Winning Baseball: "The Cardinal Rule."

One huge difference between "winning" baseball teams and "losing" baseball teams is the ability of winning teams to score runners from third with less than two outs.

In a game that could ultimately be decided by one run, making contact in these R.B.I. situations is crucial.  And one of the best teams in baseball at performing this skill is the St. Louis Cardinals.

Tony La Russa and his staff have a system and there is no doubt their system works; be it in Chicago, Oakland, or St. Louis.  One mainstay, or tenet, of his system is the Cardinal Rule of "NEVER TAKE A FASTBALL FOR A STRIKE IN AN R.B.I. SITUATION." 

In order to be a St. Louis Cardinal, you have to swing the bat in this situation.  The Cardinal Rule forces the St. Louis hitters to attack the fastball early in the count and avoid "pitcher's counts" and/or "strikeout situations." 

And the same rule can work for your team as well.  Adopt the "Cardinal Rule" in R.B.I. situations, and you will be amazed at how much better your team becomes at plating those runners from third with less than two outs!