Stealing

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May 6, 2015
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First, let me say that I hate the tight bases with stealing rule in softball. It is the worst rule in softball, with the look back rule being a close second. I understand there is no "stretch" with pick-offs in softball (I wish there was), so lead-offs are not possible. However, being called out for leaving early is just wrong - the punishment doesn't fit the crime. I think the runner should be forced to return to the base with a warning the first 1 or 2 times, then be called out if it happens a 2nd or 3rd time, similar to the false start in track.

Now, I was always the SB leader on my baseball team and reading the pitcher to get a good lead was an art form. Getting a good lead off/jump was crucial in a successful steal. So, having one foot behind the base was a completely foreign concept to me. In fact, I laughed at it the first time I saw it. DD is a speedster and always leads her team in SBs too. She has experimented with starting positions and has settled on having one foot behind the base. I'm still torn on if it makes a difference either way. I've timed her and noticed very little difference in her speed.

The challenge has been more on timing than foot position. The 1B typically positions herself so the base runner's view of the pitcher is obstructed and DD has gotten some bad jumps on straight steals. The 1B coach needs to recognize this and do a better job. So, I agree with Northball's advice that much of the burden falls on the 1B coach to help the runner and teach her to look for signs he/she may be seeing.

if the runner is timing and rocking/starting correctly, that back foot is on first stride on the release, no longer behind bag. the entire purpose of that is to have runner actually moving, with momentum, at release. as long as the lead foot is on the bag still, they can be moving, and that lead foot (which at release should actually no longer be lead foot if that makes sense) us using bag as a sprinter uses starting block.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Like it.....

In this thread talking about ways of timing leaving the bag trying to steal.

In Catcher thread talking about
Pop times and throwing runners out!

Keep working on it!
Makes competition fun!
:) ENJOY
 
Last edited:
Mar 7, 2016
242
28
if the runner is timing and rocking/starting correctly, that back foot is on first stride on the release, no longer behind bag. the entire purpose of that is to have runner actually moving, with momentum, at release. as long as the lead foot is on the bag still, they can be moving, and that lead foot (which at release should actually no longer be lead foot if that makes sense) us using bag as a sprinter uses starting block.

that is what i teach as well, however we run into a lot of "lower tier" blues who call them out based on movement alone. Regardless of foot leaving if they see movement they have been called out. We have to adjust after this happens.

Usually the same umps are the ones that never call look back, the quicker the catcher gets it back to the circle even on delayed steal has caught a lot of girls with the deer in the headlight look for opposing team when my pitcher has the ball staring at runners frozen on the base path.

My team is overly aggressive on the bases and it has bit a us a few times especially with higher class catchers who use fake throws well against delayed steals or situational stealing. Think first and third situation steal on. catcher fakes to 2nd and snaps to 3rd.

We faced a team in fall that their defense against a delayed steal was too snap to short stop who positioned in front of runner. I kept preaching at the girls if the ball is coming right at you steal 3rd. Most would always return, until one with wheels showed how easy it was to get 3 on that play. After that they adjusted by snapping to 3rd every single pitch. It slowed the game down enough we quit delaying until they went back to pitcher even once. My point in all that rambling is having a catcher that is more random on an aggressive team kept the girls in check for the most part. We always used the motto go away from the ball on delayed and no one comes in standing on anything.
 
Jun 6, 2016
2,714
113
Chicago
How to Train leaving on time:
I have two whistles. I blow the whistle on the release of the ball, my assistant blows the whistle on the runner leaving the bag (not moving, but leaving the bag). There should be one sound, not two. If there are, we will raise the hand of the whistle that went off first, so our runners know where the timing is off.
We do the whole team, about 10 reps each in about 15 minutes. Doesn't take a long time to complete and can be put in during any offense day workout. The whistles are also easy to put into other practices as well.

This is one of my favorite drills for early in the year. Not only does it allow me to get pitchers some practice during the course of practice (especially good for new pitchers who can't throw BP), but it's something I can do inside. You don't need a full field if your space is limited. You really just need half a field. And if you want to simulate 2B/3B leadoffs, you can always adjust to make that work.

I also think comfort is most important here, so I show them different styles and tell them to try them all. I let the players go with what works best for them unless they're doing something wrong or it just isn't working.
 
Feb 20, 2020
3
3
How to Train leaving on time:
I have two whistles. I blow the whistle on the release of the ball, my assistant blows the whistle on the runner leaving the bag (not moving, but leaving the bag). There should be one sound, not two. If there are, we will raise the hand of the whistle that went off first, so our runners know where the timing is off.
We do the whole team, about 10 reps each in about 15 minutes. Doesn't take a long time to complete and can be put in during any offense day workout. The whistles are also easy to put into other practices as well.

Thank you for posting this! Always looking for good baserunning drills.
 
Jan 8, 2019
664
93
that is what i teach as well, however we run into a lot of "lower tier" blues who call them out based on movement alone. Regardless of foot leaving if they see movement they have been called out. We have to adjust after this happens.
My DD had this problem a lot last year, to the point that she was in tears insisting that she did not leave early. Unfortunately, in all of the 4-5 instances that she got called for it, not one of our coaches was looking, as we were all focusing on everything else.

I think that because DD is big for her age group AND she was pretty good at timing the ball coming out of the hand, blue saw the movement peripherally, but really only guessed that she was leaving early. And I honestly think she was not. I felt horrible that we could not defend her, and just told her to keep doing what she was doing, but maybe give the ball a 1/4 second count out of the hand, which is a time penalty she usually cannot afford.
 
Mar 7, 2016
242
28
My DD had this problem a lot last year, to the point that she was in tears insisting that she did not leave early. Unfortunately, in all of the 4-5 instances that she got called for it, not one of our coaches was looking, as we were all focusing on everything else.

I think that because DD is big for her age group AND she was pretty good at timing the ball coming out of the hand, blue saw the movement peripherally, but really only guessed that she was leaving early. And I honestly think she was not. I felt horrible that we could not defend her, and just told her to keep doing what she was doing, but maybe give the ball a 1/4 second count out of the hand, which is a time penalty she usually cannot afford.

Our indicator to start is at the "T" position... after we get called the first time we adjust to leaving when the ball is at her leg position. By the time we are off the base the ball is two feet out of her hand (just guessing here)... but its either that or piss off an ump by arguing calls.... we all know how well that works.
 

BigSkyHi

All I know is I don't know
Jan 13, 2020
1,385
113
Great post. This a bit off topic but some good stuff for fast pitch and baseball.

- What Do Base Coaches Do? Antonelli Baseball
 

BigSkyHi

All I know is I don't know
Jan 13, 2020
1,385
113
One of the best and her leads,

- Softball leads from first base
 

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