Every run counts – aside from building confidence and having fun, the goal of the game is to score the most runs. Each baserunner needs to understand the value of their run, and recognize that how they run the bases can be the difference between winning and losing. I always say to my teams that we are going to take, and take, and take some more, unless the other team shows us a reason to stop. A great tactic which will allow us to “take some more” is the delayed steal. A delayed steal is where we take advantage of a fielder that is not paying close enough attention to our baserunners – this could be the catcher, pitcher, or any infielder; however, our number 1 delayed steal victim is the catcher. If the catcher doesn’t consistently check us down at 3B, you can guarantee we are coming full throttle home as soon as they release the ball back to the pitcher. Below are the top scenarios in which we want to use a delayed steal:

Catcher Victim:
1. As previously mentioned, if the catcher does not check us at 3B, we are going to notice it, and take advantage of it. First we see it, and then on the next pitch, I want the baserunner on 3B to take their lead off of the pitch at least 5 feet beyond the halfway point towards home. If the catcher does not check us, we go full speed as soon as the ball leaves the catcher’s fingers when they are throwing back to the pitcher. Full speed into a slide home.
2. Another scenario with the catcher is if we take our big lead, but they attempt a halfhearted throwing jester to make us go back to 3B before they throw to the pitcher. DO NOT GIVE UP and return all the way back to 3B, instead take a half step towards 3b and watch from the corner of your eye…if you see the catcher starts the motion to throw back to the pitcher, then we shift our weight to our right leg, pivot, and run full speed into a slide home.
3. Now here is the beauty of both delay steal scenarios – we are so far down the line already that the only play the catcher can make is to runs us back to 3B – BECAUSE, if they throw to pitcher, we run home, if for some crazy reason they throw down to 3B, we run home. IF we start running our hardest home as soon as the ball leaves the catcher’s fingertips we will score. Also, if they start running us down, and throw to 3B or back to the Pitcher there is nobody covering home, so all we need to do is beat a catcher in full catcher’s gear home. We can do that. Do not be afraid of the big lead, with some practice and confidence, we will be successful and score the run.

Pitcher Victim:
1. The play ends when the ball is back in the pitching circle, but we need to be ready to go if it is a bad throw back to the pitcher from any fielder, if the pitcher misses the ball, drops the ball, or if it is just a horrible throw that the pitchers misses (and the ball rolls/flies out of the circle), we need to anticipate these things and be ready. This is why we take a quick, big lead on every pitch, this is why we do not return to the base until the ball is in the circle (keep in mind we need to start retuning immediately once the ball is in the circle to safeguard against the “look back rule”). If the base in front of you is open, and the ball is bobbled out of the circle, I want you taking the next base.
2. Let’s say we have a girl on 1B who is not particularly fast – she can still be successful at stealing 2B and we will advance the runner by delay stealing 2B. If there is a stealing situation (runners on 1B and 3B, or it is early in the game, and we are testing the catcher out and stealing 2B), The runner doesn’t have to be the fastest, she just needs to be smarter than the pitcher and catcher. Take a decent lead, but then stop with both your knees pointing towards the pitcher – this action may convince the catcher that you are not stealing, then, on the throw back to the pitcher, start running as soon as the ball leaves the catcher’s fingertips and run hard into a slide at 2B. This sounds crazy, but think about it, many things need to go right for other team to get us out – it needs to be a good, strong throw back to the pitcher, then the pitcher needs to be aware enough, rotate glove side into a throw at 2B, where the SS needs to be paying attention to cover the base, catch the ball, and tag the runner. We won’t do this play all of the time, but if we see an opportunity we will do it. There will be more situations where I just want a straight steal of 2B – off pitch, full blast into slide at 2B.
3. The typical freebie situation of if we have runners on 1B and 3B, most of the time, they will allow us to steal 2B uncontested (I wonder at what age this ends, and I really want to create a defensive play against this…but that will be another discussion)…anyhow with this situation, obviously I am going to give the runner at 1B the steal sign, but what I want to start doing is, having that runner at 1B go at about 60% top speed. We do this because, the slowness will be oh so hard for the catcher and pitcher to resist throwing to 2B, and of course if they do that, our runner at 3B has a big lead and is primed to go full blast home into a slide if the ball is thrown to 2B. Nothing too different here other than initially running slower to 2B.

Other Fielder Victim:
1. One of the rules on our team is – if you are a baserunner, and the play is not being made at your base (or the ball is not in the pitching circle), you NEED to be up and moving and rounding every base looking to advance to the next. Let’s say you are on 1B and the batter hits a line drive to RF, so you run to 2B as you should – now imagine if the 2B fielder goes out to cutoff the throw from RF and instead of throwing the ball to 2B, they throw it to the pitcher. Because we are up, and have already rounded 2B we can run to 3B – most likely we will be safe, because if the fielder made that throw it means they either don’t know what they are doing, or are not paying attention, meaing it will probably not be a hard flat throw, and from this the pitcher needs to catch the ball, pivot, and throw it to 3B, and the 3B fielder would needed to pay attention to cover the base plus apply a tag. If we run full blast into a slide at 3B, we are safe.

Finally, two words to remember when you are a baserunner – Smart & Aggressive.