By: Chip,
When you are coaching first base: *****BEFORE EACH PITCH***!!!!!!! You need to tell your baserunner the number of outs and the count. (You may also want to point out when there's a runner at second base because it's embarrassing but not unheard of to watch a player steal second and meet a team member). You then want to tell him about the situation at hand, i.e., what to do: 1. On a ground ball: always run (it's a force situation); 2. On a fly ball to the outfield 3. On a fly ball in the infield b. with two outs, run on anything (there are no double plays with two outs). c. There is a special rule called the infield fly rule. The rule is designed to avoid double plays. That rule operates only when there is an fly ball over the infield when runners are at first and second and less than two out. The umpire will decide whether to invoke the rule and will shout out notice that the batter is out and that runners can proceed at their own risk. Tell your runner at 1B to stay put. There's no force, and their own risk isn't worth the risk. 4. Find out what (if any) signs or signals or secret plays your coaches use. Many teams have code words for steals, delay steals, double steals, and the like. You can designate a particular word for the steal, such as "go to school" or "go to work" or "be a [team name]." Other teams steal when a player's number is called. 5. Watch as the pitch crosses the plate. If it gets away from the catcher, your 1B runner can
run to 2B without much risk. But you'll want to know a little bit about the catchers in your league -- some will try to trick you, and others can recover throw out runners. Make the decision and go with it. (The kids may be way ahead of you on this, but some of the slower/more timid players need extra prodding). ****ON EACH HIT****!!! 1. Signal the batter on what to do (windmill/arm going in circle for go to next base, arms up for round base and hold, clapping and yelling for running through base to beat the throw). 2. Shout instruction to runner (go, halfway, tag, stay). They may have forgotten what they were just told. 3. Encourage, congratulate, sympathize, and otherwise have fun with the kids as they zoom by your territory. I can't think of anything else the first base coach does. The most important factor is the number of outs, as it's embarrassing for a runner to stay put on a muffed popup to the first baseman with two outs. The only tactical decision you will make is whether the runner should advance towards second or stay at first and whether to stay or go on a passed ball/wild pitch. Hope the above is of some use.
Date: March 28, 1998 at 09:15
a. with less than two outs, tell'em to go halfway to second (until they're sure it will or won't be caught)
b. with two outs -- run tell'em to run at least to second.
a. with less than two outs, tell'em to stay put. An infielder may drop it, but the basic goal of baserunning is not to make matters worse. If the kid runs, the other team can make a double play; if he stays on base, the worst that should happen is that the batter is safe (he ran all the way to the base under your guidance, right?), and the runner at 1B will have to fend for himself.