Unwritten Rules of Baseball: The Do’s and Don’ts of Running the Bases

Every year you will read or hear a Major League manager declare that his most important and absolute first rule is that every one of his players must run hard to first base, every time. Then, inevitably, during the season, players will be penalized or kicked out for not obeying the first, most important and absolute rule. Frankly, it’s horrible that such a basic principle of the game should 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.

For a very good reason, the name of the Game is Baseball. The goal of each player when entering the batter’s box is to get to all four bases safely, as the outcome will either be scoring at home plate or helping 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 ability of the defense to prevent 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 base runner 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!

A 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. In order to steal a base, each player knows that he must run as fast as possible or be thrown out. The fact that all defenders accept this reality creates the pressure that causes those mistakes. The run to first base is no exception.

Over the last four decades, base running has eroded to the point that 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 found sitting out, 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 can’t get to any other base safely until he gets to 1st base safely first. It’s more that symmetry.

Here’s what some pros had to say:

• 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 at home plate can make the difference between being safe or out on a close play at first base. Every player has to give 100 percent when running to first base base. You can never know when an easy ground ball will be hit. Naturally, each player should be reminded not to look at the ball. The runner should keep his eyes on first base. No! Don’t jump base.”

• CHOF, Ron Fraser-UofM, 2X Champs: “The ultimate run between the batter’s box and first base begins immediately after the ball is hit. Time should not be wasted looking at the ball. Even the time it takes to look in the direction of the ball can mean the difference between getting there safely and being out.”

• HOF Satchel Paige, “Don’t look back. Something might be getting the better of you.”

To be clear, chasing the ball isn’t just about the first run, it’s also about looking at the receiver on a steal attempt. Also, many major league players make the mistake of continuing to look at the ball when running to other bases. Sometimes they will even miss or stumble over a base, unable to advance to the next base when the opportunity was there to take it.

If the batter hits a ball to right field, the play is in front of him and he makes the decision to try to reach second base and decides if there is a possibility of advancing to third base as well. Once you decide to take that risk, you should stop looking at the play the outfielder is making, focus on making an aggressive turn around 2nd base, then look at the 3rd base coach’s signal to stop at 2nd or continue. to the 3rd Whether the ball is hit to center field or left field, the choice is made after an aggressive spin around first position when the runner again has the play in front of him. If the coach waves, it becomes the responsibility of the waiting batter to signal the runner to slide or get up to cross home plate. Once the runner turns around second, it is his responsibility to run as fast as he can and accept the decisions of the coach and batter, not try to follow the ball.

If you look, you lose!

There is a very sensible unwritten rule that a runner should never make the first or third out of an inning at 3rd base. A runner who has reached second base safely with no outs is already in scoring position for a base hit and possibly can score without the benefit of a hit, for two subsequent outs. The runner who reaches 2nd with two out is also in scoring position and will end the inning by making the third out at 3rd, eliminating the scoring possibility. Making the first or second out at the plate falls into the same category.

The unwritten rule regarding the lead from 2nd is, with less than two out, unless forced by having a runner on 1st, not to immediately run on a ground ball to your right between the runner and 3rd base. If he is fielded by the third baseman or shortstop, the result will probably be an easy out. A runner should immediately break for third if the ball lands to his left, as it becomes a difficult throw for the shortstop or second baseman, they rarely make the attempt, and if the ball reaches the outfield, there may be a scoring opportunity. In all cases, especially with all of the drastic changes in the infield today, the running back must look up, before each pitch, the location of the infielders. Their positions can change with each pitch and affect the decision to break or not.

Opponents will love any team that violates these unwritten rules.