The 60 time

60 time is the most widely used.

When scouts and coaches watch a game, they time the hitters from home to first (contact of bat/ball to foot touching 1B).

I think they both are important, good times in either catagory opens eyes and starts the pen in motion.

CV

But then comes the big question--Does he know how to run he bases ?

grateful and TRhit are correct. The scout wants to know home to 1st above all others. The Showcases are hung up on the 60. In the end the fastest man may or may not run the bases well or get a decent jump on a fly ball. Baseball savvy WITH speed, now thats a combo the scouts really want to see.

Soxnole

What you say is the reason we have three games in our showcase--- they can do what I call the "cold cuts" ---the 60 pop times etc--- that is all well and good but the kids show there stuff in the games-we have the pitchers gunned while in the game not in the pen-- anyone can throw ten pitches in the pen and look good but that does not necessarily show that he is a pitcher


Baseball is a game of intangibles !!! Folks, boys and girls ,don't ever forget that fact--- the intangibles are what differentiate the great players from the good players

Actually both times give us valuble information. The 60 time gives you an idea of flat out speed, excelleration (base stealing speed), and competitiveness when he's running side-by-side against someone of similar speed.It also resembles going from 1st to 3rd or home to 2nd. Home to first time is really game speed. Home to first can be deceiving as some guys have longer swings which slows him down getting out of the box. It's all part of the puzzle.

zg

As a parent of a player in the recruiting process right now, coaches seem to use both. Some coaches have preferred one over the other. Zen mentioned competiveness increasing speeds in a showcase situation, but for my son, it's exactly the opposite. His clock times during game situations are always much better than being clocked at a showcase. He appears more natural and comfortable running when there's a base he's headed to or around.

I'll throw in one more speed rating that coaches and scouts notice, but don't often discuss ... closing speed.

Some guys can really turn it on running the bases or straight-line stuff. But can the middle infielder get to the hole? Can an outfielder cut off the ball in the gap? Sure, in both cases footwork is important. But if you can't get there in the first place all the footwork in the world won't help.

I know the outfielders on my son's college team worked on this kind of running a lot during the fall, getting lots of reps running down balls hit to all possible places at the positions. I was told by the coaches his defensive speed is one of the things they like about him.

60 yard time with a 30 split time will tell all. If a kid can run a quick sixty you can be bet his base running skills will be good. Getting a good jump on a hit ball is another story.

Limom84

Anyone who knows baseball, talk to all those scoputs yopu hang out with, will tell you that flat out speed ie 60yd dash, has nothing to do with how a player runs the bases

Can you say Maury Wills !!!

CAn you say Willie Mays?

Can you say Jackie Robinson?

None of those three where flat out burners but boy where they exciting on the bases

Bernie Williams (NY YANKS) in his prime was one of the fasted players in the bigs but also one of the worst baserunners in the bigs

And then there was the sprinter that Charley Finley signed -- great 100 meter speed but knew absolutely nothing about running the bases.

Getting a jump on a batted ball or "closing" on a batted ball has nothing to do with flat out spoeed or running the bases.


It is not wise to wade in water when you do not know how deep it is !!!!

Happy New Year

Speed is essential in base running, but smarts and great instincts help a whole bunch.

CV

CV

Happy and safe New Year to you and your family

Thanks Tom, You too !

CV

I have a son that runs a very fast 60 time (like mid 6's), and I'm one that thinks it is very over rated.

I could never run as fast as my son, but I was a great base runner.

My son is a good base runner, but needs to work on his secondaries. Because he is so fast, he sometimes gets lazy.

And, yes, I'm picking on my son. But he isn't the only one I've seen with the same problem.

God gave him speed, you have to learn to become a great baserunner.

KellerDad

I think you can relate to this

My son, who has excellent footspeed,was in a fall instructional HS league run by a coach from another school in my sons league

So there we are , my son on first and LHP on the mound. He gets picked and takes off for second and makes it easily due to his speed--- the coach calls time and spends the next 15 minutes teaching my son how to read the LHP move

Just goes to show that speed isnt eveything--you need to read the pitchers, read the outfielders and infielders etc when on base

Happy New year

FYI...home to second IS a 60 yd. dash. The bases are 90 ft., so home to second is 180 ft (180 / 3 = 60 yds.)

Agentdad

But it is not in a straight path and the player is coming out of the batters box not from a dead start.

One can use those numbers if they wish, numbers can always be worked to ones advantage if so desired, but they do not equate to a 60 yd dash. And if you are a righty hitter the distance is longer and for the lefty hitter it is a bit shorter.

The most used time is from home to 1st, because it is used every game. The 60 time is something that is done at a showcase or tryout camp. They both have value, because the 60 tells the scout how fast you are compared to other players in a race. The home to first time has value, because it also compares you with other players, and how fast you get out of the box. I have seen many guys who were 6.9 60 runners that ran 4.6 down the line. The two times give the scout a comparison between getting out of the box and straight away speed.

PS---unless the times are unreal, I don't give either one too much thought, as hitting, fielding and throwing are more important to me.