D1 - Do they always leave base early?

[SoCalSoftballdad]

I was watching on TV the Iowa v. Purdue softball game this weekend and was shocked about how early the baserunners leave the base before the release of the pitched ball. For example, in the 3rd inning, the Purdue baserunner (#15) on 2B, was getting a full step or step and a half off the bag before the pitcher released the ball. She did it over and over again since the batter kept fouling the pitches off. It was so obvious from the naked eye that she was leaving early and neither the plate ump, field ump, or commentators for that matter made any mention of it all game. I rewinded the lead-offs with DVR and on every pitch the baserunner was illegally leaving early. It wasn't even close.

Curious if D1 umps are instructed not to call the runner out to make the game more offensive driven? I know in 10U, that baserunner would have been called out everytime with two Blues working the game.

 

[Sparky Guy]

A good base runner will test the umpires to see what they give them. It sounds like the umpires were quite generous and the runner was taking advantage of it. It's part of the game. See where the line is and try and push it further to your advantage. Nothing wrong with it at all.

 

[D.G. OutLaws 16u]

If you picked up on it I'm sure eveyone in the dugout saw it too. You would think a coach might bring that to the umps attention? Perhaps they didn't so they could guage what the umps were gonna allow that day so they could exploit the same?
A blatent early leave IMO is easier to see -vs- an illegal pitch. Umps sure do love calling those illegal pitches......could be a flavor of the day thing.

 

[druer]

Sparky is absolutely right. Studying the base umpires is as important as studying the other team. If you find an umpire that doesn't setup with good angles and doesn't call it, you can either continue to push it that game, or you write it down and you take advantage of that when you need it most the next time.

I encourage girls to practice (by using Video) and try to figure out what "hour" the pitchers arm would be at until they take off exactly at the same time as release. Let's assume that a player thinks "leave" when the pitchers arm is at the 12 oclock motion and video shows her foot comes off at exactly the same time as ball comes out of pitchers hand (that's where video comes in handy because you can slow it down.) For another girl you find via video that she's still on the base at release, so she tries 11 oclock. Each player is going to have different reaction times and explosiveness so you have to find each players point. Now when you come across umpires that don't catch it, or situation requires the risk you can give the girls a signal of 1, 2, 3 etc which means 1 hour earlier, 2 hours earlier or 3 hours earlier than "their normal." Some teams simply discuss that in the dugout. This inning if you steal I want you to try 1 hour earlier than normal. After you have had players try it and they don't get caught next time in the dugout "If you have the chance try to go 2 hours earlier." If players are serious about wanting to have great timing for stealing they can put a helmt on and practice their jump each inning when the opposing pitcher warms up. Because it's one thing to work on timing with your own pitchers, but it's another entirely to do it with girls that have all kinds of different releases. Again video is your best friend. Stand outside the fence at an angle so you get the players jumps first time you play teams, review the videos and work on it, so that when you are playing those same teams next time you have better leads.

 

[FPMark]

What I always tried to do was have the runner leave a little late if they were not stealing. This way they can still be moving without being too far off the base if the ball is hit. Also the umpire will notice that they are not leaving early. Then if they need to steal, leave before release, the ump may not even be paying attention to runners jump. Works for me.

I do like druer's 1, 2, or 3 hour early idea though, but if you get to 3 hours early and get called out for leaving early, do you start completely over? or just back down 1 hour? I guess I might be scared ump would be watching real close after calling a runner out. Whats the furthest you have gotten? Have you ever gone past 3 hrs early? Is it a goal to go as far as possible and actualy make the ump call one out to find his/her limit? What level would you recomend this for?

Sorry about the quiz, just curious. Thanks.

 

[Carty]

I want my team to be at release or slightly early. Yes, you push the envelope and get that extra step in, you need it with the speed of the game. Yes you take a chance of getting called for it but that is a choice you have to make as a coach. If you video, you and your players will find out that what you think is on time is really pretty late. I like that hour approach too, thanks.

 

[SBFAMILY]

Druer post is right on and many teams practice and teach this. One of the best is now the head coach at University of Arkansas. He taught this in his clinics and told the kids how to read the pitcher and if you are not called out once and a while you are not doing your job. The two teams I work with both practice this.

 

[3'sDad]

DD's club coach instructs the girls " if you have not been called for leaving early, you're not taking an aggressive enough lead. I will never say a word if you are called out for leaving early".

 

[druer]

if you get to 3 hours early and get called out for leaving early, do you start completely over? or just back down 1 hour? I guess I might be scared ump would be watching real close after calling a runner out. Whats the furthest you have gotten? Have you ever gone past 3 hrs early? Is it a goal to go as far as possible and actualy make the ump call one out to find his/her limit? What level would you recomend this for?

I got this concept from the head coach of a school that will remain nameless. If a player got caught, he would call time and speak with the umpire. Not challenge the call but would say "Hey Mike I just wanted to let you know that we work on our timing with video for over an hour each week. (Totally true.) I would be really surprised that they left earlier than they were supposed to. (Also totally true he told them 3 hours early and thats what they do.) You know I trust your judgement but I know it must be awfully difficult to watch the pitcher and distinquish my runners leg and body being in motion from her foot that remains on the base. You sure have a tough job buddy." Then he just strolls back to third base, and dials it down 1 notch next time. Since everything he says, at least the way he words it is 100% true he comes across as believable. He isn't challenging the call at all, he's planting the seeds of doubt so that the next call isn't made.

Goals - It all depends on the players and the situation. You do want to stretch it to the point that you get called out (because that is absolutely the only way to know where the limit is) but you don't want a player to earn the reputation of leaving early. You want to identify the umpires that you can get super early jumps on and then you decide if you need to use that information in that game or retain that knowledge (in writing) for future games where you need it more. Actually the fastest girls on the team are usually the ones that can't leave very early because they are watched a little more closely than others. Typically you'll see the real speed demons on teams just taking a track star type lead as a result. It's the catchers on the team that not even the other coach would be watching that can easily cheat the system.

Murphy's Law - Typically what I've seen is that the team that complains to the umpire about a player leaving early is the one that the umpire ends up catching the next inning.

 

[SoCalSoftballdad]

Great advice everyone. I remember a soccer coach telling us forwards that if you are not being called for offsides once or twice a game, you are not being aggressive enough. I think the same thing applies for getting a big lead-off in softball.