A ball club's outfield has three major assignments when in the field:

1. Take a base hit away from a batter whenever possible. (Catch the fly ball).
2. Cut down the length of base hits. (Hustle and work together to hold the batter and/or runners to the minimum number of bases).
3. Keep runners from advancing whenever possible. (Throw to the right base; throw strongly and accurately).

Every move the outfielder makes has one of the three points we've named as its objective. These suggestions will help:

The outfielder, to repeat a point, should watch the batter and not the pitcher, as the ball is being delivered to the plate. Outfielder's line of vision should be so adjusted that the top of the batter's head comes just under the peak of the put-fielder's cap. (New hats have a little fuzz along the under edge. This should be burned off).

As the batter strides to hit, the outfielder leans forward slightly, raises the heels off the ground and takes one small step forward. He should listen to the sound of the bat meeting ball. With a little experience it will tell him how well the ball has been hit.

On balls driven to right or left, the outfielder uses the "cross-over" step. If he's going to his right, his first move is to pivot right and take the first step toward the ball with his left foot. The opposite to the opposite side.

The outfielder always breaks fast! On fly balls to his area, he should not-as he starts-try to time his approach to the arrival of the ball. After the '"jump", with runners on base, the outfielder can use some momentum to make a throw. But, if no throw is going to be involved, he wants to be waiting to catch the ball when it comes down. A slow-starting, lazy outfielder is a threat to the success of the ball club.

To catch the ball, outfielders-any fielder, for that matter-ought to use both hands if possible. With runners on base, balls above the waist should be caught with the thumbs together and fingers pointing up; below the waist with little fingers together and fingers pointing down. If there is no one on base and the outfielder is camped under a high fly ball, he should catch the ball with the backs of his hands facing the ground and held close to the body.

When a fly ball is hit over an outfielder's head, he should turn his back to the plate. If it's not going to be too deep, outfielder can watch it over his shoulder as he runs. If he judges that the ball is really going for a ride, he should take his eyes off it and concentrate on running, then look back for the ball.

As the outfielder runs, by the way, he should stay on his toes. If he runs with his heels hitting the ground his head will go up and down and every fly ball will look to him as though it's a yo-yo.

When an outfielder has to play the "sun field" (with the sun full in his face), he should block out the sun's rays with the outstretched palm of the bare hand from the time the pitcher starts the windup until the play is concluded.

The line drive gives the outfielder the most trouble. When they are in front, they sink fast. When they're to the side and overhead, they curve. And, of course, they travel!

As the outfielder drives in for a low liner, he's got to make a decision: Can I catch it? Or should I let it bounce? The score, the inning and whether there are runners on base weight this decision. If it's a tough chance and the defensive team is well ahead, it's worth a try. If two are out and none are on in the early innings and no score, again its obvious that the outfielder should make the try. But, if it's a tight ball game, he'd better play the bounce. If the ball gets by it might go for two or three bases.

When a right-handed batter lashes a liner to the outfield, it curves toward right field. A line drive off the bat of a left hand hitter curves toward left. Thus, when a line drive is hit directly over an outfielder's head, outfielder should turn to his left if the hitter is right-handed and to his right if the hitter is lefthanded. That way, the ball will curve toward him and not away.

When an outfielder trots out to his position, he should do two things: Check the direction of the wind and check his position against those of the other outfielders.

More often than not, fields used by amateurs are not marked properly. Very seldom is the foul line extended beyond 1st or 3rd base. If this is the case, the right and left fielders, with the aid of the catcher, should mark the line next to their positions. (They can put a small stick in the ground and tie a handkerchief to it, or put a stone on top of a piece of white paper).

This is important, because an outfield makes its adjustments from the foul lines. With a right hand hitter at bat, for example, the outfielder is usually adjusted from left to right. The left fielder stays close enough to this foul line to catch anything that's in fair territory. The center fielder stays close enough to the left fielder so that the two of them can cover all the territory in between. The right fielder then makes his adjustment with the same thought in mind. But, it all starts, you see, with the foul line.

LEAVE ONE HOLE

Under ordinary circumstances, the outfield plays so that only one "hole*' is exposed to the hitter. If the outfield played at normal depth, and spread out so that all the territory between the foul lines was divided equally, four "holes" would exist for the hitter-along the left field line, in left-center, in right-center and along the right field line. To offset this, the outfielder would normally "crowd" the left field line against a right hand hitter and the right field line against the left hand hitter. In this way, too, the one hole will be where the batter is least likely to hit the ball.

It's also generally true that the hitter will hit to the "opposite field" with less than average power. Obviously, then, the "opposite field" player-right fielder playing a right hand hitter, for example-should be in closer than the other two outfielders.

"TOGETHERNESS"

The reader should begin to realize by now that the outfield plays as a unit and not as three individuals when a ball is hit by the batsman. The outfield not only makes adjustments before the ball is hit, as we've said, but during its flight and after it is reached by a fielder. Here are some examples:

When a ground ball is hit between two fielders, the nearest one should try to cut it off as quickly as possible. (Just as the third baseman tries to cut off the ground ball going between him and the shortstop). His teammate, on the other hand, should run deeper so that if the ball gets through the first outfielder it won't go any farther.

The center fielder makes the "call" on all balls hit to his right or left.

The outfielder makes the call on all fly balls dropping behind the infield.

Sometimes an extra base hit gets by an outfielder and rolls for some distance. The nearest outfielder should cut in between the infielder waiting for the relay and the boy chasing the ball. (Two relays in this situation).

Outfielders should back each other up on every play.

Each outfielder should back up the base in front of him on every infield play.

On a hit to right, the left fielder should move so he's on a line with a possible throw from right field to 2nd base.

On a hit to left, the right fielder should move so he's on a line with a possible throw from left field to 2nd base.

The center fielder should back up all throws from the catcher or pitcher to 2nd base. (This applies to the catcher's practice throw to 2nd between innings).

"THINK AHEAD-BE AHEAD"

To keep runners from advancing freely, the outfielder must think ahead. With runners on base, he should know, before the pitch, just what he's going to do with the ball if it comes to him on the ground or on the fly. Junior league outfielders have more trouble with this aspect of play than any other. Yet, it's relatively simple. Usually, there is only one decision to make-IF the outfielder "reads" the situation in advance.

Let's try the easier ones first.

On all extra base hits-with one exception- the outfielder retrieving the ball throws to the relay man. The exception applies to the double with none on. The outfielder asks himself: "Can I get the runner going into 2nd, or can't I?" If the ball is not too deep and the outfielder is in good position, he might wish to throw directly to 2nd, instead of to the relay man.

With a runner on 1st base, the outfielder should realize, in advance, that the runner will try to go to 3rd on a single. Should he throw every ball he fields to 3rd? Of course not. If the ball is hit sharply and the outfielder makes a fast, clean pickup, he's got a chance. So he throws to 3rd. If the ball is not hit sharply and handled slowly, he throws to 2nd to keep the hitter from taking an additional base.

With a runner on 1st base, then, the outfielder again has but one decision to make-"do I have a chance at 3rd, or don't I?" With practice, he'll know the answer automatically.

With a runner on 2nd base, the outfielder knows a single may mean a score. Again, he has to make one decision-"can I get the man at the plate?"

With a runner on 1st and 2nd, the outfielder has an option-home, 3rd, or 2nd in that order. If he has a chance to prevent the runner on 2nd from scoring, he should fire away at the plate.

If he's in right field and he doesn't have a chance at the plate, he probably won't be able to get the runner going from 1st to 3rd either. So his throw wants to go to 2nd.

A slightly different situation presents itself to the left and center fielder, however. If they can't catch the runner at home, they should throw to 3rd. The runner on 1st will either be trying to make it to 3rd-and if he does, a throw from center or left should be good for a put-out-or he will hold at 2nd.

With the bases loaded, the outfielder ignores the runner on 3rd, as he will score easily on a base hit. He makes the play as though only 1st and 2nd were occupied.

On deep fly balls, the outfielder can expect a runner at 2nd or 3rd to "tag up" and try to advance after the catch. Again there is one decision-"can my throw reach the base ahead of the lead runner in time for a put-out?" If the answer is "yes," the outfielder makes his bid for the out. If not, he makes the throw ahead of the second runner, or simply returns the ball to the infield.

When the winning run is on 3rd late in the ball game, the outfielder should not attempt to catch a fly ball in foul territory unless outfielder can surely keep the runner from scoring. If the outfielder is on the visiting team and the tying run is on 3rd in the ninth inning, he should also let the deep foul fly drop.

"FIELD ON ONE HOP. THROW ON ONE HOP"

Like the line drive, the ground ball gives young outfielders a lot of trouble.

Most beginners will move in front of a ground ball and wait for it to come to wherever they stand. This bad habit should be broken quickly. The outfielder ought to realize this:

1. The longer it takes to reach the ball, the more distance the base runner covers.
2. The ball slows up with each bounce. As it loses force, the bounce becomes more erratic-so erratic it will often elude the outfielder just as he reaches for it.

Get to the ball as quickly as possible-don't wait for the ball to come to you. Whenever possible, field it on "one hop." That first bounce will be strong and true, the easiest to handle. Go get it!

If the ball has been hugging the ground for a long distance before reaching the outfielder, he must be extra careful so as not to let it go through his legs. Some out- fielders turn the body sideways and drop to one knee to block the ball. Youngsters using this technique have a tendency to get down on the blocking knee too soon. Then, if the ball bounces a little off line as it reaches them, the outfielder can't move quickly enough to get in front of it After fielding the ball, the outfielder has to get to outfielder's feet to throw. The professionals can do it quickly and easily. This is not always true with boys.

To block the "grass cutter," youngsters are advised to use the trap position suggested for the third baseman. Get in front of the ball, drop to a deep squat with feet together, hands and elbows between the knees and glove on the ground.

When an outfielder throws to a base from normal depth to catch a runner, he has these objectives:

(a) Throw the ball where the cut-off man can reach it.

(b) Throw the ball so that the infielder at the base can receive it at knee height.

This can be accomplished by throwing the ball directly overhand to get the back spin and by throwing at the cut-off man's head. If the cut-off man is at the correct distance from the base, the ball will arrive with one bounce, just right for the tag play.

When the outfielder is close to the infield, however, he should throw "on the fly." The ball should be thrown hard and arrive about waist high. As a general rule, outfielders should always throw one base ahead of the runner, rarely behind.