| Memphis | -- 04-24-2005 @ 10:30 PM |
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I would like some of your opinions (or criticisms) of things I have instructed my runners with regards to their responsibilities on a hit-and-run. 1. You are not stealing as much as you are going on the pitch ... much in the way you might be "going" on a full count and 2 out pitch. The reason this is important is because it drastically reduces the probability that they will get picked off, should a pickoff attempt be made. Runners who are stealing are on edge since they are very eager to get a great jump. Consequently, they are much more susceptible to being picked off. We can't have a picked off runner on a hit-and-run! They have to make sure the pitcher is going home and have trust in the hitter that they will, at a minimum, hit a foul ball. The batter is swinging at ANY pitch so it should be very unlikely that the catcher will even get the opportunity to throw him out. 2. Make sure you take a "peek." You must know what happened with the pitch. Was it a wild pitch ... passed ball ... a grounder hit in your direction that may require you to evade a batted ball. Maybe the batter hit an infield pop-up or flyball to the outfield which would require you to GET BACK! Don't rely on the base coaches to give you this information. 3. The usual rule of "Freeze on a line drive" does not apply on a hit-and-run. For the most part, if a batter's line drive is caught, the runner is generally screwed despite his best effort to get back. So, the batter is better off continuing and gambling that the ball will make it through the infield, allowing him to advance an extra base - or maybe even score. If it's caught and he gets doubled up ... OH WELL. That's just one of the risks of executing a hit-and-run. 4. Plan on advancing to 3rd on all balls that get through the infield. In fact, you should plan on scoring - let the 3rd base coach stop you. David Emerling Memphis, TN
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| 3rdgennation | -- 04-25-2005 @ 4:02 PM |
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1. I tell our runners they are going only when they are sure the pitcher has committed to the plate. With some lefties on the mound that can be quite late. We also let our hitters take the pitch if and only if they are sure the ball will hit the dirt in front of home plate. 2. We treat peeking like a dance step. It is 1,2,3, look. They cross over left, right, left and as they are stepping again with their right they look in. 3. We are also conceding the possibility of a double play on a line drive. We tell our runners however that they should never get forced at second on a hit and run ground ball and that they need to avoid an interference call for getting hit with a ball or hindering a fielder. A well executed hit and run is not a runner safe at second, it's runners at first and third.
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| 3rdgennation | -- 04-25-2005 @ 4:09 PM |
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1. I tell our runners they are going only when they are sure the pitcher has committed to the plate. With some lefties on the mound that can be quite late. We also let our hitters take the pitch if and only if they are sure the ball will hit the dirt in front of home plate. 2. We treat peeking like a dance step. It is 1,2,3, look. They cross over left, right, left and as they are stepping again with their right they look in. 3. We are also conceding the possibility of a double play on a line drive. We tell our runners however that they should never get forced at second on a hit and run ground ball and that they need to avoid an interference call for getting hit with a ball or hindering a fielder. A well executed hit and run is not a runner safe at second, it's runners at first and third.
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