You don't have to be a sprinter to run the bases well in baseball. There have been many fast runners who have struggled to run the bases well because it takes instinct, knowledge of the rules and understanding of the situation to run bases effectively. To run the bases effectively, you need to know the opponent's arm strength, your team's position in the game and the path you'll take on the base paths. Speed helps, but it is not always the critical factor.
Step 1
Run as fast as you can to first base on an infield grounder that might result in a close play. At first base you can run past the bag and not put yourself at risk. The rules do not allow the fielder to tag you out if you run in a straight line past the base. As a result, you do not slow down at any point when trying to reach first. Do not slide into first--it will slow you down--unless you are trying to evade the tag of the defense player. Run as fast as you can and then go straight back to first if the umpire calls you safe. Do not round the bag and head toward second unless the ball has been thrown away or fumbled.
Step 2
Lean toward second when looking to steal. Once the pitcher goes into his windup, you can take off and try to steal second. Do not leave before the windup because the pitcher can alter his delivery and pick you off at first base. You need a quick first step in order to give yourself the best opportunity to steal second base.
Step 3
Hit the inside of the bag when you round first, second or third and are moving to the next base. When you run the bases, you want to travel the shortest distance possible. As a result, you must push off the inside corner of the bases. Hitting the middle of the bag or the outside will mean you are running a longer route. Inches matter in this game. If you are going from first base to third base on an outfield hit, run straight at second on the first half of the journey and then alter your path to resemble a banana, which will help you hit the bag in the correct manner when you are continuing on to third base. You might hear a coach yell "banana" at his player on his way to second to help the runner remember to alter his path so he can go from first to third as quickly as possible.
Step 4
Plant your foot firmly on the base when tagging up. The rules of baseball allow you to leave your base and try to advance to the next base after a fly ball has been caught. However, you cannot leave until the ball has been caught by the fielder. The best way to do this is to have your foot on the bag and push off as soon as the outfielder catches it. At that point, you sprint to the next base and slide in to keep from going past the bag.
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