Good baserunning by Phillies

[default]

Unfortunate that most girls probably weren't up at 1:45 a.m. to see the Phillies' Eric Bruntlett run the bases and win a World Series game.

Bruntlett was on first in the bottom of the 9th with nobody out. The game was tied at 4. A pitch got past the catcher and Bruntlett took off for second. The first thing Bruntlett did right was to pick up the ball as he headed to second. As a result, he saw it bounced straight back to the catcher, so he knew he needed to slide at second.

The next thing he did right was to notice the shortstop diving over him for the throw, so he immediately looked into center field as he did a quick pop up after the slide, which allowed him to take third. He scored later on a soft grounder in the infield.

Note that Bruntlett was always picking up the ball and not relying on a base coach to tell him what to do. My guess is that if this play happened in many softball games, the girl on first would have waited for the first base coach to tell her to go to second, in which case the hesitation probably would have meant an out at second. If she was safe at second, she probably would have laid on the ground after the slide and had no idea the ball was in center field.

Baserunners, it is your job to see the ball whenever possible!

 

[default]

Awesome post. Game changing stuff. My dd will see this in morning...

 

[default]

Speaking of baserunning.....What are peoples thoughts on runners tagging up at the bases?? Should they watch the ball being caught and advance on their own or not watch the catch and rely on the base coach to tell them when to go??

 

[default]

If the catch is in the base runner's line of sight without a twist that takes her out of good position for immediate forward movement, she should advance on her own. When the catch is behind her, I'm still inclined to have her run on her own, though I know most coaches will make the call for her. For me, it's a matter of philosophy, and I've been hanging out with Joe's posse long enough to become a firm believer that the more the player is able to respond to the game based upon what she sees rather than a coach's instructions, the better.

BTW, I'd rather be posting after watching the World Series game than while getting awake enough to hit the road by 5:45 for a warm-up that will start in the dark at temps hovering around 40.

 

[default]

Shayne:

As you could easily guess, my thought is that runners tag on their own, and not rely on a verbal from a coach. This is one area that is no different from baseball. When I played, a coach would have been laughed off the field if he tried to have us not look at the fly ball and tell us when to go on a tag.

First, the verbal takes time, which is bad. Second, the runner can easily get antsy anticipating the verbal and take off early. Third, how do you go down the line to draw a throw and then retreat if needed if you can't see the ball? Finally, how will we ever teach girls to be the best baserunners they can be if we are treating them like robots?
Can you imagine a MLB game with a third-base coach telling the runner when to go on a fly ball? It would be comical.

Whatever little benefit there is from the runner not twisting her head to see the ball (and I think there is practically no benefit), is more than made up by my points above.

 

[default]

Joe,
I feel the same way. I want my girls to think for themselves and always trying to advance on their own, as well as tagging up on their own.

I picked up a new girl on my 16U team this year, and the first time she was in a tag up situation, she just stood there. I asked her what she was doing and why she didn't tag up and go. She said she was waiting for me to tell her when to go, and that is what she had been taught by her HS coach, which you have coached against for many years, and is very respected at the D1 HS level. I told her I don't do that and try to have my girls control as much of the game as possible, and I'm just here for the big paycheck. I think you know what i mean.

So it got me to thinking if a great coach like this is doing it one way, then maybe I had it wrong. I didn't really feel that I was wrong in my thinking, but I am a little hard headed at times.

 

[default]

Shayne: Having nothing to do with whatever coach you are referring to, it is my opinion that wins and losses sometimes have zero to do with who the best coaches might be. Yes, they are a big factor, but not automatic. I have seen coaches inherit a strong program where softball is THE sport in town and then win. That doesn't necessarily tell me anything. They might be great coaches or they might be riding someone else's coat-tails or just in a great situation that is hard to mess up.

The type of coaches I would look toward are ones who take an average or bad situation and turn it into something. Newland at Greenville comes to mind. I am sure I could think of several more given some time.

 

[default]

More good baserunning by the Phillies!

Rollins trying to score on the one-hop to the pitcher with one out and first and third caused the pitcher to go after him instead of the easy double play. Even if they had called Rollins out, it's a great move.