Winter is over and it's time to hit the field with Triple Play Baseball™. Think of this brief strategy guide as a mini Spring Training. It's time to work on the fundamentals, practice hitting the cutoff man, and perfect your sweet swing before the start of the season.

BEFORE THE GAME
Before you even step into the dugout, make some preparations to help you get the most out of Triple Play Baseball.

• If you follow Major League Baseball news, you'll hear of trades leading up to the start of the season and during the season. You can re-create these trades in Triple Play Baseball to ensure you're playing with up-to-the-minute rosters. Similarly, if a player is injured in real life, you can take him out of the lineup.
• Scout the stadiums to learn their dimensions (by using the Select Stadium option when you play a Single Game). For instance, the new Miller Park in Milwaukee has the deepest right field line in the Majors: 356 feet. With all that distance, it's tough to hit one out over the right field wall. Use this knowledge to your advantage when you're in the field by adjusting your pitching strategy to get the batter to pop up down the line. Conversely, when you're at bat, don't try to muscle up -- go for line drives and sharp grounders when hitting to right. At Fenway Park in Boston, on the other hand, it's just 302 feet down the right field line, and this short distance can be a considerable advantage to left-handed hitters.

ON THE DIAMOND

On the Mound

• Right down the middle of the plate is the worst spot for a pitch. Even if you think a batter might be looking for a pitch away or in tight, he can usually adjust to a pitch down the middle and drive it. Work the corners and the edges of the strike zone. The better control your pitcher has, the more you can target the very edges of the zone.
• You don't always have to throw strikes. If you have a pitch or two to spare (for example, if you have an 0-2 count), try to get the batter to chase one out of the strike zone.
• Nothing can wipe out a lead faster than a tired pitcher. Keep an eye on your pitcher's energy level and bring in a reliever at the first signs of fatigue.
• Check out your pitcher's ratings on his individual pitches. A higher rating (100 is the highest) means better velocity and control of that pitch. This really comes into play as your pitcher gets fatigued-all of your hurler's pitches lose effectiveness as he gets tired, but with lower-rated pitches you really run the risk of serving up a meatball.

In the Field

• Use those fielder positioning menus! If it's a tie game and your opponent has a man on first and no outs, access the infielder positioning menu and prepare for the bunt. If a lefty comes up to bat, make sure to shift all of your fielders toward right field/first base.
• Know the speed of the opposing batter. This will help you decide whether or not you need to risk an aggressive throw to get him out at first.

At the Plate

• If you're tempted to call a hit-and-run play, make sure your batter has a good Contact rating (you can view the rating via the Roster option in the Pause menu).
• If you're playing a season, keep an eye on your players' offensive statistics. If your leadoff batter isn't getting on base, drop him down in the order and try somebody else in that slot. Is one player constantly hitting into double plays? Better put him toward the bottom of the order so you're not wasting scoring opportunities. And don't be afraid to bench a player for a game or two if he's hurting the club.
• If you hit a ball into the gap and think you might have a shot at stretching it into double, start tapping X (for PlayStation and PlayStation 2) or Button 2 (for PC) right away. It's better to tire out the runner a little bit hustling to first than to miss the opportunity for extra bases.
• On PlayStation 2, you can aim your bunt by pressing the D-Button. For instance, to aim a bunt down the first base line, press the D-Button right. To bunt harder down the first base line, press the D-Button up and right.

ADVANCED TIPS
Fundamentals are key to success, but you'll need more than that if you want to make it in the Show. These advanced tips can help you keep up with the contenders and make a run at playing in October.

• Spend some time perfecting double plays. Nothing kills a rally like a well-turned double play.
• Take advantage of the pitchout. Look for situations where you think a runner might be about to break for second or third. If, for example, the other team is down by a run and has a runner on first with one out, the runner might take off on a hit-and-run to avoid the double play. Call a pitchout to catch 'em with their pants down and protect your lead.
• Want to get really tricky? Try a squeeze play. When you have a runner on third with less than two outs, wait until the last possible moment and then have him break for home. Have your batter then lay down a bunt. If your batter misses the bunt, the runner is a sitting duck. But if he executes, it's an easy run. This play requires excellent timing, so make sure you're comfortable with the controls before you attempt it.
• Triple Play Baseball lets you perform a double-switch. The following instructions are for the PlayStation 2 version but the process is similar for PlayStation and PC. Enter into Gameplay with any two teams. When in gameplay, while the team you are controlling is in the field, press START to enter the Pause menu. Select Rosters, highlight your pitcher, and then press X. Select any position player, then press X again to return to the Team Roster--Other Fielder overlay. Select the position player that you wish to replace and press X. The Team Roster--New Pitcher overlay appears. Select the pitcher you wish to bring into the game and press X. The "double-switch" occurs and you return to gameplay. To verify the "double-switch," press START to enter the Pause menu and select Rosters. Notice that your new pitcher is hitting in the former fielder's spot in the lineup and the new fielder is hitting in the old pitcher's spot.

WRITER:
Dan Davis