| BASE RUNNING TIPS & DRILLS | |
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DRILLS
Aggressive
Drill
Diving and sliding practice
Base running
Situations Drill
Allows the coach to check running mechanics and proper turns in every base running situation
Between
Home and First Drill
Drill for teaching correct base running and listening to the base coach
Burma's
Drill
Base running with strategy in mind
Teaches players how to read the trajectory of a pitched ball that will bounce in
the dirt
A big part of our base running program is
"reading ball in the dirt."
Lead-Off
Drill
Gets the base runner to come off of the base aggressively as soon as the pitch
crosses the plate
Leads
and Breaks Drill
Helpful drill for divisions in which players lead off
Slow
Down Tip
Keeps younger players from slowing down before reaching first base
SAFE SLIDING PRACTICE TIP
When practicing sliding try using a large piece of cardboard placed on grass.
Have the kids start their slide hitting the piece of cardboard. This causes the
cardboard to slide on the grass instead of the kid so there is less chance for
injury do to abrasion or maybe snagging a cleat or shoe in the grass. Use a
stick of some kind as sort of limbo bar and have them slide under it to make
sure they stay as low as possible. Make sure they practice good form (slide more
on your back than side and keep the hands up and back).
Always wear batting helmets when practicing.
AGGRESSIVE DRILL
Runners start at home plate. Swing and round first properly taking a wide,
aggressive, turn and dive back into the bag. Runner gets up quickly, takes an
aggressive lead, takes off to steal 2nd sliding into the bag. Runner then gets
up takes an aggressive secondary lead and dives back into the bag. He then
steals third repeating the slide, getting up and taking an aggressive lead off
third, in foul ground, dives back into the bag, coming back on the foul line. He
gets up and sprints home (no slide at plate). The next runner takes off from
home when the previous runner completes his dive into first and touches the bag.
The focus of this drill is to make our runners very aggressive and not be afraid
to get dirty!!! It also gets players practice in sliding and diving properly,
which will hopefully keep us from injuries and out of court. It also tends to
develop players who want to work hard and get dirty.
BASE RUNNING SITUATIONS DRILL
This is a great drill to end practice with.
Split the team in half and form two lines at home plate, one staggered ahead and
inside the other. The coach stands at the pitcher's circle with two bats. When
he (she) hits the bats together, the lead runners in both lines take off. One
runs straight through first base as if she is beating out a groundball, the
other makes a turn and continues into second. You now have runners at first and
second and two lines of runners still at home. At the next crack of the bat, the
drill continues in the same manner but the runner on second now rounds third and
scores while the runner on first takes third. Now every base should be occupied.
It continues again, with the runner on third tagging up and scoring. Two runners
will now score each time the bats are hit together. They will then return to the
end of the opposite line and the bases will always remain loaded.
The coach can gauge when the team has had enough and end the drill when the last
player on line crosses home.
Players line up at home plate. One at a time swing a bat and drop it safely as
if a hit. They then become a runner and runner to first base watching the coach.
If signaled to second they round the turn and go to second. The coach may stop
them and have them slide back into first, send them to slide into second, or
have them overrun. The coach should alternate his calls to keep the players
guessing and watching.
Use this drill to get players safe on first base, and as a great tool to teach:
1) running through the base.
2) rounding a base.
3) tag the base with the left foot on the left corner of the bag, and
4) watching and listening to the base coach.
Divide the players equally among the four bases. One
at a time from each base will be running, with the others waiting their turn. At
'go' from the coach, the four take off. Proper technique is a must and the goal
would be to do a certain amount right in a row before going on to something
else.
Player at the plate: Simulates a swing. Takes off as if hitting a double and
possibly a triple. Makes a good turn at first. Picks up the 3rd base coach half
way to 2nd. Rounds 2nd hard, 'picks up the ball' and returns to 2nd quickly.
Player at first: From a lead, goes from 1st to 3rd. Picks up the 3rd base coach
half way to 3rd. Makes a hard turn at 3rd then returns quickly. Player at 2nd:
From a lead, goes from 2nd to home. Picks up the 3rd base coach and makes a good
turn. Runs hard through the plate. Player at 3rd: From a lead, goes back to the
bag to tag. Takes off for home, rounds it, then takes off for 1st as if beating
out a single. Looks inside towards the 1st base dugout as he crosses the bag for
possible overthrow.
This drill helps the players learn how to read the trajectory of a pitched ball
that will bounce in the dirt. Players are set up at all three bases. They are
independent of each other because different bases have different rules for a
ball in the dirt. A coach pitches from the rubber and mixes in strikes and balls
in the dirt to the catcher. Any time the ball is about to bounce the whole
team must yell "DIRT." This helps you make sure everyone is paying
attention. Baserunners on first should automatically go when they know the ball
is going to bounce. If they leave after the ball has bounced, they left too
late. Runners on second need to react to the ball in the dirt and then decide if
they would be safe. We tell them to read and decide. If the ball kicks away from
the catcher they should've gone. If the catcher blocks the ball in front of him
the base runners should stay. The runner on third base is similar to the one on
second. He takes his lead, gets a good crow hop as the ball nears the plate and
reacts to the ball in the dirt. Again, he reads and decides.
Coaches should emphasize that each base is independent of each other. Just
'cause the runner from first goes to second doesn't mean the runner on second
has to go. Coaches should also emphasize good secondary lead technique. It also
helps if you have at least 2 catchers. You don't want one catcher getting tired
and picking up bad or lazy habits.
LEAD-OFF DRILL
One problem we have in youth baseball is getting the base runner to come off of
the base aggressively as soon as the pitch crosses the plate. In our league you
can't come off the bag until the ball is either put into play or caught by the
catcher.
To correct this we run an exercise requiring a pitcher, a catcher and a first
baseman and one base runner with batting helmet (at first base). The remaining
players line up in foul territory to take their turn running. To begin the
pitcher pitches to the catcher and the catcher makes a throw to first base to
try to catch the base runner coming off of the bag to go to second base.
The object is for the base runner to get as far as possible toward second base
(but not to go to second) and then try to get safely back to first before the
throw. We mark a line in the dirt at the farthest distance that each player gets
to - only if they get back to first safely. That tells the player how far they
can get off the bag and still get back during a regular game. We have a
competition to see who can get the farthest. We never lose a chance to make any
drill into a game or competition. In order to get any distance at all they have
to dive headfirst back to first base (which is considered both safe and legal in
our league).
Our aim is to get the players to come off the bags far enough to take advantage
of any dropped balls by the catcher or to get the catcher to make an attempt at
a throw-out (which results in an error about 50% of the time). It is also a good
workout for the pitcher, catcher and first baseman.
Final coaching consideration
It's important that when you finish the competition to go back over each
player's mark with that player and have them stride off the distance. This will
let them have an idea how far to come off the bag.
LEADS AND BREAKS DRILL
If you coach at a division in which players lead off, this drill can be helpful.
Align all players on the first base foul line, in the outfield. The line becomes
the base. A coach acts as the pitcher, somewhere near the infield dirt, near
where the second baseman would play. All players should have a good view. The
coach should alternate between rightie, leftie, stretch, windup, stepping off the
rubber, and picks. Players are given a scenario before every pitch (on first
base straight steal, on first base hit and run, on second base two out lead,
delay steal, etc.). Players assume the correct position, take a proper lead, and
react according to the play called and the movement of the pitcher. Other
coaches should be positioned to watch players and make corrections.
Spend 5-10 minutes of every practice on this. We also spent at least 5 minutes
before every game on this drill.
SLOW DOWN TIP
Many 1st and 2nd graders slow down before they get to first base instead of
running through the bag. During practice, I have the kids run to a base I place
about 15 feet past first. This way they keep up their speed through the first.