several feet back of the base line. For a
very fast runner he should move nearer the batter, and, if there is
danger of a "bunt," he may even have to play well inside the diamond,
though, as before said, all such hits should be attended to by the
pitcher. For a batter who hits along the foul-line, he will play nearer
his base, and for one who invariably hits toward right-field, he will
move around toward second base, going, in some instances, even as far as
the short-stop's regular position. For left-hand hitters he will
generally have to play nearer the bat, because these players always get
to first quicker than right-hand batters. They are five or six feet
nearer first base, and by the swing of the bat they get a much quicker
start. If there is a runner on third and not more than one out, he will
have to play near the base before the ball is pitched, the object being
to give the runner as little start as possible, so that he cannot score
on a sacrifice hit. When the ball is pitched the baseman runs off to his
proper position, unless, of course, he has received a signal from the
catcher to expect a throw.

The third baseman should go after not only all hits coming within his
position proper, but also all slow hits toward short-stop, for the
latter is sometimes unable to field such hits in time to make the
putout, on account of the longer distance he plays from the home base.
The baseman should, however, avoid useless interference with the short-
stop, and he should not put down one hand or otherwise balk that player
on a hit plainly within the latter's reach.

Having stopped a batted ball, he should throw it as quickly as possible
after having regained his balance, so that if the aim be slightly
inaccurate the first baseman may have time to leave the base and return.
If there is a runner on first, the baseman's throw will be to second;
this will, at least, cut off the runner from first, and possibly a
double play may be made, if the ball can be sent to first ahead of the
striker. If there are runners on both first and second at the time of
the hit, he may either throw to second for the double play as before,
taking the chance of catching two men, or he may make sure of one man by
simply touching the third base, forcing out the runner from second.
Finally, there may be a runner on third and not more than one out, in
which case, if the runner on third starts home, he will usually try to
cut him off by a throw to the ca