1. Patience is a Virtue
Base Stealing begins with patience. Do not attempt to steal the base until you gain a proper comfort level with the pitchers timing to the plate. To gain this comfort level, get a big enough lead off the base to get the pitcher to throw the ball over to the base. This way you can understand how big of a lead you can get off the base. Then observe how long it takes the pitcher to throw the ball to the plate. Some pitchers have slow wind-ups or slow pitches that make it easier to steal the base.
2. Do the Shuffle
When taking the necessary lead off the base keep the the body weight evenly distributed between both feet. Bend your knees and take a step off the base and spread your feet wide. From there you should shuffle your feet to get the proper lead off the base. Stay low and if the pitcher throws over or steps off, throw your left hand towards the base and dive into the base with the right arm and shoulder pulled back and away from the base to avoid a tag.
3. Sprinters Stance
Okay now we are about to start stealing bases in baseball. Stay low and keep the weight on your left foot. Dig in the dirt with the balls of your feet, pivot on your lead foot and throw your right arm out to start the steal. Use a crossover step with the left foot to start the running motion. You should be like a sprinter reacting to the shot of the starters gun. Keep your head down and do not pay attention to what is happening until you near the other base.
4. Choosing a Slide
As you near the base peek at the catcher to see how close the play may be. Then choose the appropriate slide technique. There are several ways to slide into the base. The pop-up slide is where you go into the base feet first and use your momentum and leverage to pop up safe on the base. There is the headfirst slide that enables you to stay low and avoid the high tag. This slide does slow you down because you lose momentum when you leave your feet to dive head first into the base. There is the hook slide where you attempt to go to the outside of the base, feet first.
5. Reading the Pitcher
There is a certain point in a pitchers delivery to the plate when a runner can safely leave the base. For a right handed pitcher look at his heels. When his front heel lifts that is your signal to take off. If the back foot moves get back to the base because the pitcher is going to try to pick you off the base. For left-handed pitchers if the right foot moves that is the signal to go. To read the pitcher for a pickoff, check for any gap between his legs. If there is a gap then get back to the base because the pitcher is about throw over to the base.
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