⚾ Coaches Lab
The Golden Rule All 9 have a job: Ball · Bag · Backup. Nobody stands still.
No Runners — booklet (5 pages) ← All printables
No Runners

Single to Left, Batter Hustles for Two

Bases empty 0 out LF → relay (SS) → 2B

Nobody on base. The batter lines a single to left field and rounds first hard, trying to stretch it into a double. The shortstop goes out as the relay man and the throw goes to second for the tag.

Ball Bag Backup

  • P
    Pitcher Backup

    Trail the play and back up third base on the left-field side in case the runner keeps coming.

  • C
    Catcher Bag

    Stay home, guard the plate, and loudly direct the relay where it needs to go.

  • 1B
    First Base Bag

    Cover first base — the batter-runner has already rounded it.

  • 2B
    Second Base Bag

    Straddle second base and apply the tag on the relay throw.

  • 3B
    Third Base Bag

    Cover third base in case the runner reads the throw and keeps going.

  • SS
    Shortstop Ball

    Go out to short left field as the relay man; line up between the left fielder and second base.

  • LF
    Left Field Ball

    Charge the ball, field it cleanly, and throw to the shortstop relay — do not airmail second.

  • CF
    Center Field Backup

    Sprint over to back up the left fielder in case the ball gets through.

  • RF
    Right Field Backup

    Cross behind the infield to back up second base from the right side.

Key point

Even with nobody on, the throw goes through a relay man — the shortstop — not on one long heave from the fence.

Drill

Hit balls to the left-field corner and time the shortstop getting to the relay spot lined up with second base, ten reps each.

Watch for

Outfielders trying to throw the runner out by themselves and sailing the ball into the dugout — hit the cutoff.

No Runners

Single Up the Middle, Batter Rounds First

Bases empty 0 out CF → relay (2B) → 2B

A base hit up the middle into center field. The batter rounds first hard looking for two, so the second baseman goes out as the relay man and the shortstop covers second for the tag.

Ball Bag Backup

  • P
    Pitcher Backup

    Trail toward second base to back up the relay throw.

  • C
    Catcher Bag

    Guard the plate and call the relay loud.

  • 1B
    First Base Bag

    Cover first base behind the batter-runner.

  • 2B
    Second Base Ball

    Go out to short center as the relay man; line up with second base.

  • 3B
    Third Base Bag

    Cover third base in case the runner keeps going.

  • SS
    Shortstop Bag

    Straddle second base and apply the tag on the relay.

  • LF
    Left Field Backup

    Sprint over to back up the center fielder on the left.

  • CF
    Center Field Ball

    Charge the ball, field it cleanly, and hit the relay man.

  • RF
    Right Field Backup

    Sprint over to back up the center fielder on the right.

Key point

Up the middle the ball still comes in through a relay man — a short crisp throw beats a long one every time.

Drill

Hit balls to center and have the second baseman sprint to the relay spot lined up with second; ten reps.

Watch for

The center fielder trying to throw the runner out at second on the fly and sailing it past everyone.

No Runners

Routine Grounder to Short

Bases empty 1 out SS (6) → 1B (3)

A routine ground ball to the shortstop with nobody on. The throw goes across to first for the out — and everyone else has a job backing it up or covering a base.

Ball Bag Backup

  • P
    Pitcher Backup

    Break toward first to back up the throw in case it gets away.

  • C
    Catcher Backup

    Trail the batter-runner up the line to back up first base.

  • 1B
    First Base Bag

    Cover first base, give a target, and stretch for the throw.

  • 2B
    Second Base Bag

    Cover second base in case of a wild throw.

  • 3B
    Third Base Bag

    Stay home at third and protect the line.

  • SS
    Shortstop Ball

    Field the ground ball cleanly and make a strong, accurate throw to first.

  • LF
    Left Field Backup

    Drift in behind the shortstop in case the ball gets through.

  • CF
    Center Field Backup

    Move in toward second base in case of an overthrow.

  • RF
    Right Field Backup

    Sprint in behind first base to back up the throw.

Key point

The routine out is still a team play — the first baseman gives a target and everyone behind the ball backs it up.

Drill

Fungo grounders to short with a runner timing down the line; emphasize a clean transfer and an accurate throw.

Watch for

Outfielders loafing instead of backing up — one overthrow turns a routine out into two bases.

No Runners

Down the Right-Field Line, Batter for Three

Bases empty 0 out RF → relay (2B) → 3B

A ball slices down the right-field line and into the corner. The batter is flying around the bases for a triple, so the second baseman goes out as the relay man and the throw goes to third.

Ball Bag Backup

  • P
    Pitcher Backup

    Trail toward third base to back up the throw at the bag.

  • C
    Catcher Bag

    Guard the plate and direct the relay loudly.

  • 1B
    First Base Bag

    Cover first base as the runner rounds it.

  • 2B
    Second Base Ball

    Sprint into short right field as the relay man; line up with third base.

  • 3B
    Third Base Bag

    Straddle third base and apply the tag on the relay.

  • SS
    Shortstop Bag

    Cover second base behind the relay in case the runner stops there.

  • LF
    Left Field Backup

    Cross all the way over to back up third base from the outfield.

  • CF
    Center Field Backup

    Sprint to the line to back up the right fielder.

  • RF
    Right Field Ball

    Run the ball down in the corner and fire to the second baseman relay.

Key point

On a ball in the corner the relay man runs OUT to meet the throw and lines up with the base the runner is heading to — here, third.

Drill

Two-man relay from the corner to third; check the relay man's lineup and a quick glove-side turn.

Watch for

The relay man drifting toward second when the play is at third — line up with the BASE, not the infield.

No Runners

Gap to Left-Center, Batter for Two

Bases empty 1 out LF → relay (SS) → 2B

The ball splits the left-center gap and the batter hustles for a double. The left fielder runs it down and the shortstop becomes the relay man with the throw to second.

Ball Bag Backup

  • P
    Pitcher Backup

    Trail in to back up second base from behind.

  • C
    Catcher Bag

    Guard the plate and direct the relay.

  • 1B
    First Base Bag

    Cover first base behind the batter-runner.

  • 2B
    Second Base Bag

    Straddle second base and apply the tag.

  • 3B
    Third Base Bag

    Cover third base in case the runner keeps coming.

  • SS
    Shortstop Ball

    Sprint to short left-center as the relay man; line up with second base.

  • LF
    Left Field Ball

    Run the gapper down and fire to the shortstop relay.

  • CF
    Center Field Backup

    Back up the left fielder in the gap in case it gets by him.

  • RF
    Right Field Backup

    Cross behind the infield to back up second base.

Key point

On a gapper the closest outfielder fields it and the middle infielder becomes the relay — nobody throws it 250 feet on the fly.

Drill

Hit balls into the left-center gap; time the shortstop getting to the relay spot lined up with second.

Watch for

Both outfielders pulling up — someone must call 'I've got it' so one fields and the other backs up.