3 Baserunning Tips to Score More Runs in Baseball
- By Grant Young
A phrase that we’ve all heard hundreds of times by now is that baseball is a game of inches. And while that may be true, there’s also an argument to be made that baseball is a game of 90 feet.
A team’s ability to win the battle on the basepaths — especially as it pertains to baserunning, as well as giving and taking free bases — can often be the difference between winning and losing a close game.ases — can often be the difference between winning and losing a close game.
Not to mention the benefits that applying pressure to an opposing team’s pitcher might provide, in terms of a mis-executed pitch or other costly mistake. Which is why all teams should strive to be lethal on the bases.
And although stealing bases might require fast runners, being a good baserunning team does not. A combination of solid coaching and disciplined players can turn a team into a threatening force that wins by makes the most out of all 90 feet.
Below are three tips by three proven baserunning coaches that will allow your team to scamper to success.
1. Tony Vitello - ‘Incorporating Base Running into Practice’
Tony Vitello is the head coach at the University of Tennessee. Since taking over at Tennessee in 2017, Vitello has led the Volunteers back to national prominence and has helped establish Tennessee baseball as an SEC and national power, leading the program to four NCAA regionals (2019, 2021, 2022, 2023), three NCAA super regionals (2021, 2022, 2023) and a pair of Men's College World Series appearances (2021 & 2023). Coach Vitello has also won National Coach of the Year awards twice during his time at Tennessee.
In his ‘Incorporating Base Running into Practice’ course, Coach Vitello details a few important aspects to keep in mind when coaching players about taking bases when balls are thrown in the dirt.
“Baserunners should follow the ball out of the hand and be able to see the angle,” Coach Vitello said. “A lot of guys just look at the pitcher release the ball and their eyes move toward home plate.”
This is a small detail that can often spell the difference between moving up to second (or third) base on a ball in the dirt, or remaining stationed. Watching the ball from its entire journey from the pitcher’s hand to the catcher’s mitt (or to the bat) enables the baserunner to make early reads about where the ball might be headed.
Coach Vitello incorporates this into practice by saying that, in intrasquads, if his players are thrown out trying to move up on a passed ball and are thrown out, just have them sent back to whichever base they came from. Making it so there’s no consequence for being over-aggressive on the basepaths allows players to hone their baserunning instincts, which will serve them — and their team — during games.
2. Adam Szabo - ‘Baserunning and Fielding Mechanics
Adam Szabo is the Founder and CEO of Excelerate Athletic Development, which partners with and supports teams, organizations, and individuals in reaching their goals through developing athleticism, sport-specific skills, and the ability for athletes to train themselves through a systematic and organized set of programs and workouts.
In his ‘Baserunning and Fielding Mechanics’ course, Coach Szabo discusses the proper technique behind rounding bases.
“If you’re rounding second base, and trying to go to third base, you’re actually going to lean toward third base as you’re rounding,” Coach Szabo said.
Another invaluable tip he offers is that, when rounding a base, baserunners should be driving their right arm across their body, towards the base they’re running to. This will help the baserunner eliminate the bow out that comes from rounding bases, which will save them crucial time when making it to the next base. This little adjustment — which Coach Szabo says to explain as, “take your right arm and push it to your left pec” — could be the difference being safe and out.
Another important tip that Coach Szabo has is to never have a player looking at the ball as they’re rounding third base. There’s a third base coach there for a reason, and it needs to be on that coach to be telling the player (nonverbally) whether they should be heading home or staying at third. The player’s only focus should be following their coaches que, and keeping their momentum geared toward home.
3. Steve Nicollerat - ‘The 10 Base Running Drills Every Coach Needs
Steve Nicollerat is the Founder of Coach Baseball Right! Which provides baseball organizations dozens of resources available to grow and elevate their current programs and deepen their kids' experiences. In addition, Coach Nicollerat has about 40 years of experience coaching varsity baseball at St. Louis University High School, as well as played collegiate ball at St. Louis University.
In his course, Coach Nicollerat discusses how to steal second base off of left-handed pitchers. The first part of this requires understanding whether the left-handed pitcher can read or not. If the lefty pitcher has proven that they can read effectively, it might be wise to not steal.
But if the lefty isn’t a reader, and instead uses a more deceptive pickoff move to try and negate the run game, Coach Nicollerat explains that one option is to have the baserunner take a big lead, then take off for second base as soon as the pitcher makes their first movement. The idea behind this is that, if the pitcher’s pickoff move is slow, then the baserunner will have enough time to make it to second base if they steal once the pitcher begins their long pickoff move.
Although if you’re also looking to steal against a reading lefty, one way to do so would be to wait until the pitcher enters the apex of their delivery (the top of their leg lift). While this is a risk, the reading pitcher has most likely already made their decision to pitch rather than pick at this point, so the baserunner has a solid chance of stealing the base.
Teaching
your players these three coaches’ techniques should have them
maximizing opportunities on the basepaths, which will allow your to
manufacture more runs and start winning games that you might have
otherwise lost.
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