Base-Coaching Absolutes – Todd Guilliams

By: Todd Guilliams

Originally Published in High Scoring Baseball - Human Kinetics

1. With runners on base and less than two outs, the coach cannot let the runner at first base get doubled off on a line drive.

2. The coach should remind runners not to let the second baseman tag them on their way to second base with runners on. The base runner should fall down and roll away from the tagger or stop and retreat.

3. On steals or on a hit-and-run, the runner should be taught not to try to get back on line drives. He should just keep going because he cannot get back anyway.

4. Runners on their way to second must visually pick up the third-base coach halfway to second base on balls to right field (figure 7.13).

5. The coach predetermines sending the base runner home from second with two outs on a single. The third-base coach should alert the first-base coach so that the trail runner can go to second without stopping or hesitating.

6. The third-base coach should let base runners know that he is a stop sign only. He is not a go sign. This plan helps eliminate hesitation.

7. The coach points his hand at the third-base bag before the base runner takes his lead at first to remind him that he must go into third standing up with two outs if he is going to go two bases on a single.

8. When running from first to third base on a single to right field, base runners should remember the coach—base—coach rule. The runner looks at the third-base coach when he is halfway to second base for direction, looks down to touch the base, and then picks up the third-base coach again after he rounds second in case the coach changes his mind.

Figure 7.13 Runner picking up coach for sign at the halfway point.

9. The third-base coach should point to the ground down the third base line to tell the runner to round the bag to this point, find the ball, and take home in the event that the outfielder bobbles the ball.

10. When the third-base coach is behind third toward the outfield, the runner knows that he is scoring and that the coach is focused on the trail runner. When the coach is down the third-base line, the lead runner knows that he must watch the coach and obey his hand signals.