I was coaching a 15U summer travel team and many players were on varsity during the school year. We begin our season as soon as school ball ends, so we play our first tournament after 1 or 2 practices together. We use this time to take ground balls, work on cuts and relays, and bunt defense. What I should have worked on was tagging up.
We are in a tie game and we have a runner on third with 1 out. The batter hits a fly ball into center field and I immediately say “TAG” then I watch the ball go into the outfielders glove but I do not hear footsteps, when I look at the runner he is looking at home plate, waiting for me to tell him to go. I do my best to keep my cool realizing he must have been taught this, why, I do not know but it cannot be his fault. He never scores and we end up losing 2-1.
Teach your kids to look at the ball not listen to you.
It is faster for a kid to see a ball get caught and then run, then it is for you to see it, say go, and then the runner tags up. You have heard it before and you will hear it again baseball is a game of inches and making your player wait for you to give a verbal cue will cost you feet, not inches. There is no need for this, I don’t know if coaches want to have the power or if they are afraid the kid will mess up but whatever the reason this must stop. If you are afraid your players will mess up simply work on it. Do it in practice in live situations so everyone can be moving. This is very easy and will save you runs. If the ball is hit and the runner will score with ease just tell him to take his time. A verbal cue like this will let the runner know they will score easily so be extra careful and make sure the ball is caught.
You don’t have to believe me, although you should, but if you don’t just test it out. I did this experiment to prove a group of coaches it was faster to let the players look and go.
Put two runners side by side at third base, let one look on their own and have one listen to you. Make sure the runners are of equal speed, but you do not even have to have them run all the way home. Have another coach or player watch to see who moves first, it will be obvious the player watching the ball will have one full step on the one listening for you. This may only get you a few runs you would not have had, but I promise it will not hurt you in any way so it is a win only situation. Give it a go and let me know what you think.
Tag Up Rule: For The Coaches
