Running the bases

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First of all: I went to church this morning and prayed for guidance. I was told to stop being a smart*** and a mean smart*** at that, on the OFC-- and to apologize to those I've offended and to start contributing in a positive way. Ok. Sorry. Now I want to make an appeal to coaches to spend some time teaching base running. I've seen some good base running, but I've seen more awful base running over the years and I've wondered many times: doesn't anyone teach these girls how to run the bases?

1. Players hit the ball and don't watch it. They run past the bag at first and turn right as
the ball is going between the legs of an outfielder and rolling to the fence.

2. Players don't get a good push off the base, timing their push with the release of the
pitch to create momentum when the ball is hit, enabling them to beat a force play or
score on a hit.

3. Players slow down as they approach a base and don't slide, often getting forced out
instead of being safe easily had they gone full speed and slid.

4. Players show no instinct or feel for whether a pop fly is going to drop or be caught.

5. Players hesitate coming around third even though the coach is waving and screaming
for them to run home.

6. Players sliding into home have no training for going head first or hook sliding.

7. Players running from first to second on ground balls to the second baseman don't (for the
most part) know that they have an alternative to running into a tag play.
They don't know they're supposed to stop and get into a rundown so the batter can be
safe at first. Conversely, second
basemen don't know that if the runner does stop, they're supposed to make a quick
throw to first to get the batter/runner out--- then the first baseman is supposed to
initiate the rundown on the other runner.

Since good base running can win a lot of ballgames, I'm very surprised that whole practices are not dedicated to teaching it. In fact, most practices held by most coaches I've watched include no base running instruction. I've been watching the same mistakes being made from 10U through 18U for years. It has to end. Thoughts?

 

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I'll add a couple:

"Go half way on a fly ball"..........I hate that rule of thumb.

Knowing what to do on fly balls and ground balls with less than 2 outs and a runner on third. We'd spend hours on this at the high school level and they still would have no clue what to do in a game situation--even if I just finished telling them what to do!

I always felt that baserunning was like playing a video game--the coaches needed little joysticks to get the runner to do exactly what you wanted them to, because a lot of girls just haven't developed the natural instincts to know what to do on their own.

And I know that this has nothing to do with baserunning, but why do girls playing defense always want to keep their foot on the bag when it is a tag play and not a force? Who is teaching this?? Please stop because it is driving me crazy!!!!!

 

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Maybe you have been attending or watching the wrong practices.

 

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Actually, wave, I've attended many practices held by many of the most respected coaches in Ohio. And many of those coaches have players who consistently prove they've had no training as baserunners. If your practices are different, then that's a big point in your favor. Some people maintain that playing the game isn't a prerequisite for coaching the game, but I'll guarantee you that coaches who haven't played the game had NO instinct for running the bases. The only way to develop that instinct is to draw from experience.

 

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I continually watch all those same things. We would spend more time on baserunning than probably anything else in practice.

I just got done watching some fall league games today with a mix of travel and community teams. Every single coach I saw at each age level was "in charge" of his baserunners. The girls might as well have been robots, going station to station and relying entirely on the base coaches. And then we wonder why girls have no clue how to run the bases and zero instincts. Teach in practice and let them run the bases in games. The only time the third base coach should be making a decision for a runner is when the runner can't see the ball and can't be expected to know whether she can make the next base. Those times include a runner on her way to second with a ball in right field and a runner on her way to third on most balls in the outfield. Even in those cases the runner should pretty much know on her own whether she can make third or home.

 

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I don't speak for anyone but us, but the last half hour of our practices are spent working on the catchers pick-off throws to the bases and the runners sliding and footwork. I agree though, there are alot of teams that don't feel that that is an important issue and don't practice it, which is a big mistake.

 

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That is one thing that JoeA has taught well. Not all the players really grasped what he taught, especially at the high school level, but the ones that did made a world of difference in the games.

Another thing my daughers have become good at is studying the defense. Once one of my daughters stole third base because she noticed that every time the shortstop covered third base she ran past it. My daughter took advantage of the mistake. They also look for the delayed steal, especially when the pitcher does not check the runner when the ball is returned to her.

 

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Maybe mistaken but wasn't there a thread not too long ago about asking girls to slide at tryouts...the pros and cons???? Maybe the teams that wanted to see if girls had fundamental baserunning techniques were not too far "off base" after all!

 

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MV Vipers 15 I do remember that thread and there were plenty of different ideas tossed around in that one about weather or not it was a good idea to do so at a tryout. I for one did not worry too much about seeing a player slide but we did have them run bases in a couple different situations just to see what their instincts were like. As for the slidng I have found that most players simply know one type of slide and we have to teach or reinforce many of those techniques anyway. I have always thought that there was not enough time to do so in a tryout setting, but thats just me.

I think that every team should devote a good amount of practice time to base running, sliding and playing the game in general. Too many players are being taught station to station base running as JoeA mentioned. We see it every single weekend. Remember when we were kids and we played ball all day long from dusk till dawn? Nobody was there yelling at us from 1st or 3rd base, we had to figure out what to do on our own. Thats how we got a feel for the game. You have to find a way to recreate that in your practice situations sometimes. The players really enjoy it, and you will be amazed what it does for their game sense.

 

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Good point! The dependency upon the first base coach ESPECIALLY has to be eliminated. When I was in little league, Connie Mack, high school, college -- one of the players (usually whoever had made the last out or someone not playing that day) would coach first. Mostly, he would just stand there because everybody knew what to do because everybody watched the ball off the bat and either put their head down and ran through the base if it was hit right at an infielder--- or made the question mark turn and rounded the base hard ready to go to second on an error if it went into the outfield. The most important thing the first base coach did was yell, "back!" when the pitcher made a move to first. You can't lead off in softball, so..... all that's left is to remind the runner of how many outs there are and to look across for the signs-- duh.

I see girls slowing down to a stop as they reach first base on a hit to the outfield. I see them run through the base and turn right on a hit to the outfield. I hear coaches yelling at them NOT to look at the ball even as the ball is rolling into the outfield.

If we organized a base running clinic, how many kids would show up? How many parents would pay for that kind of training? How many would say, "what? their coaches can't teach them how to run the bases for all the money I'm shelling out?"

 

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I agree with everything but one point. Players should not dive head first into home plate! Hook sliding definitely, but not head first. Why in the world would you send your head first towards a player that has a ton of equipment on, and more often than not is involved in a collison? Honestly, slide feet first at home, to protect your vital organs. I'm way ok with going in head first at any other base but home!

 

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Never underestimate the value of a good first base coach. The little reminders can make all the difference - "the ball gets away from the catcher, you're going" "pick up the 3rd base coach on your way to 2nd" "don't fall asleep out here now" "pick up the sign". If either base coach can keep their energy up in the box then the girls will follow suit. I like to think my leaping, yelling, Townshend-esque windmill from the 3rd base box has scored more than one player from 2nd over the years.

 

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Love to watch the entertaining animated 3rd base coaches! No excuse for the baserunners to miss the signals when the coach is jumping up and down and flailing(SP) his/her arms!! EXCITEMENT! Get 100+% into the game!

 

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Gotta agree with you on that one Boone, as long as those overly animated 3rd base coaches don't trip their own runners. ;&

 

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Haven't done it .....yet - oh great now that's all I'll be thinking about

 

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You don't slide head first into the catcher. You slide head first around the catcher and reach for the back of the plate. Most players (girls and boys) have far more trouble mastering the hook slide-- and, in fact, get hurt more often doing THAT incorrectly than they do sliding head first.

 

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I agree with thebetterhitter. You have so much more control sliding head first AROUND the catcher or any other player for that matter. I used to do it all the time. It's not near as easy to control a hook slide.

 

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I understand what you are saying. I'm not sending my head first into home plate with a girl in all the equipment. The hook slide isn't any different than a regular slide in regards to using your feet. Sure your hand sticks out, but a hand is way better injured than the head...

 

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I've seen a lot of injuries to players making what should be simple slides into second base. They slide late and they don't get down low enough. Instead, they jab with their front foot and break an ankle or something. Any slide is dangerous when you do it incorrectly. The head first slide into home is no different. It takes technique and practice. It should be practiced on a sliding mat or at least on grass when it's raining. It is not something that a runner should be planning to do as she is rounding third, but rather something done from instinct as the play unfolds before her eyes. When done correctly, there is no contact with the catcher whatsoever. The catcher can't find the runner. She is wide of the plate and reaching with her hand for it. If the runner does it incorrectly, of course she can get hurt. She can get hurt if she: doesn't get her glove up to catch a pop up; gets hit in the knee with a pitch; trips over the bag at first; walks in front of her mother's van while mom is trying to park; starts dating the wrong guy; ---- but that's life.

 

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Warrriors!!!!!!!! You realize you said that out loud right! Now what coach would do such a thing!?! And surely not to a redneck runner!:lmao: