When to start your lead off.

[knightsb]

Last season, our girls never seemed to get a good jump on the pitcher. Our lead offs always seemed late. I created this image for them to see how early they needed to start their lead off.

 

[shelbysdad]

Pitcher lifts heel in top of rotation. Go. I feel this is a smaller cue than judging arm circle position.

 

[sdsoftball]

I agree. Watch the heel. It's much easier to see the heel lift than to try to figure out when she is going to release the ball by watching the circle.

 

[James Smith]

When runners are in the sprinter type stance it can be hard to explain/ show them that they can start early, they do not need to wait until the ball leaves the P‘s hand.

I am going to show your GIF to DD when she gets home from school.

 

[Rocketech1]

I have always wondered whether or not base umps even realize that the baserunners are using a rocker style versus standard setup and when they see movement with runners using rocker style are more inclined to judge that the runner left early, which would take away any advantage gained by that style?

In general, if your team is not occasionally getting called out for leaving early, they are not being aggressive enough with their leadoffs.

 

[T.J.]

I instruct to watch the heel too.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

I have always wondered whether or not base umps even realize that the baserunners are using a rocker style versus standard setup and when they see movement with runners using rocker style are more inclined to judge that the runner left early, which would take away any advantage gained by that style?

This has been my experience as well. Umpires see movement and it catches their eye.

If the other teams parents aren't complaining that you are leaving early, you are probably leaving too late.

I have my girls imitate the pitchers arm circle and start at 12:00.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Is it easy to see the heel come up? The clip of the pitcher in this thread clearly lifts up the back heel, but other pitchers look a little different. So are we really saying that it's when the pitcher's foot pushes away from the pitcher's plate?

 

[knightsb]

 

[knightsb]