Baserunning: How to get there the quickest

[CoogansBluff]

Basic questions here -

When going home to second, is the standard practice now to take the question-mark route -- ? -- as opposed to the banana -- ) --route?

And what about home to 3B or home? Does it begin to resemble a circle from 1B to home, or are we still doing question marks?

Does that make sense?

More simply, what's the fast way to get from home to home?

 

[starsnuffer]

In softball, the banana route is usually quicker. The key here is to push hard off the inside corner of the base and use it as leverage for making the turn (the same way a stuntman would "run" around a wall corner). The question mark routes make more sense for the 90' in baseball. That said, the runner should practice good cornering through the apex of their turn and go from outside-inside-outside.

-W

 

[chinamigarden]

the question mark is for the baserunner who waits for the base coach to tell her to go to 2. Good baserunners know when they can at least take a good turn and will use the banana path.

 

[Greenmonsters]

Basic questions here -

When going home to second, is the standard practice now to take the question-mark route -- ? -- as opposed to the banana -- ) --route?

And what about home to 3B or home? Does it begin to resemble a circle from 1B to home, or are we still doing question marks?

Does that make sense?

More simply, what's the fast way to get from home to home?

Truth is that the fastest way to get from home to second is a straight path over the pitching plate! I know I can't be the only one that's seen that in practice - sometimes by a wise guy, but other times completely serious. Just a reminder that we sometimes assume things to be basic knowledge that really aren't and that we need to be specific in our instructions.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Truth is that the fastest way to get from home to second is a straight path over the pitching plate! I know I can't be the only one that's seen that in practice - sometimes by a wise guy, but other times completely serious. Just a reminder that we sometimes assume things to be basic knowledge that really aren't and that we need to be specific in our instructions.

Never seen one go from home directly to 2B. But have seen them go from home directly to 3B.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Thanks for the responses. Sounds like the best advise is that you go straight to first until you know the ball is through the infield. At whatever point you know it's through (either you see it, or the coach has told you), the runner then would begin the 'curve', which may lead to the ? approach. Does that sound right? And the best way to go home to home is a strict banana diet.

 

[SSmom83]

Truth is that the fastest way to get from home to second is a straight path over the pitching plate! I know I can't be the only one that's seen that in practice - sometimes by a wise guy, but other times completely serious. Just a reminder that we sometimes assume things to be basic knowledge that really aren't and that we need to be specific in our instructions.

Funny story - in a 12U tryout this year for my DD coach told the girls they were being timed, so run from home to 2nd as fast as you can & stop on 2nd... Very 1st batter ran through the pitching mound to 2nd... I laughed so hard! 10-12yr olds should SOOOOO know better! lol

 

[darken]

Funny story - in a 12U tryout this year for my DD coach told the girls they were being timed, so run from home to 2nd as fast as you can & stop on 2nd... Very 1st batter ran through the pitching mound to 2nd... I laughed so hard! 10-12yr olds should SOOOOO know better! lol

Smart kid. She did exactly what you said.

 

[redhotcoach]

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Northwestern says they studied and worked alot on it, fasted way around is 2 45 degree turns each base. Straight line angled out the 45 degree cut about 3-4 strides before base and second 45 degree cut off base.

 

[Scl1991]

Truth is that the fastest way to get from home to second is a straight path over the pitching plate! I know I can't be the only one that's seen that in practice - sometimes by a wise guy, but other times completely serious. Just a reminder that we sometimes assume things to be basic knowledge that really aren't and that we need to be specific in our instructions.

A few years ago during my DD's middle school tryouts, the HC was very excited to finally have an asst to help him. He asked her to time the girls Home to 1st and then Home to 2nd while he worked in the OF. When I looked up, she had 20 girls running strait across the pitchers mound to 2nd, and had dutifully recorded all of their times. The look on the HC's face when I ran over to him to direct his attention to drill? Absolutely priceless