- Dec 11, 2010
- 4,728
- 113
I’m not fond of the phrase “aggressive base running” tbh. To me it’s a buzzword that rock heads like to say behind the backstop who have no idea what it means.
Some stuff that worked for us:
If you are the batter runner and there isn’t a play at first, round first hard and get out there away from the bag. Especially with a runner ahead of you. Be dangerous. You want them to be at least thinking about making a play on you so the runner ahead of you can advance.
After you round first, stay out there when there isn’t a defensive player behind you. Don’t go back to the bag, be ready to run on a drop or a bobble. The only time you have to go back to the bag is when the defense makes you go back or the pitcher has the ball in the circle. If a defender makes a long throw, especially from the outfield to the infield, this can be a chance to advance. Go as soon as it leaves the throwers hand. If you are already going back you miss this chance every time. This opportunity presents itself Alot. This opportunity is missed Alot. Usually because Coach Square Hair is busy distributing a high five and telling the batter runner some bs that doesn’t matter.
When there are two base runners on, they are a team of runners not two individual runners. They need to be dangerous and should be far enough off the bag to get the defenses attention. If the defense makes a play on one runner the other may be able to advance. They protect each other by being in a position to advance. If one is not paying attention and is standing on a bag, the other is vulnerable.
Tag up on caught foul balls. There are chances to advance on this. We never put this into action as much as we should have. The opportunity exists but it is gone so fast. If a runner is already back to the bag and sees no one covering the next base she should be green to go. This would have to happen fast, fast.
Balls to right field….. a burned right fielder is a triple if batter runner can run at all. The runner has to be thinking third on this and she will need a little help from the 3b coach. If you are on first and the ball is behind the rf, she is thinking at least third but she can score on that. So often what matters is the intent to take three bases instead of two…. Good outfielders will stop you but most won’t….
On an infield fly the ball is live. Never really figured out how to take advantage of that but I bet you could.
All runners and coaches MUST know this: “The look back rule is in effect when the pitcher has the ball in the circle and the batter runner has reached first base.” The LBR is like a light switch. It can be on one minute and off the next. If all the conditions above don’t exist, it is off. Pitcher wanders out of the circle with the ball? Off. Ss is delivering ball to poor poor pitcher to console her for giving up a 5-6 hole ground ball? Off.
Do what you will with this. Opportunities will present themselves. Doesn’t have to be the hated first and third play- although that’s a lot of fun.
Fake bunt steal with a runner on 2nd…..
There are runs in baserunning. It’s fun.
There are a million ways to be a better base runner. I only know a few. Station to station base running sucks, that’s the one thing I know for sure.
Last- if you are a 10u coach, work on sliding into second behind the bag. Hint: this might be the last thing you do at practice, it doesn’t have to be 100% bright daylight to work on sliding. Sliding for young kids is a process. Keep working on it. It will get better.
Some stuff that worked for us:
If you are the batter runner and there isn’t a play at first, round first hard and get out there away from the bag. Especially with a runner ahead of you. Be dangerous. You want them to be at least thinking about making a play on you so the runner ahead of you can advance.
After you round first, stay out there when there isn’t a defensive player behind you. Don’t go back to the bag, be ready to run on a drop or a bobble. The only time you have to go back to the bag is when the defense makes you go back or the pitcher has the ball in the circle. If a defender makes a long throw, especially from the outfield to the infield, this can be a chance to advance. Go as soon as it leaves the throwers hand. If you are already going back you miss this chance every time. This opportunity presents itself Alot. This opportunity is missed Alot. Usually because Coach Square Hair is busy distributing a high five and telling the batter runner some bs that doesn’t matter.
When there are two base runners on, they are a team of runners not two individual runners. They need to be dangerous and should be far enough off the bag to get the defenses attention. If the defense makes a play on one runner the other may be able to advance. They protect each other by being in a position to advance. If one is not paying attention and is standing on a bag, the other is vulnerable.
Tag up on caught foul balls. There are chances to advance on this. We never put this into action as much as we should have. The opportunity exists but it is gone so fast. If a runner is already back to the bag and sees no one covering the next base she should be green to go. This would have to happen fast, fast.
Balls to right field….. a burned right fielder is a triple if batter runner can run at all. The runner has to be thinking third on this and she will need a little help from the 3b coach. If you are on first and the ball is behind the rf, she is thinking at least third but she can score on that. So often what matters is the intent to take three bases instead of two…. Good outfielders will stop you but most won’t….
On an infield fly the ball is live. Never really figured out how to take advantage of that but I bet you could.
All runners and coaches MUST know this: “The look back rule is in effect when the pitcher has the ball in the circle and the batter runner has reached first base.” The LBR is like a light switch. It can be on one minute and off the next. If all the conditions above don’t exist, it is off. Pitcher wanders out of the circle with the ball? Off. Ss is delivering ball to poor poor pitcher to console her for giving up a 5-6 hole ground ball? Off.
Do what you will with this. Opportunities will present themselves. Doesn’t have to be the hated first and third play- although that’s a lot of fun.
Fake bunt steal with a runner on 2nd…..
There are runs in baserunning. It’s fun.
There are a million ways to be a better base runner. I only know a few. Station to station base running sucks, that’s the one thing I know for sure.
Last- if you are a 10u coach, work on sliding into second behind the bag. Hint: this might be the last thing you do at practice, it doesn’t have to be 100% bright daylight to work on sliding. Sliding for young kids is a process. Keep working on it. It will get better.
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