Editing Baseball rules (section)

===Fielding team===<!-- This section is linked from [[Terry Puhl]] -->
{{see also|Baseball positions|Baseball positioning}}
[[File:Baseball positions.svg|thumb|The standard fielding positions]]
The squad in the field is the defensive team; they attempt to prevent the baserunners from scoring. There are nine defensive positions, but only two have a mandatory location (pitcher and catcher). The locations of the other seven fielders are not specified by the rules, except that at the moment the pitch is delivered, they must be positioned in fair territory and not in the space between the pitcher and the catcher. These fielders often shift their [[baseball positioning|positioning]] in response to specific batters or game situations, and they may exchange positions with one another at any time.

The nine positions most commonly used (with the number scorekeepers use) are: pitcher (1), catcher (2), first baseman (3), second baseman (4), third baseman (5), shortstop (6), left fielder (7), center fielder (8), and right fielder (9). Note that, in rare cases, teams may use dramatically differing schemes, such as switching an outfielder for an infielder. The numbering convention was established by [[Henry Chadwick (baseball writer)|Henry Chadwick]]. The reason the shortstop seems out of order has to do with the way fielders positioned themselves in the early years of the game; the shortstop was positioned in the shallow outfield. Each position is weighted on the [[defensive spectrum]] in terms of difficulty. The most difficult position is the catcher, while the least difficult is first base. Designated hitter, while on the scale, is not part of the defense at all. Pitchers, while part of the active defense, are so specialized in their role that they usually make only routine plays.

====The battery====
The ''[[battery (baseball)|battery]]'' is composed of the ''[[pitcher]]'', who stands on the rubber of the mound, which is also known as the pitching plate, and the ''[[catcher]]'', who squats behind home plate. These are the two fielders who always deal directly with the batter on every pitch, hence the term "battery", coined by [[Henry Chadwick (baseball writer)|Henry Chadwick]] and later reinforced by the implied comparison to [[artillery]] fire.

The pitcher's main role is to [[pitch (baseball)|pitch]] the ball toward home plate with the goal of getting the batter [[out (baseball)|out]]. Pitchers also play defense by fielding batted balls, [[Covering a base|covering bases]] (for a potential [[tag out]] or [[force play|force out]] on an approaching runner), or backing up throws. The catcher's main role is to receive the pitch if the batter does not hit it. Together with the pitcher and coaches, the catcher plots game strategy by suggesting different pitches and by shifting the starting positions of the other fielders. Catchers are also responsible for defense in the area near home plate (such as [[Uncaught third strike|dropped third strikes]] and [[wild pitch]]es) or baserunning plays, most commonly when an opposing player attempts to [[Stolen base|steal a base]]. Due to the exceptional difficulty of the position, catchers are universally valued for their defensive prowess as opposed to their ability to hit.

====The infielders====
The four infielders are the ''[[first baseman]]'', ''[[second baseman]]'', ''[[shortstop]]'', and ''[[third baseman]]''. Originally the first, second and third basemen played very near their respective bases, and the shortstop generally played "in" (hence the term), covering the area between second, third, and the pitchers box, or wherever the game situation required. As the game evolved, the fielding positions changed to the now-familiar "umbrella", with the first and third baseman generally positioned a short distance toward second base from their bases, the second baseman to the right side of second base standing further away from the base than any other infielder, and the shortstop playing to the left of second base, as seen from the batter's perspective.

The [[first baseman]]'s job consists largely of making plays at first base on [[ground ball]]s hit to the other [[infielder]]s. When an infielder picks up a ball from the ground hit by the [[Batter (baseball)|batter]], he must throw it to the first baseman who has to catch the ball and maintain contact with the base before the batter gets to it for the batter to be out. The need to do this quickly often requires the first baseman to stretch one of his legs to touch first base while catching the ball simultaneously. The first baseman must be able to catch the ball very well and usually wears a specially designed [[Baseball glove|mitt]]. The first baseman fields balls hit near first base. The first baseman also has to receive throws from the pitcher in order to tag runners out who have reached base safely. The position is less physically challenging than the other positions, but there is still a lot of skill involved. Infielders do not always make good throws to first base, so it is the first baseman's job to field any ball thrown toward him cleanly. Older players who can no longer fulfill the demands of their original positions also often become first basemen.

The second baseman covers the area to the first-base side of second base and provides backup for the first baseman in [[bunt (baseball)|bunt]] situations. He also is a cut-off for the [[outfield]]. The cut-off provides an intermediary between an outfielder and the infield so that the outfielder does not have to throw the entire distance if they have been forced to field the ball near the outer edge of the outfield. The shortstop fills the critical gap between second and third bases—where right-handed batters generally hit ground balls—and also covers second or third base and the near part of [[left field]]. This player is also a cut-off for the outfield. This position is the most demanding defensively, so a good shortstop doesn't need to necessarily be a skilled batter, though this has changed in modern times. The third baseman's primary requirement is a strong throwing arm, in order to make the long throw across the infield to the first baseman. Quick [[reaction time]] is also important for third basemen, as they tend to see more sharply-hit balls than do the other infielders, thus the nickname for third base as the "hot corner". Also, because there are far more right-handed hitters than lefties, there are more ground balls hit to the left side of the infield due to the natural motion of the batter's swing.

====The outfielders====
The three outfielders, ''[[left fielder]]'', ''[[center fielder]]'', and ''[[right fielder]]'', are so named from the [[catcher]]'s perspective looking out onto the field. The [[right fielder]] generally has the strongest arm of all the [[outfielder]]s due to the need to make throws on runners attempting to take [[Third baseman|third base]]. The [[center fielder]] has more territory to cover than the corner [[outfielder]]s, so this player must be quick and agile with a strong arm to throw balls into the [[Infielder|infield]]; as with the [[shortstop]], teams tend to emphasize defense at this position. Also, the [[center fielder]] is considered the [[outfield]] leader, and left- and right-fielders often cede to his direction when fielding [[Batted ball|fly ball]]s. Of all outfielders, the ''[[left fielder]]'' often has the weakest arm, as they generally do not need to throw the ball as far in order to prevent the advance of any baserunners. The left fielder still requires good fielding and catching skills, and typically receives more balls than the right fielder due to the fact that right-handed hitters, who are much more common, tend to "pull" the ball into left field. Each outfielder runs to "back up" a nearby outfielder who attempts to field a ball hit near both their positions. Outfielders also run to back up infielders on batted balls and thrown balls, including pick-off attempts from the [[pitcher]] or from the [[catcher]].

====Defensive strategy====

=====Pitching=====
[[File:baseball pitching motion 2004.jpg|thumb|left|The typical motion of a right-handed pitcher]]
{{main|Pitcher}}

Effective pitching is critical to a baseball team, as pitching is the key for the defensive team to retire batters and to prevent runners from getting on base. A full game usually involves over one hundred pitches thrown by each team. However, most pitchers begin to tire before they reach this point. In previous eras, pitchers would often throw up to four complete games (all nine innings) in a week. With new advances in medical research and thus a better understanding of how the human body functions and tires out, starting pitchers tend more often to throw fractions of a game (typically six or seven innings, depending on their performance) about every five days (though a few complete games do still occur each year).

A single game often requires multiple pitchers, including the [[starting pitcher]] and [[relief pitcher]](s). Pitchers are substituted for one another like any other player (see above), and the rules do not limit the number of pitchers that can be used in a game; the only limiting factor is the size of the squad, naturally. In general, starting pitchers are not used in relief situations except sometimes during the post-season when every game is vital. If a game runs into many extra innings, a team may well empty its [[bullpen]]. If it then becomes necessary to use a "position player" as a pitcher, major league teams generally have certain players designated as emergency relief pitchers, to avoid the embarrassment of using a less skillful player. In baseball's early years, squads were smaller, and relief pitchers were relatively uncommon, with the starter normally remaining for the entire game unless he was either thoroughly ineffective or became injured. Today, with a much greater emphasis on pitch count, over the course of a single game each team will frequently use from two to five pitchers. In the [[2005 American League Championship Series|2005]] [[American League Championship Series|ALCS]], all four of the [[Chicago White Sox]] victories were complete games by the starters, a highly noteworthy event in the modern game.

While delivering the ball, the pitcher has a great arsenal at his disposal in the variation of location, velocity, movement, and arm position (see [[list of baseball pitches|types of pitches]]). Most pitchers attempt to master two or three types of pitches; some pitchers throw up to six types of pitches with varying degrees of control. Common pitches include a [[fastball]], which is the ball thrown at high speed; a [[curveball]], which is made to curve by rotation imparted by the pitcher; a [[change-up]], which seeks to mimic the delivery of a fastball, but arrives at significantly lower velocity; a [[Split Finger Fastball#Split-finger fastball|splitfinger fastball]], which attempts to mimic the delivery of a fastball, but has slight topspin rotation allowing the baseball to sink as it approaches the batter due to the position of the index finger and middle finger being "split" on the baseball; a [[Slider (baseball)|slider]], which is made to curve laterally by rotation imparted by the pitcher; a [[knuckleball]], which is held either by the knuckles closest to the nails or by the nails themselves letting the pitcher throw a baseball with little or no spin on the ball allowing the baseball to move in any direction; a [[Vulcan changeup]], which seeks to mimic the delivery of a fastball, but arrives at a significant lower velocity due to the pitcher holding the baseball with the middle and ring fingers slightly apart; a [[circle changeup]], which is held in the palm of the hand with the index finger curled around the side of the baseball, allowing the pitcher to mimic the delivery of a fastball, but arrives at a significantly lower velocity.

To illustrate pitching strategy, consider the "fastball/change-up" combination: The average major-league pitcher can throw a fastball around {{convert|90|mph|kph}}, and a few pitchers have even exceeded {{convert|100|mph}}. The change-up is thrown somewhere between {{convert|75|and|85|mph}}. Since the batter's timing is critical to hitting a pitch, a batter swinging to hit what looks like a fastball, would be terribly fooled (swing and miss, hopefully) when the pitch turns out to be a much slower change-up.

Some pitchers choose to throw using the '[[Submarine (baseball)|submarine style]],' a very efficient sidearm or near-underhand motion. Pitchers with a submarine delivery are often very difficult to hit because of the angle and movement of the ball once released. [[Walter Johnson]], who threw one of the fastest fastballs in the history of the game, threw sidearm (though not submarine) rather than a normal overhand. True underhanded pitching is permitted in Major League Baseball. However, it is difficult to generate enough velocity and movement with the underhand motion. Among modern Major League pitchers, [[Chad Bradford]] had the closest to an underhand delivery, with his knuckles sometimes scraping the ground. However, he is still usually considered a "submarine" pitcher.

One example of variation in professional leagues is the use of a [[pitch clock]], which some leagues use to speed up the game's [[pace of play]]. The rule was first implemented in [[college baseball]] in [[2010 Southeastern Conference baseball tournament|2010]], and added to certain levels of [[Minor League Baseball]] in 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2010/05/pitch-clock-for-baseball-experiment-begins-in-sec/1|title=Pitch clock for baseball? Experiment begins in SEC|work=USAToday.com |date=May 26, 2010|access-date=October 12, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110824012339/http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2010/05/pitch-clock-for-baseball-experiment-begins-in-sec/1|archive-date=August 24, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Pitch clock for Double-A, Triple-A use|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/12172716/mlb-use-pitch-clock-double-triple-games|website=[[ESPN]]|date=15 January 2015|access-date=October 11, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151002220143/http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/12172716/mlb-use-pitch-clock-double-triple-games|archive-date=October 2, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nola.com/tulane/index.ssf/2011/03/ncaa_rules_for_college_basebal.html |title=NCAA rules for college baseball are designed to speed up the game |date=7 March 2011 |access-date=2015-10-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160125183902/http://www.nola.com/tulane/index.ssf/2011/03/ncaa_rules_for_college_basebal.html |archive-date=2016-01-25 |url-status=live }}</ref> The clock was introduced to Major League Baseball starting in the [[2023 Major League Baseball season]], establishing a 15 second time limit between pitches with the bases empty, and 20 seconds with at least one baserunner, as well as an automatic ball for violations of the clock.<ref name="manfred">{{cite news|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-2023-rule-changes-pitch-timer-larger-bases-shifts |title=Pitch timer, shift restrictions among announced rule changes for '23 |first=Anthony |last=Castrovince |publisher=[[MLB Advanced Media]]|location=[[New York City|New York]] |date=September 9, 2022 |access-date=September 9, 2022}}</ref> The rule does not exist in other top-level leagues, such as Japan's [[Nippon Professional Baseball]] (NPB), where there exists some resistance to its adoption.<ref>{{cite news |title=What is good about Japanese baseball? A Canadian Hanshin fan's wish: "Don't chase all the new MLB rules." |url=https://www.daily.co.jp/tigers/trevor/2023/05/15/0016349855.shtml |agency=[[Daily Sports (Japanese newspaper)|Daily Sports]] |date=May 15, 2023 |language=ja}}</ref> South Korea's [[KBO League]] said in 2023 that it would implement a pitch clock "at the earliest possible date."<ref name="yonhap">{{cite news |title=KBO to bring back full-time manager for nat'l team, adopt pitch clock |url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20230720003500315 |agency=Yonhap News Agency |date=July 20, 2023}}</ref>

=====Fielding strategy=====
[[File:West Side Park 1906 World Series.JPG|thumb|[[1906 World Series]], infielders playing "in" for the expected bunt and the possible play at the plate with the [[bases loaded]]]]

Only the pitcher's and catcher's locations are fixed, and then only at the beginning of each pitch. Thus, the players on the field move around as needed to defend against scoring a run. Many variations of this are possible, as location depends upon the situation. Circumstances such as the number of outs, the count (balls and strikes) on the batter, the number and speed of runners, the ability of the fielders, the ability of the pitcher, the type of pitch thrown, the tendencies of the hitter, and the inning cause the fielders to move to more strategic locations on the field. Common defensive strategies include: playing for the bunt, trying to prevent a [[stolen base]], moving to a shallow position to throw out a runner at home, playing at "[[double play]] depth", and moving fielders to locations where hitters are most likely to hit the ball.

[[Infield shift]]s were restricted by the OBR starting in 2023, which mandated that two infielders must be positioned on either side of second base before each pitch is thrown.<ref name="manfred" /> South Korea's KBO League is expected to introduce a similar restriction in 2025.<ref name="yonhap" />