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Article By: Eric Bunnell Originally Published on: STACK.com To be a well-rounded baseball player, you must develop and practice your base running skills. As my Guide To Base Running Strategy states, because rounding the bags happens almost every play, it is critical to allot time each practice to base running. To be a talented base runner, you must first recognize when the defense makes a mistake, then be able to capitalize on the opportunity. Develop your team's base running skills with the following four drills. Each drill can be practiced individually, in small groups, or as a team to incorporate a unified base running mentality. 1. Ground Ball Reads Anytime a player can eliminate the need for a sacrifice bunt to preserve an out, it's a huge advantage for the offense. Consider the benefit for your team if you habitually advanced from first base to third through a series of steals. The Drill: The drill begins with a runner at first, taking a conservative lead. The coach feeds himself the ball and hits it toward centerfield. When the coach feeds himself the ball the toss serves as the pitch the runner takes a secondary lead. Once the ball is hit, the runner reacts to the ball by sprinting to second base, while keeping his eye on the ball and the fielder. Before arriving at second base, the runner should have already made a decision on whether to advance to third. As a rule of thumb, continue to third base if you reach second before the outfielder has the ball. Keep in mind: it's far easier to slam on the brakes than turn on the jets. If the fielder has the ball, simply round the bag and watch the throw, ready to take advantage of a throwing error. 2. Dirtball Reads When a pitcher throws a ball in the dirt, take advantage of the opportunity by stealing an extra base. If a ball skips away from the catcher, runners must take advantage of the situation by advancing. The trouble lies with in-between balls, those that stray out of the batter's box but not out of the dirt circle. This is where a little anticipation comes in handy. Know the count, the situation, where the other runners are and what they may be thinking. If it's a breaking ball count (0-2, 1-2, even 1-1), expect a ball in the dirt and take an extra step toward the next base. The Drill: This drill should be performed with a loaded infield and any number of runner combinations. The runners should start at any base in the infield. The coach short hops the ball to home plate, so the catcher, forced to block the ball, allows the runners time to read the situation and quickly decide whether to advance to the next base. The coach should keep the runners honest by mixing in strikes. 3. Tennis Ball Drop Obviously, there is no better way to improve your stealing skills than to face a pitcher practicing his pickoff moves. However, this opportunity isn't always available. When a pitcher isn't available, use the Tennis Ball Drop drill to improve your reaction time. (For more drills to improve reaction time, head to: Reaction Time With Longhorn Baseball.) The Drill: With a player on the pitcher's mound holding a tennis ball, the runner takes a lead off first base. The player releases the tennis ball, triggering the runner's break for second base. Whether the runner runs the full distance to second base, the first ten feet, or halfway, it doesn't matter, since the first few steps are most important. The player on the mound should vary his release time to eliminate any chance for the runner to time up the pitch. 4. Resistance Steal Breaks When it comes to stealing, your first step is your most important. This drill can be done with a tennis ball, a live pitcher or verbal signals. The Drill: The runner starts by taking a normal lead off first base. Instead of balancing his weight on both feet equally, the runner should exaggerate his lean toward second base by placing more weight on his right foot. A partner standing to the right of the runner place his hands on the runner's forward leaning (right ) shoulder. The runner should feel somewhat unbalanced. Once in this position, the partner lets go, then pushes the runner forward, propelling him into a sprint. This forces the runner to run fast enough to keep his balance. (Check out 5 Tips on How to Run Faster.) This drill makes the runner explode out of the gate toward second base. Again, the distance you run can vary between the first ten feet to the entire distance. Just make sure to concentrate on a good start.
About the Expert Eric Bunnell has coached college baseball for nearly a decade. He currently works with infielders, catchers and base runners at Lake Erie College in Painesville, Ohio. During Bunnell's tenure as an infield coach, his shortstops have been selected in the MLB Draft two years in... |
4 of the Best Base-Running Drills
