Baseball’s Endangered Species: Touches
His book, Coaching Youth League Baseball, was written by University Hall of Fame coach Skip Bertman in 1975. Much of what he wrote about touching is ignored today.
However, it remains relevant as an example of how the game should be taught and played at all levels of baseball, not trying to catch up when a player makes it to the major leagues. What is sad is that the “art” and value of the touch as a “weapon” has been lost by the last two generations of players, coaches and managers.
Skip wrote: “Major League Baseball’s emphasis on the long ball and the grand inning has caused the art of playing to be neglected. Yet each year when play-off games begin and the World Series begins, we see professionals. touching of the animated ball and artificial surfaces. The touch will not score as many runs as the home run, but very often it is critical in the outcome of an important game. “
“Bunting is an important weapon for each team’s offense. Well-executed bunting can open a game wide. Bunt-and-run can be an effective play. A batter can surprise the defense and touch the base hit. no runners on base, or with two outs and a runner on third. “
“If a coach feels a play involving a tag is required, they should move on. Pay no attention to guessers who always seem to know what should have happened after the play is over. Touch, your team can create a lot of situations difficult for the defensive team, and if their opponents are not properly prepared, there will be a lot of mental errors and fielding errors. “
In 2016, MLB had the fewest Sacrifice Bunts (SH) per game (.21) in its history. The recording of SH began in 1894 and since then they have dwindled to what we have today. The numbers say that the lack of SH is in the same boat with most of the Strikeouts (SO), which were also the most in history. In 2013, analysts criticized former Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington because they thought he played too often. His answer was: “You can take the analysis of that and put it in your (expletive) (expletive).” That year, the Rangers had 28 SHs per game, equaling what was then the fewest in MLB history. Washington’s response was perfect and agreed with Skip’s advice: “Pay no attention to the guessers.”
In Steve Rushin’s book 34-Ton Bat, he quotes Casey Stengel, famous coach of the New York Yankees, in 1945 when he was a minor league coach. Casey said, “I get mad at players today who can’t play.”
It’s funny, in those days, he was referring to a handful of players, and I wonder what Casey would say now about the futility of a clear majority of players that we need to watch out for. Yes, I know, the game has changed, as the active generations of today consider the touches as “little balls of the old school” and are no longer relevant, but the facts outweigh the “old-fashioned” opinions of yesterday or the Today’s “novelties”.
When players don’t know how to hit, when to hit, or where to hit, managers don’t know the value of hits as a potential weapon, and they both don’t mind not knowing; they must consider them terrible things. They would be wrong! They have been sold a mental list of goods about the pennant, along with a host of other misinformed ideas that have gained wide acceptance over the last 40 years. Defenses today routinely ignore the possibility of a batter bunting for a base hit, because batters do not understand the fact that in many circumstances they can dictate defensive positioning in future at-bats by hitting a well-placed bunt. but never make the attempt. . There are ways to overcome the exaggerated defensive changes now being used, but not with clueless players and coaches. “Wee,” Willie Keeler rightly said, “Hit ’em where they’re not.” Play them where they aren’t, it works too.
Being a good bunter is not easy; it is a learned skill that requires proper instruction and constant practice, just like all skills in baseball and other sports. The ability to hit during batting practice has absolutely no relevance to hitting a pitcher who is trying to get the batter out in a critical game situation. Without proper technique and confidence, the hitter has little chance of success. That said, NL starting pitchers who play five or six times a month now do most of the sacrifice bunts, so if they can learn the basics of bunting, surely position players can too.
An example of the commitment that can be required to have the right skill set is what Coach Nellie Fox told then-Washington Senator Manager Ted Williams about his journey as a player to becoming an excellent pitcher. “Doc Cramer (Williams’ former Red Sox teammate) used to make Fox carry a bat like a hot poker, thumb and forefinger as loose as possible. Fox said if Cramer suddenly tried to knock him out out of his hands and he couldn’t ‘kick my ass.’
Regardless of what the 5’6 “, 160-pound Fox did to be a better touch, it worked, because one year he touched safely, for hits, on 26 of 30 attempts. This was accomplished even though he was not the fastest running back averaging. only 5 stolen bases and 5 caught stealing per year, indicating that he excelled on bunting’s three-legged stool, how, when and where to touch, plus he averaged 14 SH and 15 SO per year, never topping 18 S. Since Since Fox was selected to play in 12 All-Star Games, was the AL MVP in 1959, and was inducted by the Veterans Committee to the Hall of Fame in 1997, his constant efforts to be a better player were obviously rewarded. And being a good thrower was a weapon he used to great advantage. Nellie Fox wasn’t the biggest, she wasn’t the strongest, she wasn’t the fastest player, in fact she was a BASEBALL player, always striving to improve.
Not only can touches dictate the defensive infielder’s position, but they can also be a useful weapon in disrupting a pitcher’s pace. Get them off the mound to field their position, throw to the bases and cover first base. Interrupt them as much as possible. The touches create threats that must be defended. When defending, holes are made for base hits and other plays that would not normally be available. It is worth repeating what Skip said, “… if your opponents are not properly prepared, there will be a lot of mental and fielding errors.”
Nothing in baseball works all the time, yet touches can be helpful and productive, not terrible. Try them, you will like them.