# Infield and Outfield Play · Baseball Level 3: Pre-Intermediate

Baseball · Level 3: Pre-Intermediate · Insporta Book (https://book.insporta.app/baseball/level-3/infield-and-outfield-play/)

Infield and outfield depth, cut-offs on throws home, backing up and covering bases, positioning against hitters, pop-up priorities, communication, covering on bunts and alignments by situation.

## Test 1: Infield depth

- Infields play in, at double-play or halfway depth, or back. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Back gives the most range to turn grounders into outs. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Closer to the plate, infielders have less time to reach hard grounders. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Halfway lets them throw home on a slow ball but still reach harder ones. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Charging bunts requires a head start. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The corner infielders move in, often for a bunt, while the middle stays back. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Coaches move fielders with hand signals based on the situation. (Source: General baseball reference)
- In, halfway, then back at normal depth. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The winning run on third calls for the infield in. (Source: General baseball reference)
- With the winning run on third, the infield comes in. (Source: General baseball reference)

## Test 2: The outfield's depth

- Power hitters hit the ball farther. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Weak hitters often loop balls just over the infield. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Late with a lead, teams give up singles but stop extra-base hits. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Keeping the tying run off second base matters most late. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A shallow outfield has a shorter throw to cut down the runner. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Playing in invites balls hit over the outfielders. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Spray charts show where hitters usually hit. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Shallow to throw home, normal, deep to stop extra-base hits. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Giving up a single is fine if the tying run cannot reach scoring position. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Guarding the lines and playing deep prevents doubles. (Source: General baseball reference)

## Test 3: Cut-offs on throws home

- The first baseman lines up between the outfielder and home. (Source: General baseball reference)
- From left field, the third baseman lines up for the cut. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The catcher shouts directions so the cut-off man is on line. (Source: General baseball reference)
- From there he can cut the throw or let it go through. (Source: General baseball reference)
- 'Cut two' sends the cut-off throw to second for the trailing runner. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The catcher wants the throw itself. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Cutting the throw can keep the batter-runner at first. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The catcher decides whether the throw goes through. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Outfielder, cut-off, catcher. (Source: General baseball reference)
- On throws home from right, the first baseman is usually the cut-off. (Source: General baseball reference)

## Test 4: Backing up bases

- Home is the costliest base for a throw to get by, so the pitcher stands well behind it. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The pitcher reads where the throw is going and backs up that base. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The centre fielder is straight behind second. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Until the throw is made he cannot know which base needs him, so he waits in between. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The left fielder moves in behind third base. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Players who back up turn errors into minor mistakes. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Too close and the ball gets past both fielders. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Read, move, back up the base the throw goes to. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Grounders to first come most often in a game. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The pitcher backs up home on throws from the outfield. (Source: General baseball reference)

## Test 5: Covering bases

- The second baseman goes out as cut-off, so the shortstop covers second. (Source: General baseball reference)
- When the shortstop heads into left as the relay, his partner at second keeps the bag. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The shortstop rotates over to cover third. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The pitcher sprints in to cover the plate. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A covered mouth with a closed or open signal says who covers. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The pitcher breaks to first on balls hit to his left. (Source: General baseball reference)
- An uncovered base is an open door for runners. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Charging fielders leave bases that others must cover. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The first baseman covers most; others cover when he is drawn away. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Someone must keep the bag while his partner is out in short right field. (Source: General baseball reference)

## Test 6: Positioning against hitters

- Spray charts show a hitter's tendencies. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Small moves put fielders where balls are likely to go. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Fielders shade towards where a hitter tends to hit. (Source: General baseball reference)
- MLB limited the shift: two infielders each side of second, all on the infield dirt. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The shift had taken away many ground-ball singles. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Ahead in the count, hitters swing harder and pull; behind, they go the other way more. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Knowing an off-speed pitch is coming, they expect more pulled balls. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The chart guides each fielder's move. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Ahead in the count hitters pull more; with two strikes they shorten up. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A map of batted balls is a spray chart. (Source: General baseball reference)

## Test 7: Pop-ups and priorities

- Infielders coming over usually take pop-ups from catchers. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Pitchers point and let an infielder take it. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A loud call claims the ball. (Source: General baseball reference)
- He gives way and moves behind in case it drops. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Outfielders coming in have priority over infielders going out. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Wind can push a pop-up several feet as it falls. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Pointing helps others find the ball in the sky. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Centre fielder first, then corner outfielders, then infielders; the pitcher gives way to all. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The outfielder coming in takes it. (Source: General baseball reference)

## Test 8: Communication on the field

- Knowing the outs decides the play before the ball is hit. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Players signal the outs to each other. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Infield chatter makes sure everyone knows the plan. (Source: General baseball reference)
- He tells fielders who charges and who covers. (Source: General baseball reference)
- It warns a team-mate that a throw would be useless or risky. (Source: General baseball reference)
- An early call leaves time for others to peel off. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Crowd noise makes hand signals and loud calls important. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Outs, coverage, bunt plan, then ready. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Fly-ball calls first; 'cut' and 'let it go' are relay calls. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Fielders show the number of outs with their fingers. (Source: General baseball reference)

## Test 9: Covering the infield on bunts

- The second baseman covers first, so the shortstop covers second. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Landing towards the plate puts him near short bunts. (Source: General baseball reference)
- With the whole play in front of him, he directs the throw. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Throwing across the diamond from the line is long and the runner is in the lane. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The batter gives himself up; take the out he offers. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A hard bunt to a charging fielder can beat the runner to second. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The bench or the catcher signals which bunt play is on. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The catcher's call sends the throw to first. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Two outs is best; nobody out is worst. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The catcher directs the throw on bunts. (Source: General baseball reference)

## Test 10: Defensive alignment by situation

- A ground ball could end the inning with two outs. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Any ground ball to first ends the inning. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Any grounder can be thrown home for a force. (Source: General baseball reference)
- With two outs, a steal matters less than covering the hole. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Moving behind the runner makes him think about a pickoff. (Source: General baseball reference)
- With the winning run on third, teams sometimes bring an outfielder in. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Only two outfielders cover the whole outfield. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Back for the out at first, double-play depth, then in for the force at home. (Source: General baseball reference)
- With the winning run on third, the five-man infield tries to cut it off. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Bringing an outfielder in gives five infielders. (Source: General baseball reference)

Sources: General baseball references, WBSC and league material, coaching manuals; original questions authored, nothing reproduced. Numbered rules belong to the Rules category.

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