Outs. Runners. What Do I Do?

Foundation · Free lesson

about 30–45 minutes

Game IQ Lesson 1: Outs. Runners. What Do I Do?

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Level: Foundation (HS and up) · Time: about 30–45 minutes · Need: a phone or notebook, a game to watch (live, TV or video)

Goal: Ask the three questions before every pitch: How many outs? Where are the runners? If the ball comes to me, where do I throw?
Why it matters: Most mental mistakes happen because a player did not think before the pitch. Players who know the situation make the right play without hesitating, and coaches trust them in big moments.

1. Watch first (about 28 min total)

Video	Channel	Length	Why we chose it
5 Ways To Boost Baseball IQ or Softball IQ	Coach Dan Blewett	11:56	Five ways to build baseball IQ from a former pro pitcher and coach.
This Is What 1000 Baseball IQ Looks Like 🧠	Antonelli Baseball	5:00	What high-level baseball IQ looks like in real plays.
Baseball IQ - Coaching Bases Loaded 0 Outs	Antonelli Baseball	11:34	Bases loaded, nobody out: thinking through the situation.

2. Do this: drills, sets and reps

Drill	How	Sets × reps	Cue
A. Three-questions routine	Before every pitch of a practice or game, say the three questions to yourself and answer them.	Every pitch	“Outs, runners, where’s my throw?”
B. Written situation quiz	Write answers to 10 situations (examples below). Check them with a coach or the videos.	1 × 10 situations	“Decide before it happens.”
C. Game-watch callouts	Watch one inning of a game. Before each pitch, say where the ball goes if it is hit to your position.	1 inning	“Call it out loud.”
D. Scenario walk-throughs	On a field, coach calls a situation and hits or rolls a ball. Make the play you called.	2 × 8 reps	“Plan, then play.”

3. Common mistakes and fixes

Mistake	What you see	Fix
Not knowing the outs	Throwing to first on a ball that should go home	Three-questions routine every pitch.
Throwing behind the runner	Runners take extra bases	Throw ahead of the lead runner when there is time.
Holding the ball	Freezing after the catch	Decide the throw before the pitch.
Forcing a play that isn’t there	Wild throws	Take the sure out when the lead runner is safe.

4. How to measure progress

Quiz score: Correct answers out of 10. Goal: 9 of 10.
Game callouts: Correct calls out of the pitches in one inning. Goal: 90%.
Mental errors: Count mental mistakes in games and lower them each week.
Move on to Lesson 2 when: you score 9 of 10 on the quiz.

5. At-home version

Quiz situations: runner on first, nobody out, ground ball to short. Runner on third, one out, fly ball to the outfield. Bases loaded, two outs, ground ball to second.
Watch one inning and write the three answers before each pitch.
Explain one situation to a teammate or parent.

Challenge: Say the three questions to yourself before every pitch of your next game.