May, 2003 Vol. 1 Nbr.5     

Holding Runners & Stealing Bases
^{Coach Gil. Navarro} 

When you have someone on base, what's your job as a pitcher? When your on base, what's your job as a runner? Let's take a look at these questions. 

The Pitcher
As a pitcher it's your job to hold the runners. If a runner steals a base he stole it on the pitcher. Yes, the catcher has to throw it down, and the position player has to catch and tag the runner, but it's the pitcher, who needs to make sure the runner doesn't have a big lead or gets a big jump. The key to keeping the other teams running game under control is to keep the runners uncomfortable. Variance is everything for you, and you have to change your time of delivery with every pitch. Don't become predictable. If you do the same thing every time you go home or make a move, predictability becomes your worse enemy. BE UNPREDICTABLE!!! 

When you have runners on the bases, vary your looks, and the time it takes you to pitch.  Take a look before you come set, take a look after you come set... take 2 looks after you come set... don't look before you come set, take a look after you come set... take 3 looks... count to 5... count to 3... quick pitch... step off the mound occasionally, these variances can go on for ever. Your job is to keep the runner uncomfortable getting him to think twice about just going. 

Keep in mind you don't always have to throw over. If you have a runner on 1st maybe step off once, then step off and throw over without trying to get the runner, hit the 1st baseman in the chest. Here we are trying to put the runner to sleep make him think that even when you throw over you don't have much of a move and he can get back in time. Once you got the runner under control use your quick jump pivot move this time try and get the runner. 

If you've got a runner on second the runner requires a big jump to steal third. This at times is where the pitcher gets complacent and does not look at the runner. Don't fall into a pattern. Since stealing third requires a bigger jump you can make the runner uncertain just by paying attention to him. Do the same with varying your looks and pitches. Try an inside move or an outside move for picks. Take a look at second as you start your leg kick instead of always looking at home. Step off and look at the runner. 

Remove the element of surprise between you and your fielders learn to communicate without saying what your going to do. Don't do something when your defensive player has no clue what your going to do. Trust your players and they will trust you. Pitch when the runner is either going or leaning back to the base. 

The Runner
As a runner your job is to upset the pitcher's game. Get in his head, get him to think more about you stealing. Get the position players to be out of position, keep the defense thinking and off beat. If your facing a pitcher that has fallen into a rhythm, you can time him. Pitchers fall into a rhythm when they're doing well throwing the ball. They basically feel their game is getting the batter. If you make it on base, here is you chance to take control of his game. You can figure out what the pitcher is doing while your on the bench waiting for your at-bat. This is the best time to beat the pitcher looking and finding everything he can do. Watch what he does when he make a move on a runner. If you have a pitcher timed you may want to take a shorter lead, this way the pitcher will basically ignore you... now you got him... 

Most runners are taught to watch the pitcher's heal, if he's a right handed pitcher and moves his back heal first then he coming over to 1st. Go beyond that... Watch his head while your in the dugout you may be able to pickup something else he does when he's going home or throwing over. Look for patterns of movement that give away his intentions. You need to focus on other gimme's... heck what if he's a left handed pitcher and all you know how to do is watch his back heel. If you've got something on his patterns you may be able to see this earlier and be able to get bigger jumps when stealing. 

Your time in the dugout is not social time it's time to focus and win the game.  This way when your on base you now know something about the pitcher and can use it to your advantage. 

As a runner you are the batters best asset while your on 2nd base. Learn to steal signs and relay them to your batter. Word of caution here... DON'T be obvious when relaying signs to your batter. You don't want to shout out FAST BALL!!!... OFF SPEED!!! that's just not good sportsmanship and if your playing high level ball your batter may get the next at his head... Hopefully your not teaching the later but it does exist, beware. Come up with some kind of communication routine everyone on the team can understand. If you can help your batter and you've managed to steal second on the pitcher... you've just upset his game, he has to change or suffer the consequences. If he changes he's playing your game.

Do a quick fake that will keep the defense thinking... Learn how to take a secondary lead properly. Look for the ball in the dirt.

So much of this game requires that both these aspects be performed properly but so little time is spent perfecting it. The reason these areas are often overlooked is because when a team is practicing most of the time is spent on team development, working on cohesion, batting practice, defensive situations etc... If you want your game to get to the next level your going to have to work on this aspect of the game on your own. Luckily it can be done. Take a look at some of the Tips & Drills describe within this issue, and get to work.

Here is an area that most players do not know how to execute properly. The concept here is for the baserunner to get and extra couple of steps on the pitch. One of the biggest mistakes I see out there is when a runner takes a secondary they take it before a pitcher commits to the plate (TOO EARLY) or after the ball is in the catchers glove (TOO LATE). An aggressive secondary lead can produce a lot of extra runs during the season. The runner should take two hard shuffle steps that put him further from the bag. The runner needs to time his shuffle steps so that when the ball reaches the plate his lead foot is planted and he can make a quick decision to go back or take the next bag. If the ball is hit directly at him or behind he should be able to take the next bag easily looking for the next. However, if the ball is hit in front of him the runner should freeze and wait for it to go through the infield before advancing. IF the catcher receives the ball clean the runner should push off his right foot and do a crossover step back to the bag hard. This takes practice, lots of it to feel comfortable.

Leg Explosiveness
To build leg explosiveness you can do double leg and single leg hops. In these exercises you jump forward as quickly as possible, striving to keep the amount of time your feet are in contact with the ground as short as possible. Some of the more effective exercises are as follows:

• Double leg hops in place (150 - 160 jumps/min)
• Double leg jumps over 6 - 8 cones placed at suitable distances for jumping over. Place the cones further apart to get more forward movement.
• Single leg jumps (hops) with forward movement.
• Single leg hops over 6 - 8 cones (low obstacles)
• Skips

Change in Direction Jumps
After developing confidence in your ability to do these jump exercises, you can then begin doing some jumps with changing directions. Some of the exercises that you can do are as follows:

• Side jumps. Jump to the left and then to the right, staying in the same basic position.
• Side jumps over a cone.
• Zigzag jumps. Jump forward and to the left, then forward and to the right. Go for approximately 10 jumps. Repeat for 2 - 3 series.
• Box jumps. Jump forward, to the right, to the rear and then to the left and repeat in the opposite direction. (Jump to each corner of a square traced on the ground.)
  

PICK-OFF MOVES
If you are a pitcher you can practice while watching TV. You don't need to have a ball but if you want make it interesting roll up a sock and use it as a ball. (if you live at home ask mom or dad if that's ok)

• Work on holding runners on 1st by using the TV as the runner. 
• Vary your looks, 
• Work on getting off the rubber. 
• Work on a quick hop pivot and throw. 
• Try picking off the runner on movement from the TV show your watching.

Please consult your physician prior to beginning any exercise(s) discussed in this newsletter. The comments and topics on this newsletter never take the place of what your physician can recommend. This information is presented for informational purposes and should be used with caution and professional medical advice. 

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