Baserunning

[Steve Huff]

BASERUNNING/OUTFIELD DRILL 3
(tagging up on fly balls)

The coach uses a pitching machine to throw, or hits fly balls to the outfield. Players take turns running the bases, executing the following elements starting with the first "hit" or thrown fly ball:

* On each fly ball, the runner at 1st base takes her leadoff according to the depth of the fly ball. She either returns to 1st base if the ball is caught or advances to 2nd base if the ball falls in. If the runner returns to 1st base, she should then jog over to 2nd base and take position there. Two base runners can be initially positioned at 2nd base to make this task easier.
* At 2nd base, the baserunner leads off as the coach throws the ball up to hit it, or feeds the pitching machine. If the ball is toward left field or left center, the runner assumes a leadoff determined by the depth of the fly ball. If the ball is toward right field or right center, the base runner should tag up by returning immediately after recognizing the ball in the air. Any leadoff should then be assumed only if she determines the ball will drop in for a hit.
* At 3rd base, the baserunner leads off as the coach throws the ball up to hit it, or feeds the pitching machine, and returns to the bag to tag up on the ball hit into the air, advancing on the catch.
* If the coach fails to hit a catchable fly ball the base runner advances when the ball hits the ground. If the ball hits in the infield, the ground ball nullifies the play. By the time a third ball is put into play, three base runners are running the bases at all times.

 

[Steve Huff]

BASERUNNING/OUTFIELD DRILL 4
(going from first to third)

The coach uses a bat to hit fly balls to the outfield. The team takes it's place on the field. The objective is to instill aggressive baserunning in the players minds. The players line up at first base, taking turns running the bases. The baserunners should execute proper baserunning technique and sliding skills, the defense proper cutoffs, etc. during the following drills:

* The outfield should play on the base runners as the coach hits fly and ground balls to the outfield. The base runners at first base take off while watching the ball and situation, with the following coaching directives:
* The base runner leads off half way on a fly ball, advancing if it falls in, or returning to 1st base after the catch.
* On ground balls hit through to right field, or hit toward the allies, the base runner should pick up the 3rd base coach 1/2 to 2/3 of the way to 2nd base, and receive the signal to advance or hold up after rounding the base. When on 3rd base, the runner leads off as the coach throws the ball up to hit it, and returns to the bag to tag up on a ball hit in the air, advancing home after the catch. If the coach hits a ground ball, she simply scores.
* As the coach throws "bunted balls" out in front of the plate:
* The base runners leading off first are told to observe the ball, whether it be a pop-up, or on the ground. They then take the appropriate lead, advancing or returning to 1st base. If the runner is thrown out at 2nd after a pop-up drops untouched, the runner should understand that she made the right choice rather than getting doubled-up after a caught ball.
* The team is instructed to throw the ball to 1st base. The coach slaps her hand against the ball as a signal for the runner at 1st to steal. The runners at 1st base are instructed to advance all the way to 3rd, regard less of the situation, after the throw to 1st base. The runners should always slide into 3rd base. The defense should execute proper decisions and rotations to cover 3rd base, and make the follow-up play on the advancing runner. The base runner then stays at 3rd base.
* On the next bunted ball, the same scenario is repeated with the runner at 1st base, while the runner at 3rd must use good judgment, with the help of the coach, to assume an appropriate leadoff, and advance to home plate on the throw.
* As the players become accustomed to the skills, including properly rounding the bases, the coaching staff can incorporate options to make the drills more game like:
* One option is to have any batter-baserunner who is safe after a bunt advance to 2nd base on the throw to 3rd base. The base runner at 1st will be advancing to 3rd base after the bunt, so 2nd base will be vacant. A follow-up play or decision can then include her.
* Instruct the infielders look the player at 3rd base back, then execute the throw on the batter-baserunner, or make a play on the runner at 3rd.

NOTE - A pitching machine can be included to allow the coach or players to take turns bunting the ball rather than throwing the ball into play.

NOTE - All base runners should be wearing proper batting helmets during baserunning execution including the runners lined up waiting at first base.

 

[CoachFP]

Good stuff Steve.

 

[Steve Huff]

Good stuff Steve.

I wish I could place the infield graphics with the posts, but that will have to come maybe next week after I get Adobe Acrobat. These were all written up in the 80s when I was a Travel Ball and High School coach. I hope half of them are coherent!

I used running drills for conditioning at the end of practicing. Pushing the girls hard on various baserunning skills and doing a lot of sprinting. In college, you have a fall season. I am not sure of current rules, but typically the fall season ended by the second week of October. After that you can do conditioning with the team as a group but no group softball! You could work with only 2 girls at a time as a coach during that "dead" period until after Jan 1. So once the season started in college ball, it was sprint, sprint, sprint. So I didn't refer to these, but used many of them in practices.

 

[CoachFP]

We work on delayed steals, fake steals, short steals with first and third, bunt and run, hit and run, taking slide vs go signals from the 3rd base coach, runner on first ball hit to 2nd baseman, runner on second ground balls to the left and right of them, runners on third and all of the possibilities, rundowns etc. etc.. More time should be devoted to baserunning than is currently done by most teams. Baserunning is more than just sprinting around the bases it is thinking. And no runs can be scored and no games won unless players cross the bases.

 

[PA SB Dad]

We work on delayed steals, fake steals, short steals with first and third, bunt and run, hit and run, taking slide vs go signals from the 3rd base coach, runner on first ball hit to 2nd baseman, runner on second ground balls to the left and right of them, runners on third and all of the possibilities, rundowns etc. etc.. More time should be devoted to baserunning than is currently done by most teams. Baserunning is more than just sprinting around the bases it is thinking. And no runs can be scored and no games won unless players cross the bases.

Good stuff - good base running also puts pressure on the defense to execute properly, and the opportunity to make the wheels come off against a good team is worth the time and effort you put into it!

 

[CoachFP]

I like to run the hitter who walks with a runner on third. Even though people are aware of it many don't defend it well. The key is to have the runner not break until she is about 5 feet from 1st.

 

[lostbayou21]

Some good tips here. Some of the other things we try to incorporate into our baserunning drills include:
a) dipping the inside shoulder as we approach the base enroute to extra bases;
b) always catching an edge of the bag so we won't slip during the turn;
c) and if we're just making a turn and taking a few steps, we stay up on our "springs" (not flat-footed) and watch the flight of the ball coming in in order to make a quick start on an overthrow or booted ball.

Also, if our base coach has to shut the runner down quickly and reel 'em back in, we ask our runners to sink their hips and turn. We find staying lower helps them stop momentum and make that 180 turn quicker and with less stumble. And of course, they dive into the bag going back (if necessary), going low to the opposite side of the throw with the head turned away from the throw.

 

[Bucketrider]

At our last tournament (14U), I was most impressed by an opposing teams reaction to a new pitcher. My DD was brought in with no outs and runners on first and second. While my dd was doing her warm ups, BOTH runners were timing her release. They both started their motion at the pitchers 12 o'clock and were trying to push their lead off time. I know my wife and I sat there with our mouths agape in awe. 6 years of TB and this was a first.

 

[jinjet95]

At our last tournament (14U), I was most impressed by an opposing teams reaction to a new pitcher. My DD was brought in with no outs and runners on first and second. While my dd was doing her warm ups, BOTH runners were timing her release. They both started their motion at the pitchers 12 o'clock and were trying to push their lead off time. I know my wife and I sat there with our mouths agape in awe. 6 years of TB and this was a first.

Were you in GA? I know a certain "Get Dirty" coach in GA that teaches this.