Baseball’s Unwritten Rules: The Do’s and Don’ts of Running the Bases

Every year you will read or hear a major league manager declare that his first and absolute most important rule is that each of his players must run hard to first base, every time. Then, inevitably, during the season, players will be penalized or banned for not obeying the first and absolute most important rule. Frankly, it’s horrible that such a basic tenet of the game needs to be mentioned at the highest level of baseball; because it’s the easiest thing for a player to do during a game, and not doing it can be the difference between your team winning or losing.

For a very good reason, the name of the Game is Baseball. The objective of each player when entering the batter’s box is to reach all four bases safely, as the result will be to score at the plate or to help teammates advance safely, so they can score. The next logic is that each player should run as fast as he can to each base, each game, to minimize the defense’s ability to keep them from scoring. When they score, it’s not called a touchdown, basket, goal, or point; It’s called Run! The symmetry is obvious; Each baserunner must run as fast as he can to each base to increase his team’s chances of scoring runs. It’s as simple as it sounds!

A common belief is that a player cannot steal first base. Is not true. Just as other bases can be stolen due to a bad throw, a missed throw, or a fielder’s lack of urgency, the same can be said for 1st base. To steal a base, each player knows that he must run as fast as possible or be ejected. The fact that all defenders accept this reality creates the pressure that causes those mistakes. The run to first base is no exception.

Over the last four decades, base running has eroded to the point where when a player runs hard for every base, every game, it has become the exception, not the norm. The old rule was that all players always ran hard to each base and any player who didn’t was sitting down, warming up the bench or playing for another team. Because running hard was a given, not running hard was completely unacceptable, especially at 1st base, because a batter cannot get to any other base safely, until he first gets safely to 1st base. It’s more about symmetry.

This is what some professionals said:

• HOF Red Schoendienst, Mgr.: “…good players run to first base as fast as they can after hitting the ball.”

• CHOF, Coach, Skip Bertman-LSU, 5X Champs: “A bad start from home plate can make the difference between being safe or out on a tight play at first base. Every player has to give 100 percent when he runs to first You can never know when an easy ground ball is going to be kicked. Naturally, every player should be reminded not to look at the ball. The runner should keep his eyes on first base. No! Don’t jump to the base.”

• CHOF, Ron Fraser-UofM, 2X Champs: “The ultimate race between the batter’s box and first base begins immediately after the ball is hit. No time should be wasted looking at the ball. Even the time it takes to look in the direction of the ball can mean the difference between arriving safely and being out.”

• HOF Satchel Paige, “Don’t look back. Something may be gaining on you.”

To be clear, chasing the ball isn’t just about running to first, it’s also about looking at the receiver in a steal attempt. Also, many major leaguers make the mistake of keeping their eyes on the ball when running to other bases. Sometimes they will even miss or stumble on a base, failing to advance to the next base when the opportunity was there to seize it.

If the batter hits a ball to right field, the play is in front of him and he makes the decision to try to get to second base and decides if there is a possibility of also advancing to third base. Once you decide to take that risk, you need to stop looking at the play the outfielder is making, focus on making an aggressive turn around 2nd base, then watch for the 3rd base coach’s signal to stop at 2nd or continue. to the 3rd. If the ball is hit to center or left field, the choice is made after an aggressive turn around 1° when the runner has the play in front of him again. If the coach waves, it becomes the responsibility of the on-deck batter to signal the runner to slide or get up to cross home plate. Once the runner is around second position, it is his responsibility to run as fast as he can and accept the decisions of the coach and the hitter, not try to follow the ball.

If you look, you lose!

There is a very sensible unwritten rule that a runner should never make the first or third out of an inning at 3rd base. A runner who has safely reached second base with no outs is already in scoring position for a base hit and can possibly score without the benefit of a hit for two subsequent outs. The runner who reaches 2nd with two outs is also in scoring position and will end the inning by making the third out on 3rd, eliminating the chance to score. Making the first or second out at the plate falls into the same category.

The unwritten rule regarding lead from 2nd is, with less than two outs, unless forced by having a runner on 1st, don’t run immediately on a ground ball to your right between the runner and 3rd base. If he is fielded by the third baseman or shortstop, the result will likely be an easy out. A runner should break immediately for 3rd if the ball is hit to his left, as it becomes a difficult throw for the shortstop or second baseman, they rarely make the attempt, and if the ball reaches the outfield, there may be a chance to score. In all cases, especially with all the drastic changes in the infield today, the running back should look, before each pitch, for the location of the infielders. Their positions can change with every throw and affect the decision to break or not.

Opponents will love any team that violates these unwritten rules.