Best way to get off first on a steal

[Ken Krause]

Today was the day we spot-checked how our players are getting off first on a steal. We used a technique I first heard about at the NFCA Coaches College . It's pretty simple. You set up a video camera(in this case a Kodak Playsport)*in a spot where you can see both the pitcher and the runner on first, and then you see whether the runner is getting off the base on time. To make it easier to see, we transfer the video to a computer, incidentally.

It's amazing what you see when you do it. We tell the baserunners to anticipate the release, essentially getting going when the pitcher's hand is over her head. The general rule, which I got from Team USA coach Jay Miller, is you're either safe at second or out at first. Despite all of that, some of our runners were still late getting off first.

In looking back at the video, however, we also noticed a pattern. The players who used the "rocker" start -- where you place the left foot on the base and drop the right foot back and to the side -- were consistently late. Most were about four frames late (on a 30 fps video). The players who used a "sprinter" start -- back foot on the base and front foot out toward second -- were either early or on time. None were late.

At that same Coaches College class we were told that when a study was done, the sprinter start came out faster, even though everyone thinks that the rocker start provides an advantage because you're already in motion. Perhaps, in looking at the video, this is why.

While those doing the rocker start may get started a little earlier, they're not really getting going early enough. It's much harder to time the release from the base to the release of the pitch because there is more margin for error. Using the sprinter start, as soon as you get into motion you're off the base.

If you've been teaching the rocker start, it might be worth doing a recording to see if you're really getting the benefit you think you are. You may just be surprised. And if you do happen to do the test and it shows your players getting off on-time, or early, please share how you're teaching it. But no speculation -- actually run the test.

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[starsnuffer]

Interesting stuff, Ken.

I was always taught that by doing the rocker start the technique was more forgiving, because the front foot on the bag maintains contact with the bag during the entire time the "first step" is taken with the back leg. This is supposed to enable the base-runner to do two things: First, maintain a "safe" position with a foot on the bag even if they start "early", and two, it establishes forward momentum before actually leaving the bag. Keep in mind that they are only early if their foot (front starting foot in this case) leaves the bag before the release.

I'm curious if you also have the base-running times that compare the two? At 4 frames late on 30fps video, they're loosing 13/100ths of a second in start time, and it's reasonable they could make that up by being in motion at the start.

Being an old baseball guy, I always did the sprinters start and it took me a while to be turned the other way, however you're doing a good job convincing me that perhaps I had it right years ago?

-W

 

[brethobson]

one question

the reason i like the rocker start (i never like the rocking part of it) is the front foot has secure footing. i have seen some girls slip with the front foot and when that happens you are out with even an average catcher.

 

[Wookie]

For younger players, just learning about stealing and lead-offs, I teach the rocker start for the reasons that starsnuffer mentions - gains momentum while staying on the base reducing chance to be out for leaving early. I would guess that as the players get older, they will learn how to time each individual pitcher better and thus may want to use the sprinter start. But for the younger player I think the rocker start is the way to go.

 

[Ken Krause]

One of the things I think you have to consider is what your acceptable outcomes are. Do you think you runners have a better chance of being called out for leaving early from first, or for being tagged out at second because the ball beats them there? Particularly if you only have one umpire, as is common at the younger levels? I know which of those options I've seen more. You have to be off the base several steps to get called out at first.

The key issue to me, though, isn't whether you're leaving early. It's whether you're leaving late. Consistently, the baserunner who used a rocker start were late getting off the base. So let's look at what that means. We're assuming it's the same runner, so speed isn't a factor. The runner with the sprinter start starts a step ahead, and gets off the base earlier than that same runner using a rocker start (with the results I videoed). She is now two or three steps behind where she would've been had she used a sprinter start. I don't think being in motion can make up that type of ground.

The other concern for me would be getting the timing down. Since you have to get in motion earlier to get off the base on time, there is a lot more guesswork involved. The runner has to understand the speed of the pitcher's arm and time it over a longer distance than the one who is using the sprinter start. With the latter, she just has to get that back foot moving as the pitcher releases. I would think that would be easier for a younger baserunner to understand -- again if your goal is to avoid being late.

I will say that my observations were regarding "what is." This is the way my baserunners left the base. I didn't teach any of those using the rocker start how to do that -- they came to the team with it -- so it's no doubt an issue of prior training as much as anything. They may have been told to use that start and do X, but no one really worked with them to show them how to time the pitcher's arm properly and get off on time. It's something I will work on. But if they still can't get it I will make them change to the sprinter start since I like base stealing and don't want to be giving up outs if I don't have to.

As for secure footing with the front foot, I haven't seen that be a problem. Maybe the runners had their feet too far apart? They should be using short, choppy steps in the beginning.

An interesting experiment will be to take a couple of baserunners and have them use both starts, then compare the results. I think my video software will allow me to do that by starting the clock when the foot leaves first (or pitcher releases the ball) and stopping it when the foot touches second. That might shed more light on the question of momentum going into it.

 

[SoCalSoftballdad]

Ken, important topic not discussed alot. I have all my baserunners use the rocker technique, but one of my concerns with teaching the "rocker" is that it might appear to the plate umpire that the baserunner is leaving early because he sees a runner in motion at say 1B before the release of the ball. Are the umpires (especially if you only have one) really picking up on which girls are using which baserunning set-up technique everytime there is a runner on base? It probably gets even more difficult for Blue when you have mulitple runners on base, one using the rocker, another the sprinter start. Maybe you are right that the baserunner will not be called out leaving the base early unless it is very obvious (several steps before the release) no matter what technique she uses? I err on the side of caution with my baserunners, and tell them not to leave the base until the pitch is released. When using rocker, I probably should have them leaving when the pitcher starts her stride? That extra step could make the difference. Good info.

 

[shockcoach]

I'm going to take my camera down to practice and put this to the test.

 

[Ken Krause]

SoCal, I used to think like you. I was very concerned about my runners leaving early, fair play and all that. Then I took the NFCA class with Jay Miller (among others) and learned to quit worrying about it. After doing the video I came to realize that leaving early was the least of our worries. Try it and you'll probably be surprised at how late your runners are, even if you tell them to leave early. A couple/three steps can mean the difference between safe and out.

 

[starsnuffer]

I know Cindy Bristow has talked about this before and came to the conclusion that coaches should just time them and let each girl do what they do best. That works for colleges, but coaches of younger organizations are usually expected to have a particular standard. I'm really interested in seeing what you guys come up with.

-W

 

[Wookie]

I never thought of the "leaving late" aspect. Come to think of it, that's what I typically see - the girls are not getting off the base until the ball approaches home plate. But I always thought that that was due to the rec ball that they were coming from since the rec leagues have a "no leaving the base until it crosses the plate" rule at the 10U level. I teach the rocker style with them starting when the pitcher has the ball at 12 - some of them get it right away, some need practice. Usually the slower of foot players are those that struggle, and I attributed it to that and the rec rules, but maybe I need to rethink their comfort level with this method.