Base-running -- Running to 1B -- Taking a Look-see

[Doug Romrell]

A recent post on another thread mentioned something that caught my attention. Once the batter/runner hits the ball, she, of course, explodes out of the box and runs like wildfire (the name of a horse in one of those old 70s tunes) to first base. In the past I've told my runners that the only thing they need to look at is first base (and listen to the first base coach). Well, in that recent post, someone mentioned that after roughly five steps out of the box the runner should take a short look at where the ball is going and whether or not it gets through the infield. I've never taught this, but I will now. I don't want them looking for very long, but I want smart base-runners and I think part of it is knowing where the ball went and whether or not it gets through the infield.

Thoughts?

 

[cmustangsfp]

NO! I want all of my girl's attention on getting to 1B. It is the 1B's coach to be her eyes. Too many times I have seen a girl take that look and see an IF picking up the ball to make what seems like a sure out and then they slow/stop their velocity heading towards 1B. Even though I preach a 1000 times to never give up, it seems like human nature in some of these girls to quit running when they percieve a "sure" out.

If you have a good 1B coach they will be telling her what she needs to know. In all of the college camps I have taken DD's to, including team camps, they always say for the runner to run through first and look to the right for an overthrown ball as they are breaking down. They don't mention watching where the ball went.

 

[coach james]

Mike Candrea covers this in one of his videos. Its simply designed to check for a past ball on an infield play, and should not impede on any progress toward first. Its a simple glance towards the first base dugout as your crossing the bag.

 

[cmustangsfp]

Mike Candrea covers this in one of his videos. Its simply designed to check for a past ball on an infield play, and should not impede on any progress toward first. Its a simple glance towards the first base dugout as your crossing the bag.

That's what i teach.

My problem with the "quick look" is that it often turns into a long look and then the girl stops going full speed towards first. It may only be about 15% of the time where there is some "error" at first that if the runner would have been safe if they would have kept going full speed, but I want every one of those "mistakes" to go my teams way, not give the other team easy outs.

 

[chinamigarden]

The first base coach has 1 main job, to tell the runner to stop at first, if he/she has to tell the girl to go to second its probably too late. Absolutely they should be taking a peek at the ball to see if it 1 got through so they should be taking a turn, and 2 if its in the gap so they should be running for second right out of the box.

Sure you don't want them staring at the ball and being thrown out at first because they were admiring the play the ss just made, but a quick peak is good base-running.

 

[nanotech14]

Any ball hit thru the infield is a double, until the 1st base coach tells you otherwise. So a peek to see where the ball goes, to me is a must. I want the girl thinking two right out of the box.

 

[Doug Romrell]

The first base coach has 1 main job, to tell the runner to stop at first, if he/she has to tell the girl to go to second its probably too late. Absolutely they should be taking a peek at the ball to see if it 1 got through so they should be taking a turn, and 2 if its in the gap so they should be running for second right out of the box.

Sure you don't want them staring at the ball and being thrown out at first because they were admiring the play the ss just made, but a quick peak is good base-running.

I agree! And, I haven't taught this (take a peek at where the hit went) until now. Before now I have always taught to simply sprint to 1B with no looking at where the ball went and to look to the right for an overthrow immediately after touching 1B. I see absolutely no problem with a peek about 1/4 the way to 1B (exception - bunt). It makes a smart runner even smarter. I think we try to micromanage them too much as base-runners. We all know (or should know) that there is nothing as refreshing as a fantastic base-runner who needs very little micro-managing.

 

[Fontane75]

I agree with most I have always taught my t ball players and 8u players to run through bag and not look bujt once they hit the older ages I start having them aware of balls location and thinking 2 right out of the box until told otherwise by a first base coach.

 

[coachkurtis]

We give three instructions. Through, go 2 or turn and find it(runners choice).

 

[ConorMacleod]

Isn't this really an "age/experience" question? You don't teach an 8 year old the same as a 16 year old. I coach a 12U team, with a bunch of players that are very inexperienced. The problem with teaching them to "look" where they hit the ball is, when they yank their head out early to see where they've hit it, it's usually in the Catchers mitt. I'll take a girl that keeps her head down and does whatever the coach tells her at full speed every day. She has lots of time to look up and to the outfield after she rounds first and heads to second.