Baseball is said to be a game of inches and intense strategy.
Managers for each team are always trying to find an edge in certain game situations where they can give their team an advantage to either score a run or prevent the other team from scoring a run.
In some games, runs seem easy to come by -- with bit hits coming at will, and a blowout ensuing.
While in other games, runs are much more at a premium.
In the latter types of games, managers will often try to employ special strategies to sneak a runner across home plate, even if it means sacrificing an out to do so.
One of those special strategies is called a suicide squeeze.
It involves a runner at third base looking like he's about to steal home, only to have the batter lay down a sacrifice bunt just so the play is live and continues.
A suicide squeeze is relatively easy to understand, but it can be difficult to execute properly.
Let's take a look at the situations in which a manager might employ a suicide squeeze, and how it is correctly done.
The Right Situations for a Suicide Squeeze
A suicide squeeze cannot be employed in every situation of a baseball game.
In order for it to be at a manager's disposal, there must be a runner on third base and there must be less than two outs.
A manager will often decide to try a suicide squeeze in a close game when the team either needs to score a run to tie the game, go ahead on the scoreboard, or gain an insurance run for late in the game.
It doesn't make much sense to attempt a suicide squeeze if your team is ahead or behind by a lot of runs -- or if the game is in its early stages.
The runner who is on third base should be relatively quick. He doesn't have to be a great base-stealer, but he should be at least average speed.
The batter, meanwhile, should be a good bunter or have good bat control to be able to lay a bunt down or at least make contact.
How to Perform an Effective Suicide Squeeze
The key to an effective suicide squeeze is hiding the fact that you are attempting one until the last possible minute.
This means that both the batter and runner shouldn't give away what they are about to do early on.
Unlike a normal base steal attempt, the runner on third usually won't take off until closer to when the pitcher releases the ball.
Usually if a player is trying to steal a base, they will take off at the pitcher's first movement. But because the runner is only trying to get a head start and not steal home, he should wait a little longer to make his break for the plate.
At the same time, the batter shouldn't square up for a bunt early, either.
He should try to wait until close to when the pitcher releases the ball so that he can keep the pitcher off guard.
If the pitcher sees that it's going to be a suicide squeeze attempt early enough, he could adjust where he throws the ball -- throwing almost a pitch-out to tag the runner out at home instead of throwing a ball near the strike zone where the batter can bunt it.
The goal of the play is for the batter to lay down a bunt on the ground in fair territory.
If successful, the batter will most likely be thrown out at first base with ease, but the runner will also easily score since he ran toward home early.
The fielders likely won't have enough time to throw the ball home to tag him out.
The key to the entire play is the batter successfully laying down a bunt in fair territory.
If he were to pop up the bunt or miss the bunt attempt altogether, it could have a disastrous ending.
Because the runner from third is attempting a steal, a pop-up could result in an easy double play, while a missed bunt attempt could result in an easy tag out of the runner at home.
If the pitch is difficult for the batter to lay down a bunt successfully in fair territory, then he should at least try to make contact and foul the ball off, so that the runner isn't tagged out.
Alternative - The Safety Squeeze
There is one other alternate to the suicide squeeze that still attempts to score the runner from third base but protect him in case the bunt isn't successful.
It's called the safety squeeze, and it's similar to the suicide squeeze except for one simple variation.
The situations in which a safety squeeze would be used are the same.
The only difference is that the runner won't take off from third base until he sees that the batter is able to successfully lay down the bunt.
Once he sees good contact and the ball hit the ground, then he will immediately take off for home plate in an attempt to score.
Teams may decide to use a safety squeeze instead of a suicide squeeze if the batter isn't as reliable of a bunter or doesn't have as great bat control.
The nice part about it is that you'll be giving the batter some room for error that he won't have with a suicide squeeze.
On the other hand, you'll be sacrificing the head start that the runner from third base will get in a suicide squeeze.
With a safety squeeze, it's possible that the batter could get down a successful bunt and the runner still isn't able to score.
That's not very likely with a suicide squeeze.
Conclusion
If you're in a tight game in the late innings, you may choose to try a suicide squeeze or even a safety squeeze to sneak a run across the plate.
It's a pretty risky move, but it can prove to be very successful in tying a game, going ahead or padding your lead without even converting a successful hit.