Rounding 3rd base

It seems simple, you either score or you don't. The 3B coach waves you home or he keeps you at 3B. However, some deft maneuvering can yield some good results with a combination of both. It is seldom taught and might even fall under the "instinct" category but I've seen a JV baseball coach teach it with success. Furthermore, I witnessed it in a big league baseball game this '07 season.

Here it is. Typically the play happens with a single to left field with a runner on 2nd base. Why this scenario? Because in this scenario the 3B becomes the cut man and a slow rotating shortstop becomes the guy we take advantage of. As the leftfielder fields the ball the runner coming to 3B probably didn't get a great jump because the ball was hit in front of him on the ground. As the leftfielder observes the runner isn't going home he sometimes flips it to the SS who should be at 3B anchoring the runner down. The runner realizing there is no urgency and there is no one behind him shuffles down the line towards home plate. The runner as soon as he sees the shortstop drop his head to run the ball into the infield sprints home. A stolen run indeed!

The key to the play is the inability of the shortstop to rotate in behind the rounding runner. The 3B coach should be able to alert the runner that there is no one behind him and he should open up and shuffle to see what is happening. Although this is probably the most often occuring manner in which you could steal a run there are certainly some other opportunities worth exploiting.

Quite simply it is taking advantage of the defense not being in position or not being alert. When rounding the bag (especially when a SS hasn't rotated over in behind you at 3B) think score as long as possible. The runners attentiveness coupled with the fielders complacency could yield a run.

Don't assume the play is over despite the infielder thinking that it might be.