A proficient base running team establishes its presence early in the game, creating awareness, excitement, and potential stress for the opposing team. Our team uses six principles to create the foundation for how we run the bases. I believe they have greatly impacted how we play offense, increased our chances to take advantage of free bases, and maximized our scoring opportunities on an everyday basis.
Principle 1: Hard 90, Every Time!
At the core of base running excellence lies the fundamental principle of running hard. Getting players to understand and buy in to running hard out of the box is the primary foundation for base running success. It transcends talent level and foot speed; it is purely a matter of effort, awareness, and willingness to go base to base. To instill this principle, incorporate running hard out of the box on the last pitch of each round of batting practice, emphasizing the importance of consistent effort.
Principle 2: All balls hit to the outfield are two bases, all balls hit to the gap are three.
Developing a mindset of capitalizing on every opportunity to take extra bases is vital for effective base running. All balls hit to the outfield should be viewed as potential two-base opportunities, while balls hit into the gaps hold the potential for three bases. To complement this mindset, focus on proper technique for rounding the bases to create better angles and minimize steps. Practice with base runners during outfield cuts and relay drills to reinforce the importance of efficient base running on outfield hits. If they are running hard, you will notice right away that it puts an added measure of stress and pressure on the defense.
Principle 3: Automatic “go” on all balls in the dirt.
Anticipation is a key trait of exceptional base running teams. Pre-pitch information gathering (such as assessing the scoreboard, defensive positioning, offensive strategy, and pitch tendencies) helps base runners put anticipation into action, especially in the case of passed balls and wild pitches. On pitches in the dirt, an aggressive base running team exploits any opportunity to take a free base by timing their secondary lead, tracking the pitch trajectory, and capitalizing on catcher reactions. Integrate base runners into catchers’ blocking practice to enhance their ability to read and react.
Principle 4: Freeze, read and react to fly balls.
Avoiding double plays caused by poor base running decisions is crucial to keep the positive momentum of the game. Teaching base runners to freeze, read and react to all balls hit in the air improves their ability to make quick and appropriate decisions when defenders are moving away or towards them. Incorporate a dedicated base running rotation during batting practice to reinforce this principle and develop a heightened sense of situational awareness.
Principle 5: All slides are pop-up slides.
Pressure plays are opportunities for baserunners to take advantage of the opposing team’s mistakes. Implementing pop-up slides on all slides enables base runners to anticipate opportunities for additional bases—when the defense mishandles cut-and-relay situations, winds up out of position, or simply makes an errant throw on a routine relay or assist attempt. Add base runners to cuts and relays, and pick-off practice, to enhance their ability to capitalize on defensive errors.
Principle 6: Run through home.
The final base running principle is all about finishing! Nothing is complete until we have another run on the board. Emphasize the importance of running hard through home plate on time-sensitive plays (typically trail runners trying to beat a throw to second or third).
Incorporate base runners into team defense and any other situational drills you may have so you can reinforce the significance of finishing strong and scoring runs.
These principles have worked really well for our teams, are easy to remember and are not difficult to implement in practice. In my opinion, nothing changes the momentum of the game quicker than base running. And while good base running teams take advantage of their opponent’s mistakes, I believe that great base running teams are better at anticipating those opportunities, have learned the difference between aggressiveness and recklessness, and can actually speed the game up on their opponents with nothing other than effort, awareness, and technique.