Fielding Tips - Playing Ground Balls. "Sparky" Adams, third baseman of the Cincinnati Reds is one of the smartest infielders in the game. No man has a surer pair of hands on ground drives, "partly because "Sparký" plays the ball carefully to get it on a good bounce and largely because he gets a flying start by watching the spot that his pitcher is delivering the ball to the plate. Right hand hitters usually hit outside balls to the right and inside balls to the left, so that "Sparky" is always "leaning" with the pitch. Do not "fight" the ball, or rush in on it. Play the ball, never let it play you.