The Red Cloud chief., 1913-05-29

der the most desperate conditions or
against a pitcher who palpably Is 10
''rattled" that he is blind to every.
thing except the man at the plate and
allows the runner flying start. Then
an instant Of hesitation by the pitcher
may make the steal a success. II 10
good Judgment. at times, for fleet,
daring man who Ia good slider, to
steal when the batter Is helpless be-
fore pitcher and when two are out
The double steal. executed with run.
ners on first and third Is. according to
the closest students Of the game,
proper under the following conditions:
When two men are out and weak
batter or a slow runner is ut tho plate.
| and when one run IL needed to win the
gamc-the play In the latter case be-
| Ing justiflable with no one out, or with
two out-but not with only one out.
Many judges object to the play unless
two are out-but last season | saw
1t worked repeatedly by clever teams
with no one out. With runners on
first and third and u decent catcher
working. the double steal worked to
get n runner over the plate, ought
not to succeed In more than two cases
In seven.
In the defensive end of the game
every situation is II study of the bat
ter, and. going beyond the individual
batters II Is n study Of the stage OF
the game. The great problems OF the
game are: When to play the inleld
close to choose between attempting
u double play when runners are on
first and third and letting the run
count, and above all TO place the out.
the game
| The Commonest blunGCrs OF really
great managers and players are made
In the disposition OF the outficld A
great many captains who arrange
their iniield carefully pay little attcn
ton to the second line of defense, and
really they rely more upon the in
tividual brain work Of the outiield
than they do Of the inhelders. This
is partly because they are more close.
ly in touch with the infed and partly
because Of the fewer chances for the
outiiold to get into n vital play.
The outfield problems really are
more vexing than those Of the inneld
The situation mainly is forced upon
one or none out. aud the run means Il
tie or defeat. the inileld Is compelled
TO come forward In the early stages
of the game the manager Is forced to
decide whether to allow the run to
score. or to try to cut II off. and must
base his Judgment on the ability of
his pitcher to hold the other team to
n low score and of his own hittcrs TO
bat in enough runs to win. Teams
such as Detroit and the Athletics,
hardhitting and free scoring teams.
can afford to let the other team gain
run, rather than risk its getting two
or three, as they can score more later
Teams such as the old Chicago White
Soy, the hitless wonders" OF the
American league, could not allow the
opposing team a run and had to play
the closest inside game.
Many of the better major league
teams, that Is, those possessing fast
inflelders, will vary the play wher
runners are on first and third, one on,
and q run to be cut OF from the plate
by playing the first baseman and thirt
baseman close. and bringing the short
stop and second baseman forward
only part of the way-holding them
in position either to make long fast
throw to the plate or to try for the
double play from second to first.
have seen Evers and Tinker make the
double play from second to first even
when both were playing close. chang
ing their plan like flash, covering
second and relaying the ball to first
at top speed. although they had played
in to throw to the plate.
One of the greatest variations of the
play / ever witnessed was made BY
McInnis of the Athletics. Collins ant
Barry were playing perhaps twelve
, feet closer to the plate than they ordi
narily do. runners were on first and
!, third, one out and run needed tc
, beat the champions Collins and Bar
ry intended to try the double play Il
, It was possible and to throw home Il
1t was not McInnis and Baker were