contact play vs. infield playing in

[Eddiehitsthefoulpole]

I am hoping someone can tell me why I am wrong on this. I am tired of watching us make outs at home plate because we put on the contact play against an infield playing in. With the infield playing in, if you hit the ball on the ground you will score unless it is hit right at an infielder. Putting on the contact play improves of odds of scoring in that situation infinitesimally. With the contact play on we may be able to take advantage of an occasional bobble, but that seems to happen far less than the number of runners we sacrifice at home plate during the course of the season. It seems to me that will kill a lot of runners this way.

[Baldkin]

http://dugger1981.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/ron-roenicke-brewers.jpg

 

The sunglasses are actually mirrored on the inside, so he can't even tell when the infield is in.

[502 to Right]

I agree 100%.

[jerichoholicninja]

You can put the contact play on every once in a while if you have a fast runner at third and hope you get an error out of it but to do it almost every single time like Ron does is beyond stupid.

[logan82]

If the infield is playing in the contact play should only be on with 2 outs. Then it doesn't matter if the out is made at home or at 1B. Less than 2 outs and it should only be used if you don't want to score anymore runs.

 

If the ball is hit to a fielder the guy at home is out. If it isn't hit to a fielder the guy at 3B walks home. You shouldn't play for an error unless you have no other options.

[joepepsi]

Earl Weaver: "If you play for one run, that's all you'll get." I am sick and tire of "NL style" baseball....

[brewcrewdue80]

If the infield is playing in the contact play should only be on with 2 outs. Then it doesn't matter if the out is made at home or at 1B. Less than 2 outs and it should only be used if you don't want to score anymore runs.

 

If the ball is hit to a fielder the guy at home is out. If it isn't hit to a fielder the guy at 3B walks home. You shouldn't play for an error unless you have no other options.

 

Why would an infield play in with 2 outs?

[Fear The Chorizo]

Honestly, teams will shift infielders in as the pitch is being delivered, or they'll shift infielders back as the pitch is being delivered so the opponent doesn't know for sure what is happening.

 

And the contact play is always on with two outs, because with two outs a manager would be fired for playing the infield in...IMO the contact play should never, ever be on with no outs.

 

I think where Roenicke ticks a lot of people off is it seems any time there's 1 out and a guy on third, the contact play is on regardless of who's up, who's on third, and most importantly who's on deck. IMO, the contact play is a good baseball play if you have three things:

 

1- a good baserunner at third capable of reading a ball hit anywhere but to the third baseman (impossible to read whether a pitcher would get to a grounder up the middle off the bat)

 

2- the batter in the on deck circle is a pitcher or poor hitter not likely to drive the runner in with two outs

 

3- the game situation can drastically change with scoring just 1 run (late, down 1 run or tie game).

 

When I was taught the contact play it was the baserunner's responsibility to freeze on a line drive or anything hit at the third baseman - not like a safety squeeze that a runner was breaking for home as soon as the ball was contacted toward the ground. There's a little bit of time needed to read the ball off the bat, but making the right read prevents guys from being automatic outs at the plate.

[bani1717]

If the infield is playing in the contact play should only be on with 2 outs. Then it doesn't matter if the out is made at home or at 1B. Less than 2 outs and it should only be used if you don't want to score anymore runs.

 

If the ball is hit to a fielder the guy at home is out. If it isn't hit to a fielder the guy at 3B walks home. You shouldn't play for an error unless you have no other options.

 

Why would an infield play in with 2 outs?

 

They have Yuni B or Juan Francisco playing 1B

[TheCrew07]

I honestly believe this is an organizational thing, it happens all way down the minor league chain as well. They must have statistical evidence that the contact play results in more runs than the alternative.

 

I think if there is some evidence it was poorly "studied" and is basically hogwash, not to mention players like Orlando Arcia getting hurt on plays at the plate executing the play. The odds would have to be pretty high for me to be in favor of the contact play with the added injury risk, and there's no way any team I've covered in the minors has even broke even on contact play. I'm guessing the same can be said of the of MLB team as well.

 

If there is going to be an out regardless I'd much rather have the action take place at 1B rather than home.

 

I despise the contact play.

[pitchleague]

 

I think where Roenicke ticks alot of people off is it seems any time there's 1 out and a guy on third, the contact play is on regardless of who's up, who's on third, and most importantly who's on deck. IMO, the contact play is a good baseball play if you have three things:

 

 

Who's on first! Stop changing the players around!

 

 

and now, back to your regularly scheduled thread.

[Oxy]

The only time it's a questionable play is if the guy at third is the lone runner and there are either no outs, or there is one out and a good hitter on deck. Otherwise I think it should always be on, regardless of where the infield is playing.

[RightFieldCoder]

I think the contact play is like the onside kick. When it works, it's awesome. But it usually only works if it is a surprise tactic you try maybe once a year.