Baseball is a game of individuals and confrontations between individuals. At that moment when the pitcher stares into the catcher's mitt, scratches himself, gets into his windup, and fires the pitch home, it's all between him and the batter. There may
fielders in set and ready position on the field, baserunners languishing off their bases, and teammates and coaches watching anxiously from the dugout, but during those few nanoseconds of drama, baseball becomes a two player game. Likewise, on virtuall
any play - a flyball, a grounder, a popup etc. - all attention focuses only on the fielder and perhaps the runner that he will attempt to throw out. All plays that is, except for the hit-and-run.
Simply put, a hit and run is a play in which a runner on any base (usually first) takes off as soon as the pitcher releases the ball, and the batter at the plate attempts to make contact no matter what kind of pitch he gets and wherever it's thrown.
Baseball hit by Williams
Hit & Run (top) and Grand Theft Auto III (bottom)....
Hit and Run (album)Wi
the exception of a double steal, the hit and run is the only play in which two players on the offensive team work in conjunction with one another. The coach or manager who makes the call must take care to select an instance in which the runner can get
decent jump and the pitcher throws a good pitch to hit. The batter must make every attempt to put the ball in play, or if he cannot, do anything he can to 'protect the runner'; meaning he must time and place his swing accurately enough to block the catc
r's ability to see the fielder covering second and throw accurately. Obviously, the hitter and runner both have to be aware that they will be attempting to execute a hit and run and the...