Top Five Lessons For Stealing Bases In Baseball
Base stealing requires more than just being a fast runner. To become a truly effective base stealer, a baseball player needs to learn the techniques that will allow him to get the extra step or the extra fraction of a second that can earn him that extra base. This article describes the top five lessons for stealing bases in baseball that can turn a good baserunner into a great baserunner.
1. Maximize your lead - The lead is one of the most important parts of base stealing. Players must maximize their leads in order to be as close to the next base as possible. The optimal distance is different for every ball player depending on his quickness, but it should be as far as possible still allowing the baserunner to successfully return to the current base in case of a pick off move. Far too often, runners do not maximize their leads.
2. Pick a good pitch - A baserunner has a much better chance of stealing a base against a breaking pitch than a fastball. If you can see or anticipate the next pitch and you know that it will be a breaking ball, then this can give you an advantage over the defense. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, catchers have a much more difficult time catching and handling a breaking pitch behind the plate. The second obvious reason is that a breaking pitch is slower to the plate than a fastball. These two factors can drastically increase the chances of a baserunner successfully reaching the next base on a breaking pitch.
3. Get a great jump - The jump is the most important factor for successfully stealing a base. Without a good jump, all the speed in the world cannot help you. To get a good jump, you must do two things. First, watch for the pitcher's trigger and make your move the instant that the trigger is performed. Second, stay low in your stance throughout the full acceleration. Make your first step a cross-over step with your left foot and try to be at full speed within the first two or three steps.
4. Avoid the tag - When an infielder applies a tag to a baserunner, he almost always sweeps his glove from left to right from the baserunner's perspective. A baserunner can try to avoid this tag by always sliding to the right side of the base. Whether sliding head-first or feet-first, sliding away from the tag minimizes the chances of the infielder applying an effective tag.
5. Locate the ball - During and after the steal, you always want to know the location of the ball. While running to the next base, you always want to take a quick peek at home to make sure that the batter didn't pop up the baseball. After you successfully reach the next base, you always want to locate the ball to make sure that the throw did not get past the infielder. If the throw was wild, you might be able to take an extra base.
Stealing bases in baseball is one of the most effective and exciting ways to score runs in the game of baseball. Use these five lessons to give yourself the advantage on the bases.
1. Maximize your lead - The lead is one of the most important parts of base stealing. Players must maximize their leads in order to be as close to the next base as possible. The optimal distance is different for every ball player depending on his quickness, but it should be as far as possible still allowing the baserunner to successfully return to the current base in case of a pick off move. Far too often, runners do not maximize their leads.
2. Pick a good pitch - A baserunner has a much better chance of stealing a base against a breaking pitch than a fastball. If you can see or anticipate the next pitch and you know that it will be a breaking ball, then this can give you an advantage over the defense. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, catchers have a much more difficult time catching and handling a breaking pitch behind the plate. The second obvious reason is that a breaking pitch is slower to the plate than a fastball. These two factors can drastically increase the chances of a baserunner successfully reaching the next base on a breaking pitch.
3. Get a great jump - The jump is the most important factor for successfully stealing a base. Without a good jump, all the speed in the world cannot help you. To get a good jump, you must do two things. First, watch for the pitcher's trigger and make your move the instant that the trigger is performed. Second, stay low in your stance throughout the full acceleration. Make your first step a cross-over step with your left foot and try to be at full speed within the first two or three steps.
4. Avoid the tag - When an infielder applies a tag to a baserunner, he almost always sweeps his glove from left to right from the baserunner's perspective. A baserunner can try to avoid this tag by always sliding to the right side of the base. Whether sliding head-first or feet-first, sliding away from the tag minimizes the chances of the infielder applying an effective tag.
5. Locate the ball - During and after the steal, you always want to know the location of the ball. While running to the next base, you always want to take a quick peek at home to make sure that the batter didn't pop up the baseball. After you successfully reach the next base, you always want to locate the ball to make sure that the throw did not get past the infielder. If the throw was wild, you might be able to take an extra base.
Stealing bases in baseball is one of the most effective and exciting ways to score runs in the game of baseball. Use these five lessons to give yourself the advantage on the bases.
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