Tips for Stealing Bases Take a normal leadoff Taking a slightly larger or more aggressive leadoff will tip off the other team that you are trying to steal a base. The leadoff you will take should depend on the pitcher’s move to first, and your quickness/ability to get back to the bag, not if you are stealing or not. Slightly open your front foot The only change in your lead should be that your front foot (the foot toward 2nd base) should be slightly open to give you an advantage, but not so much that the other team can notice. Get to know your pitcher Use the baserunning chart included in the Bronze Library will help give your runners a good idea of when the pitcher picks and delivers to home. It is important that runners feel comfortable with the pitcher’s move and their timing to home plate. Focus Point Focus on the pitchers front knee in aggressive steal situations, and his back heel in situations where there is no steal on. When the pitcher breaks his front knee, he is delivering home, when the pitcher’s back heel comes off the ground, he is coming to first base. Pick a breaking ball count Obvious breaking ball counts are 0-2/1-2, but they are also good pitch out counts, so keep that in mind when choosing to steal in those counts. The MOST OBVIOUS, but overlooked breaking ball count is early in the count after a fastball strike. Watch your opponent’s pitch selection and see if they often throw breaking ball after a fastball strike in an 0-1 or 1-1 count. Take a negative step Yes, that’s right, take a slightly negative step with your front foot to get a positive shin angle so you can drive off your front leg. Don’t believe me, believe the most prolific base stealer of all time. Go into the back of the baseball Have your players slide into the back side of 2nd base. This will make them more difficult to tag. The exception to this rule is if the middle infielder has to move to the back of the bag to accept the throw. In that case, they should slide to the inside of the base. .