next level.

For example, runners at 1B and 2B, ball hit back to the pitcher, pitcher goes to 3B to get the lead runner. (I see that a lot)

At the younger levels, I'd rather see things done the right way, even if it fails at that time the players will at least be learning the right things.

I guess the thought is that young kids aren't as likely to turn the DP. I often wonder how hard it is to change once you've done something the wrong way for a long time. I actually have seen high school kids doing this and guess I always thought high school kids should be able to turn a double play. Or in the case above, throw the ball from 2B to HP. If a runner freezes at 3B and goes when the pitcher turns to throw to 2B, that runner (no matter how fast he is) would need a wild throw to the plate in order to score. If he is thrown out, you have the very worst result... No run, 2 outs and a runner at 1B.

Maybe I'm over rating the ability of high school players, but (IMO) that's not a very difficult play for a middle infielder to make. Then again I do realize the higher the level the better the players are.

That is just the way I look at it. Others would probably think I'm wrong.

I think it makes more sense in HS than anywhere. How much can you do with a runner @ 3rd and 2 outs and I don't need to hear about how many different ways you can score. However with 1 out and runners 1st and 2nd you can now run you everyday offense. Not to mention if the runner at third gets and stays in a rundown long enough you could have runners at 2nd and 3rd with 1 out.

Overall PG I think you are completely correct. I have had a few shortstops who could make that throw back home and maybe two 2B who could. We have played teams that could make this play as well but overall most teams could not / would not make that play.

quote:

However, it always bothers me when I see youth baseball doing things that are not done that way at the next level.

I hope you don't think I'm a hypocrite but I agree with this statement. I get young kids who are taught certain things and sometimes they are difficult to change while others pick up what you are teaching easily.

In this situation - if I teach freeze and react I believe it would be an easy fix if they leave my program and then go on to college. To me this is a strategy issue and not a physical one. Physical problems are the ones that are difficult to overcome.

quote:

I guess the thought is that young kids aren't as likely to turn the DP.

I think that youth league and not so good HS coaches think this. We work on double plays from the IF everyday in practice. MIF moving to the bag, away from the bag and creating momentum for a feed. It's one of our IF practice blocks to turn DP from everywhere on the IF. Then we got another block where we have PFP - get over / cover 1B, double play (1B only and 1B & 2B), check runners 2B / 3B.

Youth league and not so good HS coaches just do the ol' "let's turn two boys" and hit one groundball to each player. I think that's why when players get around good coaches they are surprised to find out that there's more to DP than what they have done so far.

Anyway, getting back to the situation - I agree with what you are saying but I think I can back up what I am teaching. Then again I may be the only one to teach the freeze and react.

Great thread!

PG, if you run across the test I would be interested in a copy.

bhunter@eastex.net

Awesome....If possible I'd like a copy

jdmartin@websterpsb.org

i'd love a copy of the test as well.
randyt@sunny-net.ne.jp
thanks.

I want my guy to get back to 3rd; we don't like to make outs on the 'backside' of 2nd or 3rd... a 1-6-3 dp is not a given.

I've got a test I'll dig out tomorrow but it's mostly just rules (fair/foul i think) but I do use it as a rainy day activity.

PG & Trojan,
I too would likw a copy of the test, if you can find it. Thanks.
chin1x@yahoo.com

Here's some rainy day stuff. (i removed a few items that were specific to our signs)

Circle the numbers of the correct statements.


3. On a squeeze play just bunt the ball if it’s a strike.
4. On a squeeze play the runner should break as early as possible.
5. On the squeeze play the runner should give the hitter a sign.

6. On a bunt play the batter should only bunt strikes.
7. On a bunt play the batter should try to bunt the ball up the line for a base hit.
8. On a bunt play the batter should try to get out of the box as fast as possible while bunting, that way maybe he’ll be safe at first.
9. On a bunt play the runner is stealing.
10. On a bunt play the runner goes as soon as he knows the ball will hit the ground.

11. On a hit and run the runner steals.
12. On a hit and run the runner steals only if he gets a good jump.
13. On a hit and run the runner peaks in after 2 or 3 strides.
14. On a hit and run the sign is to tap the hat 3 times.
15. On a hit and run if the runner rounds second, then the ball is caught in the air in the outfield, the runner must touch second on his way back to first.

16. On a hit ball if the runner collides with a fielder making a play that runner is out.
17. If the runner stays in the baseline he can collide with a fielder making a play on a hit ball.
18. If the runner stays in the baseline he can collide with a fielder making a play on a thrown ball.
19. During a rundown if a runner bumps into a fielder without the ball the runner is awarded the next base.
20. On a strikeout with nobody on 1st, the ball bounces and then is caught by the catcher; the runner should run to 1st because he is not out yet.
21. “Take” means swing as hard as you freakin can because you might actually hit it.

Trojan-skipper,

These might be fun to discuss as there are several that could have more than one correct answer. I don’t have time to do all of them, so I’ll start with the first one you listed.

quote:

On a squeeze play just bunt the ball if it’s a strike.

In "almost" every case you need to get the ball down on any pitch.

However, here is a play we would run once in a great while that was very successful. Usually done with one of our poorer hitters that was a good bunter at the plate and with the pitcher winding up, but not always. In fact we would practice this play.

Bases loaded, 3-1 or 3-2 count squeeze. In this situation the runners would take off earlier than in a normal squeeze play. In other words we wanted to let everyone know what was going on early. So in this case runners would take off as soon as they knew the pitcher had to go to the plate. The hitter would square around much earlier than on a normal squeeze.

The hitter/bunter, would understand that he will only bunt any pitch that has a possibility of being called a strike. Anything else is ball 4 and we score with the bases still loaded. If it is a strike he lays down the bunt. This is a fairly high percentage play for several reasons. The pitcher can not pitch out. The pitcher has a lot of extra pressure. The runner gets a big break much like trying to steal home, making any play on him on any bunt that is down, impossible. The hitter gets to square early and only needs to bunt a strike rather than try to get any pitch down. And almost always the hitter is going to see a fastball in this situation.

A couple times over the year we have seen the following happen on this play. The defense is yelling “SQUEEZE” when the runners take off early. The pitcher is programmed what to do on that play and so he pitched out… Walking in a run! We’ve also created a balk on this play and once our hitter was hit by the pitch. We have also had the bunter reach first base because of all the thungs going on, the second baseman didn't cover 1B.

I can’t remember for sure, but we probably did this a few times each year and only one time did it fail. You need a disciplined hitter who knows exactly what to do. The only time it failed was when our hitter tried to bunt a pitch in the dirt. He just had a brain cramp.

I preferred doing this with a 3-1 count rather than 3-2 but we have done both. Of course we all know that 3-1 is a great hitters count, but it is a great bunting count, too. 3-1 gives an even higher percentage to the offense because if the bunt goes foul the hitter is not out.

It takes the right situation and the right guy at the plate. When it works (especially when the pitch is ball 4) it can really upset a pitcher.

You have to have balls to do this and most importantly you have to have players who can execute it. I have seen it lead to big innings and
open up games. Worst case, it is an extremely high percentage of bunting the runner at 1B to 2B... just with a lot more going on.

I can guarantee you one thing... The opposing pitchers do not like this play.

I've actually seen some kids act on #21 as if it were true. It was little league though, so you couldn't come down too hard.

PG... yes several of them are 'discussion' questions.

I've got a Fair/Foul quiz and I can't find the darn thing!!!!! maybe we can come up with one here on the website.

quote:

You have to have balls to do this

Yep... 3 of them.