Secondary Lead

I was always taught to get a good secondary, but your first reaction on a line drive was to have you first step be back.

You take a good secondary lead because the percentages are with you. Baseball is a game of percentages. On a dirtball I dont think you have to worry about a line shot at anyone. If you take a routine secondary lead at first and the ball is lined to the pitcher your probaly going to be out anyway. The odds are the good secondary lead will pay off for the good more times than it will cause you to be doubled up.

Also you dont want to break back on the line drive you want to freeze on the line drive unless there are two outs. In this case you are running on contact regardless. You freeze on the line drive and see it through and break back after you see that it is going to be caught. There are going to be times that you get doubled up. Thats baseball. Way more times you are going to benefit from having an agressive secondary lead and busting back if the ball is not hit.

Coach May is right on - agressive play pays off in the long run. Think about it - all this needs to happen to get doubled up.

1. Fielder has to catch the line shot
2. Fielder has to make throw
3. 1st Baseman needs to be in position to catch ball
4. Throw and catch need to be acurate and completed

I liken it to a throw to second on a steal. My son is a catcher and is good and I'm constantly surprised how little people run on him. Same scenario:

1. Pitcher holds runner well
2. Good pitch to throw on
3. Good turn and throw by catcher
4. Clean catch on the bag by SS/2B

I just want to clarify what I meant by first step back on a line drive. I don't mean breaking back, I mean simply take a small step back towards the base with your left foot while seeing the ball through. It pretty much is freezing on a line drive.

I teach my players to be quick in taking their secondary lead so that they're close to being set and balanced when the ball crosses the plate. This way they're not leaning when that liner gets hit or the catcher pops up and they need to "git back".

Here is what we teach. Your right foot should be planting as you see the ball get to the plate. If its hit on the ground drive towards the next bag. If its a line drive freeze and see it through. If you see the ball is going to go into the dirt drive to the next bag without hesitation. You need to have the foot planted and be balanced at the time the ball is at the plate. If its hit then react. If its not make the catcher catch it and if he does bust back hard each and everytime. And if he does not catch it advance. Too many times you see kids with huge secondary leads and they are breaking back to the bag before the ball is caught only to see it squirt away etc and now they can not advance because they were already breaking back. Whats the point of a great secondary if your breaking back before the ball is caught or hit? Land on the foot and read. Then react to the situation. See the cb out of the pitchers hand. If you see it is going to have to be blocked, go. You will be thrown out a couple of times each season. But you will take a tremendous amount of bags. And you will alter the way your batters are pitched to over the course of a game as well. You will be dictating the game to the other dugout. JMHO Works for us.

quote:

You will be dictating the game to the other dugout.

I like your style coach!