What Are Pull Charts?

Pull charts are used by baseball scouts and coaches to track the direction in which batters typically hit the ball. Hitting coaches use these charts to work with their batters on changing swing patterns, and opposing coaches use them to decide how to set the defense when those batters come to the plate.

  1. How They Work

    • A pull chart will show the field split into thirds--left, center and right. A pull chart will include marks showing where a player hit the ball during a game or series. Later, the scout or coach will tabulate the results and indicate the percentage of balls hit to each area.

    Switch Hitters

    • If you're tracking a hitter who bats left-handed against righties and bats right-handed against lefties, you'll typically make two different pull charts. Generally, switch hitters have markedly different profiles depending on the side of the plate they're hitting from. One side may have more power, or more tendency to pull, while the other side might involve more slap hitting.

    The Value of Spraying the Ball

    • If you hit the ball to all fields relatively equally, you'll be a much less predictable hitter. With a runner on first, the defense won't be able to guess that you'll hit to the shortstop most of the time and decide to cover second with the second baseman in case of a steal. This opens up the possibility of successful hit-and-run plays more of the time.

    Shifting Defenses

    • Even at the major league level, occasionally managers will call for an extreme shift to face a hitter who regularly pulls the ball. For a left-handed batter, the shortstop will often move behind second base, the second baseman will move into shallow right field, and the third baseman will move into the shortstop's normal position.