Guys,
Most premium ML base stealers run on their own. If you are hitting behind a base stealer( i.e Pierre, Reyes, Crawford, etc.) you have to be willing to take pitches early in the count to allow them to run. If you happen to be a middle of the line up run producer, the ground rules may be such that you will swing at balls that you can elevate the ball in the gaps( hanging breaking balls & fastballs in your hard contact zone).The manager will set the guidelines before the fact to put you in a run & hit environment.The goal here is to produce an extra base hit in order to score the runner.
For me the hit an run is used with no outs & is basically an aggressive sacrifice. You are asking the batter to hit the ball on the ground out of the middle. It is a waste of an out when you have a + runner(75% or better success rate stealing) running, especially with no outs. Use the out to advance the runner from 2nd to 3rd with no outs.
When you are stealing & have predetermined that the hitter will be taking, start the hitter deeper in the box to push the catcher back.Two other technique will also help your base stealer by keeping the catcher back. #1 If the hitter is deep in the box & on the plate & shows bunt ( on the later side), carries his back elbow higher(parallel to the ground) & tries to cover the ball with his bat until the last second,the ball will jump up on the catcher & reduce his ability to get early momentum. #2 A check swing & draging the bat back towards the catcher without interfering will acccomplish much the same thing as the bunt "shade. When the bat starts forward, the catcher starts momentum into the pitch.When the bats starts back, the catcher has to stop his momentum which negatively affect his throwing rhythm.This must be practiced so that you do not get called for interference.
JW