How to Play Softball - #1

Surprisingly, there is more to softball than cool uniforms, Big League Chew and beer. Luckily for us, not much more. Still, I thought that maybe it was time to give everyone a refresher on a few rules of the game.

I think we all pretty much understand that three strikes make a strikeout and four balls make a walk. In our league, all foul balls count as strikes...even the third one. Also, and I know this has come up, if the defense catches a ball that you popped up in foul territory, it's still an out.

After hitting the ball, you run to first. In our league, there are two first bases. Run to the orange one unless you are thinking of continuing on to second. Orangey is there so that we avoid collisions at whitey. The first baseman will use the white one and the runner will use the orange.

Also, and this is very important, if you are running out a single you can totally overrun first base. So after you hit it, feel free to all out sprint down the line because you do not need to jam on the brakes at first. Just run as fast as you can and make sure you touch the base as you zoom on by it into right field.

Which reminds me, right field is on your right when you're standing at home plate looking out at the field. When you are in the field you might be tempted to think it's the other way around, but I assure you it's like this...and like that and like this.

But back to the lecture at hand.

You can run through first base into right field without being in danger of anybody tagging you out. That is, as long as you don't act like you're gonna go to second. As soon as you make a left hand turn in the direction of second, you are free game. Also, you don't get the same wiggle room on any other base. First is the only base you can run through. Let's all repeat that. First is the only base you can run through. Now, once for the grammar sticklers out there. First is the only base through which you can run. Thank you.

Once safely on first, talk to your base coach about the current situation. Depending on their level of sobriety, they may have some good advice.

If there are less than two outs, you're gonna have to do some thinking...and it would be great if that thinking involved knowing when to run. If the ball is hit in the air, stay on the bag until you know if it will be caught or not. If you're feeling real good about your skillz, maybe stand a little bit off the bag knowing that you can get back to it if you need to.

If a fly ball is caught and you're off the base, the defense can throw the ball to the base and get you out. They don't need to tag you, they just need to tag the base.

The act of staying on the base until the ball is caught is known as "tagging up." Once the ball is caught, if you are on base, you are free to attempt taking another base...preferably the next one in order. Again, your potentially sober base coach will come in handy here. If you think you can make it safely you should start running as soon as the ball hits the fielder's glove.

Of course, if the ball drops safely you'd better start running.

Also, if you are on base and there are two outs things get real easy. Just run as soon as the bat hits the ball. Since there are already two outs, it just doesn't matter if the fielder catches it or not. No one has ever been the fourth out...except for that one time against the Luck Dragons where the ump kept giving them extra ones.

Another thing that we get confused on is the difference between a "force out" and a "tag out."

When you are on first base and the batter hits a grounder, you've got nowhere to go but second base. If you stay on first the person who hit the ball will be there too. You can't have that, therefore, you've got to go to second. In fact, you could say that you are being "forced" to go there. In this situation, if the ball beats you to the base, yer outta there. No tagging is needed.

However, when you're headed to second of your own free will - perhaps while "tagging up" - then the defense must apply the tag. Many of you question why I was not out last week when I slid into to second base well after the ball had arrived at the base. This was because I am awesome. Also, it was because the second baseman did not tag me. But why didn't they tag me? You guessed it; because I'm awesome.

I know there are a lot of variables, a lot of quick decisions to be made and great potential for crippling panic to set in while on the base paths, so I hope this helps you out a little.

That's probably enough rules stuff for today so just chill till the next episode.