How many of you use it and why? what exactly are you looking for to insure success, what advantage does it give you?
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I really love the delayed steal. We don't get the opportunity to use it all that often but when it works it creates a number of situations. I like to use it with a runner that is not a great basestealing threat. When a speedster is on, everyone is looking. Someone that is smart but not fleet of foot is a good candidate. It allows us to get a player in scoring position and really demoralizes a well coached team when you are successful against them. Things that I look for are: a catcher that holds the ball excessively long for the umpire, a catcher that drops to his knees immediately after the call is made, and fielders that do not move with the pitch or pay any attention to the runner after the pitch is delivered. Basically, we try to steal off of the fielders and the catcher, but if either one is not doing their job we will give it a try and are usually successful. You have to use the play wisely, because you will probably only get one shot at it in a game.
it's especially effective in a 1st-3rd situation. We work on it, but rarely put it into play last year as we were a pretty good offensive club. Use it more when we're a little lighter hitting.
I always liked a delayed steal (given the right baserunner was on) right after something controversial happened and you know the defense has tightened up a bit.
For example, I have found it is real effective in the following situation. Two outs, runner on 2nd, routine ground ball hit to SS and it goes through the wickets. Runner on 2nd scores, and the baserunner is at 1B. The pitcher is ****ed cause he had a sure out. The SS is still thinking about the routine ball he just missed. Great time for a delay. If successful, I have told my hitters to look for the next pitch right down the pike. By now, the pitcher is really upset, and the defense is hanging their heads a bit.
Lots of situations and I like the ones presented above. Like most other things in baseball, don't really have a one size fits all solution for any given situation.
For example, I have found it is real effective in the following situation. Two outs, runner on 2nd, routine ground ball hit to SS and it goes through the wickets. Runner on 2nd scores, and the baserunner is at 1B. The pitcher is ****ed cause he had a sure out. The SS is still thinking about the routine ball he just missed. Great time for a delay. If successful, I have told my hitters to look for the next pitch right down the pike. By now, the pitcher is really upset, and the defense is hanging their heads a bit.
Lots of situations and I like the ones presented above. Like most other things in baseball, don't really have a one size fits all solution for any given situation.
We use it a good bit. We average one or two a game. Like larrythompson said.....the opportunity always seems to come up at some point in the game.
how do you teach them when to go?? what we do is 3 shuffles (instead of 2 for normal secondary) after the 3rd shuffle we turn and go. usually catches position players sleeping more than anything
we we shuffle and stay square until the ball is in the catchers mitt.
We teach normal secondary lead and then take off as the ball is crossing the plate.
I used the delay all the time. I coach Community College ball and in the West Coast Collegiate League which is D1 players.
As stated before, if a middle isn't working hard, a catcher who overly sticks his pitches or drops to his knees. 1st and 3rd is a good time too.
I also use it when there is left handed hitter up. And in two strike situations. The lefty hitter blocks the view of the catcher. With two strikes almost all catchers try to stick strike three and its an easy bases to steal.
Two things I do differently. We teach a four shuffle delay. I make sure the runner uses his arms to gain as much ground as possible and doesn't bounch. I want the shuffles to gain as much ground as possible. The bouching draws attention. We practice are delay doing shuffle races in practice. The other thing I do to set it up is fake steal. At the beginning of a game the 1st baseman yells runner and after a while the middle guys are giving him **** because the guy doesn't go. Once that happens they are ripe for a delay. Coach yells at the 1st baseman, 1st baseman yells at the middle guys and we go back to the fake. Then we hit and run. That usually opens up the delay again.
The fake has to be done right. It's just a quick shoulder turn and taking no more ground than a normal secondary. Because of back picks at this level I teach hard back to the base everytime. Very seldom does a catcher overthrow the pitcher at this level, but if he did we wouldn't be able to extend bases. It does allow us to fake more and eliminates getting back picked.
We have had great success stealing. Last year we were 119 for 127 in SB's. Because we have such a complex running system I use wristbands and call out numbers. That way expecially in the summer were we don't have much practice time I can have the complexity without being worryied about missed signs. Thats the main key to having a great running game. Missed signs screws everything up and literally stop the running game.
The only way to slow our running game down is to assign a coach to the runners. That way he can call out fakes, steals, and delays. But we still can do a lot it, we usually have to start with the hit and run or slash. It takes a lot for a coaching staff to assign a guy to watch our runners. He doesn't have time to do any dugout coaching. Which again is to our advantage.
Matt Acker
Green River CC
Kitsap BlueJackets
As stated before, if a middle isn't working hard, a catcher who overly sticks his pitches or drops to his knees. 1st and 3rd is a good time too.
I also use it when there is left handed hitter up. And in two strike situations. The lefty hitter blocks the view of the catcher. With two strikes almost all catchers try to stick strike three and its an easy bases to steal.
Two things I do differently. We teach a four shuffle delay. I make sure the runner uses his arms to gain as much ground as possible and doesn't bounch. I want the shuffles to gain as much ground as possible. The bouching draws attention. We practice are delay doing shuffle races in practice. The other thing I do to set it up is fake steal. At the beginning of a game the 1st baseman yells runner and after a while the middle guys are giving him **** because the guy doesn't go. Once that happens they are ripe for a delay. Coach yells at the 1st baseman, 1st baseman yells at the middle guys and we go back to the fake. Then we hit and run. That usually opens up the delay again.
The fake has to be done right. It's just a quick shoulder turn and taking no more ground than a normal secondary. Because of back picks at this level I teach hard back to the base everytime. Very seldom does a catcher overthrow the pitcher at this level, but if he did we wouldn't be able to extend bases. It does allow us to fake more and eliminates getting back picked.
We have had great success stealing. Last year we were 119 for 127 in SB's. Because we have such a complex running system I use wristbands and call out numbers. That way expecially in the summer were we don't have much practice time I can have the complexity without being worryied about missed signs. Thats the main key to having a great running game. Missed signs screws everything up and literally stop the running game.
The only way to slow our running game down is to assign a coach to the runners. That way he can call out fakes, steals, and delays. But we still can do a lot it, we usually have to start with the hit and run or slash. It takes a lot for a coaching staff to assign a guy to watch our runners. He doesn't have time to do any dugout coaching. Which again is to our advantage.
Matt Acker
Green River CC
Kitsap BlueJackets
