But what happens when that matchup is neutralized, either by the opposition's pitching, hitting, or a combination of both? Then, the game is decided by the balance of what remains of that matchup at the plate, plus or minus the the teams' defense and baserunning. Is there a baseball numbers geek in the house?
And the interesting thing about it is, in the playoffs, in championship tournaments, as you move up the competitive ladder, the teams arms and bats tend to even out. So, the "R's" and the "S's" do, in fact, have sway at the end of the day.
You hear some say "pitching and defense" win championships. I agree. But I think, to refine the statement even further, defense and baserunning are often the difference between a team playing pretty good or just okay versus playing at its highest level.
If you want to be as good as you can be, you gotta remember your "R's" and "S's." Thinking about these aspects of the game over the years, I see a lot of parallels in the requirements for good defensive play and good baserunning.
When you couple the foregoing with our knowledge of what to do in first-and-third situations, along with our consistency of hitting cut-offs and relays, we have a good defensive system and team. It is then just a matter of going out and executing. And as always, when the routine seems hard ... Remember the ABC's. But then there are those first and last "Rs." But more on them later ... The most important paragraph of this post is at the end, so keep reading.
Like I said, this defensive stuff is big and can even cost you the World Series.
Sorry, Cardinals fans. I think there is an "R," or lack thereof, in there somewhere that might have some bearing on that play.
As you know, I am a bit of a stickler/fanatic/whatever when it comes to the "lost art" of running the bases. It is funny, because it really isn't art. It is just a matter of paying attention, caring, and desiring to become a complete ballplayer. How you run the bases tells us all a lot. How a team runs them does, too.
We expect effort and attention out there. No excuses. No exceptions.
Go back, read, and review ...
A few items keep popping up as a need for emphasis. First, trust the process. Know our "Go" signs and, well, go ... and without hesitation. When a passed ball gets by ... go, for instance. We will call you back, if need be. Next, we need to be looking for opportunities to take that next base. If you are a trailing runner and the runner in front of you is tagging, for instance, you are always going, too, unless we pull you back. If we are not going, we at least bluff. Listen for your coach to confirm the "Go" and motor. If the "Go" is not confirmed or you are pulled back, again, at least bluff.
Think next base. Pick up the ball. Get your eyes on the ball when it is in flight. Be proactive. A missed cutoff on the way home is a "go" sign, for instance, applying the two principles discussed in this paragraph.
Also, we have to work our leads ... I think "stretch leads" is an "S." Leads don't happen by magic. We need to be working these whether we are stealing or not. This could be the difference in a safe vs. out call at the next base, and that could be the difference in the game.
Thinking along the lines of next base, if we are on second are moving on a ground ball where there is going to be a play at first base, we are thinking that we are coming home unless and until we are stopped by the third-base coach.
You know, just because players are playing at a higher, even the highest, levels doesn't mean they are good baserunners. Indeed, we have some seen some crazy incompetence on the bases already in this 2014 MLB season, such as Josh Hamilton sliding into first base when not avoiding a tag (and ending up on the DL for 6-8 weeks) and another player failing to run out a pop and getting tagged out by the catcher. Doing stuff like that ... hurts my stomach.
And then there was this guy a few years back:
You think ol' Ruben was paying attention and knew what he was going to do when the ball was put in play?
So, let's boil it down to what really makes a good baserunner, and then we will connect it to what makes your best defensive players and teams. The most important "S's" are the first and last -- "Situation" and "Say it Again." That means, have our mental ticker in the field at all times with the situation (outs, where are the runners, score, inning, what I am going to do when the ball comes to me) and this is the last thing that goes through our heads before the ball is pitched and put in play. In the outfield, we really need to coach ourselves to keep that ticker going, and sometimes find creative ways to stay engaged and watch the ball all the way until contact. This is so key for tracking the ball. Know where it is, and know what you will do with it (and why) when it comes your way.
Likewise, on the bases, the first "R" -- Realizing the Situation -- is connected to the last -- Remind yourself of the situation. A good baserunner needs to be constantly coaching himself with the ticker running ... how many outs, where are the runners, what am I going to do on a grounder (to the right/left side), what do I do if it is hit in the air, etc. Think about the situation and what signs might be coming.
So, here it is ... here is the final, most important paragraph, the bottom line, if you will: The first "R" and "S" and the last ones tell us that being engaged in the game, and knowing the situation, knowing where the ball is at all times, knowing what we are going to do when the ball is put in play, is the most important and foundational aspect of playing good defense and being a good baserunner. Any one who cares about playing the game right and is paying attention can do this. That is great news, people. So, do it. It can make the difference to get you and your team where you want to go.
See you on the field,
