How to Use the Squeeze Play

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By eHow Contributing Writer

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The "squeeze play" is one of baseball's ways of "manufacturing" a run. For example--a team gets a runner on base with a walk. The player steals second base. He is then sacrificed to third. The next batter lays down a bunt as the runner on third comes racing towards the plate. The catcher and pitcher can't make a play at home plate---a successful squeeze. A run has been "manufactured" without a hit. Read on to learn more.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Work with your fastest players on base running skills. They must learn how to take large leads, read pitchers and when to break.
Step 2

Work with your players who hit behind your best base runners on bunting skills. A specific bunting skill that players must develop is the ability to get a bat on the ball when it is thrown outside the hitting zone because if a pitcher senses a squeeze play coming, he will try to throw a pitch that can't be bunted. That's why knowing how to break for the plate without tipping off the squeeze is a necessary skill for the base runner.
Step 3

Work with both batters and runners so they don't tip off when a squeeze is coming.
Step 4

Use the squeeze often enough so your players can execute it well. If the other team knows you are capable of executing well, this also has an extra advantage of allowing you to fake the squeeze. This will force a pitcher to throw from the stretch and also can be a bothersome distraction.
Step 5

Use the squeeze when the batter is ahead on the count. For example, 2 and 1 or 3 and 1.
Step 6

Use both the safety squeeze and the suicide squeeze. When your players become more proficient at execution and when you have a runner on third with no outs or one out, use one of these. The suicide squeeze is where the runner breaks for home plate as soon as the pitcher is committed to a pitch. The safety squeeze is where the runner breaks but slows long enough to see if a bunt is successfully laid down. The safety squeeze requires greater bizarreness skills.

Comments

cartercr said

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on 7/8/2008 Try using the suicide squeeze in a desperate situation, the oposing defence might be under to much pressure to make a play. If they dont make a play then you get a run and a runner.