Hit And Run ~ Get Your Offense Moving With This Exciting And Aggressive Play!

Photo Bill Stanton

The hit and run, one of baseball's truly exciting plays.

By starting the runner and swinging the bat, the offense creates multiple problems for the defense, all established after the pitch is delivered, forcing the defense ro react on the run.

The hit and run doesn't require fast base runners, it requires hitters who can make contact.

Put it in action with a runner on first, or a runner on second, or with runners on both bases. Once the defense knows you will use it, their ability to relax and play just the hitter is lost.

A valuable tool to keep the offense out of a double play.

If the hitter should hit the ball in a gap, the runner from first has an opportunity to score, since he was running on the pitch.

Runner On First

• Hitter swings, no matter where or what the pitch is. If it's not hittable, the swing helps keep the catcher back and provides some cover for the runner.



• In a perfect world, the hitter wants to hit the ball on the ground, behind the runner. If the pitch won't allow for it, hit the ball hard, on the ground, somewhere.



• Runner is going on the pitch. After a few strides, look in towards the plate to see what has happened with the baseball. If it hasn't been hit, the play turns into a straight steal.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• If the ball is hit behind you, or you can't locate the ball, look to the third base coach for help.

Runner On Second

• Hitter swings, no matter where or what the pitch is. If it's not hittable, the swing helps keep the catcher back and provides some cover for the runner.



• Want to hit the ball on the ground, somewhere.



• Runner is going on the pitch. If the runner loses track of the ball, the third base coach is right in front of him to help out.



• If the ball is not hit, the play turns into a straight steal of third base.



• Third base coach will tell runner whether to hold up, or score.

Runners On First and Second

• Hitter swings, no matter where or what the pitch is. If it's not hittable, the swing helps keep the catcher back and provides some cover for the runner.



• Want to hit the ball on the ground, somewhere.



• Runners are going on the pitch, look to third base coach if they lose track of the ball.



• If the ball is not hit, the play turns into a straight double steal.

Hit And Run Tips ~ From the Dugout

• It is a hitting absolute, the hitter has to swing the bat on a hit and run.



• This play can become a nightmare for defenses, as the movement of runners calls for defensive changes on the run.



• The hit and run can also be a slump busting tool for your hitters. Players in slumps generally get to thinking way too much. The hit and run takes the guess work out of the pitch, they have to swing, so they relax and do just that. Sometimes that's all it takes!
  
• Important to stress to the players that the runner needs to get his signs and be going. Failure of the runner to go can result in the hitter swinging at an unhittable pitch, attempting to cover the runner. It puts the hitter in a hole and depending on the count, may cause the opportunity to hit and run to be lost in that at bat.

A defensive play is at least 5 times as difficult to make as an offensive play.

The potential is there for an unassisted fielders error, a bad throw, a misplay from a bad hop, a shielding of the ball by the runner or a mix-up of responsibility between two infielders or two outfielders.

On offense you had fewer ways to fail after putting the ball in play.

Therefore, attack with confidence that the odds are with you.

Attack, Attack ~ Always Attack! ( Ty Cobb )

Additional Offensive Situations

• Offensive Situations
  
  Keep your opponents under pressure at all times
  
  
• Sacrifice bunts
The cornerstone's of offensive situations


• Hit and run
Get your offense moving with this exciting and aggressive play


• Bunt and run
The short game adrenelin rush


• Fake bunt and steal
A great wrinkle to enhance the straight steal, providing your base runner with a little extra protection


• Fake bunt and hit
An effective way to get the defense to react to what they see, then the offense executes something entirely different


• Reading down angles
Get the jump on pitches in the dirt, take the extra base


• Special plays
Designed to amp up your running game through the element of surprise


• Safety squeeze, Suicide squeeze, Double squeeze
Initially the safest version, yet the most complicated to execute, a few seconds of pure excitement, the excitement of the suicide, with so much more


• Base running
One of the least taught, yet still one of the most important, even in the age of the aluminum bat


• Stealing second
As you step out into your lead, all the feelings intensify as you lock in on that one movement the pitcher is about to make, a movement that will send you speeding towards second base


• Stealing third
Often easier than stealing second


• Steal home
Always exciting and a true defensive demoralizer


• Double steal
Working to keep up the pressure, get two runners into scoring position or possibly score a run


• Delayed steal
Uses the element of surprise, a great equalizer


• Home to first
A full out sprint; remember, hustle never has a bad day


• First to second
Stay in the moment, be aggressive


• Second to third
The base runners first and foremost responsibility is to keep track of the baseball


• Third to home
The exception in leadoffs, as you lead off in foul territory


• First to third
The added skill involved is to pick up the third base coach, then second base, and the coach again


• 25 ways to score
25 reasons to work hard getting a runner on third base