FITNESS – Get Up To Speed!

Running speed is not an accredited attribute in youth baseball. How hard a player hits and throws is the common measure of his ability. Speed is often viewed as an asset, but not a necessity to be a good ballplayer.

Players should understand that this notion changes as they get older. The pace of the game speeds up at each level, and if a player isn’t careful, he may be passed by and left behind. There are exceptions if a player possesses other skill sets that are phenomenal, but for the most part, slow runners will eventually fall out of favor. As high school, college and professional coaches will tell you, speed is the one baseball tool that pays dividends on both sides of the ball (offense and defense). It’s relatively simple to understand why speed is helpful, so let’s address why a lack of speed is hurtful.

At advanced levels of baseball, nothing is more important than getting outs. A defense has the best chance of fielding and catching balls when its players are able to defend maximum territory. A player might have great hands, perfect technique and a powerful throwing arm, but none of those skills are of use if he first can’t get to the ball. A good coach doesn’t simply evaluate a defensive player on what he does on balls he gets to. He also takes notice of balls he fails to get to. Speed and quickness give you range and that range is what affords you the opportunity to record outs.

A slow-footed individual gives a coach very few options in finding him a position. First base and catcher are the most obvious spots, but a coach still wants those players to be as quick and athletic as possible. A catcher needs quickness in his feet and reactions to be a good one, and a first baseman must possess good footwork and soft hands. Coaches may try to place a slow body at third base from time to time, but he’s going to be limited in his range (and performance) and will often be exposed throughout the season. The outfield requires covering more ground than any infield position so this is not a good place for slow runners. The higher the level of play, the more balls that are driven to the outfield and the coaching and pitching staff will quickly tire of sure-outs safely dropping in for hits.

On offense, speed is vital to scoring runs and applying pressure to the defense. Not every line-up is capable of piling up extra base hits each game, so running speed can fuel an offense, upset a defense and distract pitchers. Slow runners typically fall short of granting these benefits, but even worse is that they can strip a teammate of his value as a speedster. Below average runners clog up the bases and may reduce a faster runner (on base behind him) to advancing station to station. This presents line-up difficulties for the coach. It’s also important to an offense that a baserunner can advance from first to third on a base hit. It sets up RBI situations for hitters that don’t require hits. As mentioned, slower runners typically advance base to base on singles.

These shortcomings often don’t show up in boxscores, which is why people sometimes have a hard time understanding why a lack of speed carries negative weight. How could my kid not make the team? He hit .360 last year and only made two errors all season. But at better levels of play, it’s not always about what they do, it’s also about what they don’t do that may limit playing time. It’s the balls they don’t get to, the bases they fail to advance and the runs they don’t score.

This is a wake-up call to the players who don’t run well. It doesn’t mean you can’t play (and succeed in) baseball if you’re slow-footed, but it certainly diminishes your stock in the eyes of evaluators. If you’re motivated to continue playing, it’s time to improve your running speed. Look for ways to polish your form, but even more important, run sprints. It’s the only way to get faster. Undertake a speed program that consists of a lot of stop-and-start exercises to enhance your ‘burst of speed.’ If you don’t, you might find yourself ‘running’ out of answers as to why you’re seated on the bench or in the bleachers.

Below is a standard evaluation by professional scouts for major league prospects. This is not the same scale for high school and college players, but it should give you some idea of where you stand.

60-Yard Dash

6.3 – 6.5 seconds – Exceptional speed

6.6 – 6.8 seconds - Good speed

6.9 – 7.0 seconds - Average speed

7.1 seconds or more - Below-average speed

Home To First Base

Left-handed hitter

4.0 seconds or less - Exceptional speed

4.1 – 4.2 seconds - Good speed

4.3 seconds or more - Average to below-average speed

Right-handed hitter

4.1 seconds or less - Exceptional speed

4.2 – 4.3 seconds - Good speed

4.4 seconds or more - Average to below-average speed

First To Third Base (or Second To Home

6.7 seconds or less - Exceptional speed

6.8 – 6.9 seconds - Good speed

7.0 seconds - Average speed

7.1 seconds or more - Below-average speed