How to Set a Batting Order in Baseball

Use statistics to evaluate your players' strengths and weaknesses.

Every baseball team needs a batting order, whether you are coaching in Little League or in the Major Leagues. Putting your hitters in a smart order allows you to take advantage of your players' strengths and weaknesses. Before you can set your lineup, you need to test your players for such abilities as foot speed, power and contact ability. Remember that juggling a lineup can sometimes shake your team out of a slump, so don't be afraid to tinker with your batting order throughout your season.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. Make your fastest player who is also a smart base runner your lead-off hitter. The lead-off hitter needs to get on base a lot, either through hits or walks. If you have a fast runner with a low on-base percentage, consider batting him last. Find a hitter who handles the bat well to bat in the second spot. Make sure he can bunt effectively, take a pitch when a base runner is trying to steal and make contact during a hit-and-run play.

2. Place your best hitter in the third spot. He should have a high batting average and above-average speed. Find a left-handed hitter, if possible, so he can ground the ball to first base when a runner is on third to score a run. Place your best power hitter in the fourth, or "cleanup," spot so he can drive home the players in front of him. Place your second-best power hitter in the fifth spot. This ensures that an opposing team cannot intentionally walk the cleanup hitter to face a weak hitter.

3. Set the bottom of your lineup with other players. Your six, seven and eight hitters are generally not as skilled hitters as the rest of your order. Replicate your one, two and three order with these spots if you can, with speed, followed by contact, followed by average or power. If you are not using the designated hitter rule, place the pitcher in the ninth spot. If you are, find someone with the attributes of a leadoff hitter for the ninth spot.

4. Use other smart tricks to tweak your lineup. Alternate right-handed and left-handed hitters if you can. This prevents opposing teams from bringing in a left- or right-handed specialist pitcher to face a number of hitters in a row. Bat your pitcher eighth on occasion to allow your ninth hitter to be a second leadoff man.

References

• Web Ball: 9-Man Batting Order

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish