Taylor Made Baseball: Preventing the Steal
In keeping a runner from stealing second base it takes two components to prevent that from happening, namely the pitcher and catcher. Both are equal parts of the equation and each of them play important roles in keeping the runner from advancing. If both of them work as a cohesive unit they have a better than average chance of throwing out the runner.
The first thing you need to know is how fast the runner goes from a dead stop in his leadoff at first to touching the base at second. This can be done, by timing with a stopwatch, one of your average players in practice. By knowing this time you’ll know the combined time your pitcher and catcher must get the ball to second base.
The combined time starts when the pitcher picks up his lead foot to deliver the pitch to the plate and ends when the infielder receives the ball from the catcher. In knowing the combined time and the time of the runner you’ll be able to figure out if your tandem has a chance.
If the time is equal or faster than the runner’s time, you’ll know you can get an out, but if the time is slower, either the pitcher or catcher has to be quicker or pick up the pace a bit.
For example, if the runner can go from first to second in 3.5 seconds then the combined time must be even or faster than 3.5 to nail the runner. If the combined time is greater than 3.5 the runner is going to arrive safely. Now, you’ll have to look at the cause for the slow time.
Don’t be quick to lay all the blame on the pitcher. While the pitcher needs to be quicker to the plate, sometimes the catcher has a slow release or bad footwork. Look closely at both parts of this equation and also keep in mind the following note. A pitcher’s velocity to the plate might be slow, so no matter what you do to make him quicker you still might not get under the combined time. Don’t put such an emphasis on being quicker and forget about the real agenda, which is make a quality pitch.
By lifting his front leg a shorter height than normal, a pitcher will get a little quicker to the plate. When lifting his leg the weight should stay on his backside so he can keep his body back, resulting in good arm action. While higher levels use the slide step at times, I’m against it at the youth level. It leads to rushing and disrupts a kid’s mechanics. If you’re going to use a slide step on the youth level, use it on a pitchout.
Obviously, the other part of the equation is the catcher. His receiving skills should include quick feet, getting the ball into the throwing position as quickly as possible, lining up his shoulders with second base and throwing the ball on a direct line to second rather than an arc. A one-hop throw on a line will get there quicker than an arc.
However, nothing can guarantee an out. The infielder must still apply the tag and the throw must be online. In the long run, it’s all made easier by keeping the runner close, making good transitions and having a good combined time.
