Baseball’s Unwritten Rules: The Do’s and Don’ts of Running the Bases
Website design By BotEap.comEvery year you will read or hear a Major League manager declare that his first and absolute most important rule is that each of his players must run hard to first base, every time. Then, inevitably, during the season, players will be penalized or banned for not obeying the first and absolute most important rule. Frankly, it’s horrible that such a basic tenet of the game needs to be mentioned at the highest level of baseball; because it’s the easiest thing for a player to do during a game, and not doing it can be the difference between your team winning or losing.
Website design By BotEap.comFor a very good reason, the name of the Game is Baseball. The objective of each player when entering the batter’s box is to reach all four bases safely, as the result will be to score at the plate or to help his teammates advance safely, so they can score. The next logic is that each player should run as fast as he can to each base, each game, to minimize the defense’s ability to keep them from scoring. When they score, it’s not called a touchdown, basket, goal, or point; It’s called Run! The symmetry is obvious; Each baserunner must run as fast as he can to each base to increase his team’s chances of scoring runs. It’s as simple as it sounds!
Website design By BotEap.comA common belief is that a player cannot steal first base. Is not true. Just as other bases can be stolen due to a bad throw, a missed throw, or a fielder’s lack of urgency, the same can be said for 1st base. To steal a base, each player knows that he must run as fast as possible or be ejected. The fact that all defenders accept this reality creates the pressure that causes those mistakes. The run to first base is no exception.
Website design By BotEap.comOver the last four decades, base running has eroded to the point where when a player runs hard for every base, every game, it has become the exception, not the norm. The old rule was that all players always ran hard to each base and any player who didn’t was sitting down, warming up the bench or playing for another team. Because running hard was a given, not running hard was completely unacceptable, especially at 1st base, because a batter cannot get to any other base safely, until he first gets safely to 1st base. It’s more about symmetry.
Website design By BotEap.comThis is what some professionals said:
- HOF Red Schoendienst, Mgr.: “…good players run to first base as fast as they can after hitting the ball.”
- CHOF, Coach, Skip Bertman-LSU, 5X Champs: “A bad start from home plate can make the difference between being safe or out on a tight play at first base. Every player has to give 100 percent when he runs to first You can never know when an easy ground ball will be kicked. Naturally, every player should be reminded not to look at the ball. The runner should keep his eyes on first base. No! Don’t jump to the base.”
- CHOF, Ron Fraser-UofM, 2X Champs: “The ultimate run from the batter’s box to first base begins immediately after the ball is hit. No time should be wasted looking at the ball. Even the time it takes to look in the direction of the ball can mean the difference between arriving safely and being out.”
- HOF Satchel Paige, “Don’t look back. Something may be gaining on you.”