Regular Season Nov 21, 2009
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Small ball is an offensive strategy in baseball in which the batting team emphasizes placing runners on base and advancing them into position to score in a deliberate, methodical way. This style of play places a high value on each run scored and attempts to score them without extra-base hits, instead using singles, walks, stolen bases, sacrifice flies, bunts and the hit and run. The 2005 World Series champion Chicago White Sox won the title using this philosophy, and Wichita State ran into the University of California-Irvine small-ball buzz saw last spring in the NCAA Super Regional. Some teams swear by it, others rely on power hitters and maximum scoring potential.
How does small ball fit into your team's strategy?
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Jay Miller
Valley Center |
 | Small ball plays an important part in my coaching. At this level you must be able to execute the small things, such as bunting, bunt and run, hit and run, sacrifice bunts and squeeze plays in order to move runners into scoring position. We work on these daily and I stress that, if successful, it will disrupt the defense and pitchers' momentum. We rely on being successful with small ball and being smart at the plate. We have a few guys that will be able to come through with decent power, but mainly small ball will help make us successful. |
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Steve Williams
Hutchinson |
 | In high school especially, where offense is erratic and very unpredictable, using a form of small ball is a very effective tool. Twenty-one outs in a game is not very many, however, so we like to play a more aggressive form of small ball than most teams to avoid ever giving outs away. Putting pressure on the other team's defense usually yields some positive results for us and is something we have tried to do for about as long as I have been coaching in Kansas. |
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Don Patterson
Douglass |
 | We are a small ball team. We attempt to put pressure on the defense with our bunt game and the hit and run. We teach being patient at the plate and working the count - getting the base on balls, or getting something good to hit as the count goes up. Putting pressure on the defense is huge in high school baseball. If you put the ball in play, good things will happen. |
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Trent Nesmith
Wichita Collegiate |
 | I am a firm believer that productive outs are as important as power. I want players that will hit for average and give a quality at-bat each time. If we bunt, advance runners, and run a little, we stay out of the double play. The other team’s starting pitcher and the weather are also factors in deciding whether we’ll give up an out to advance a runner into scoring position. |
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