Coaching a Runner on Third Base

Video Transcript

"Hello, my name is Adrian Arceo and now we're going to talk about keeping the man on third base focused. Now, because the runner is so close to the third base coach, you can actually just go up to your player and just whisper things in his ear such as instructions, outs, innings, things like that. Also, if the runner at third base has questions, you always have to let him know that you're there to answer those questions. Let's say for example: he doesn't know what play is going on, you can just go up and tell him. You have to remember that the closer the runner gets to home plate, the more likely he's going to be to try to risk that extra base. Now let's say for example: you have a really fast guy on third base, and there's a fast ball and it's really not within his speed to try to steal home, you really got to do your best to get him to come back to third base, because that base is going to look really attempting. Say for example: you've got a guy with really good speed and there's a fast ball that doesn't go quite far enough, that's the guy that's actually most likely to try to take home plate, even though he really doesn't have a chance. So, you have to be sure that you're very clear and very specific about what you want the man on third to do. So, let's say that it's the first inning, he's on third base, there's nobody out, there's really no need to risk stealing home plate. But if it's a tie game, bottom of the ninth, you want to make it really clear to the runner on third base that if he thinks he has a chance of stealing home, that he better take it. Also, you have to remember that as a third base coach, you're responsible for two bases. Just because you have a guy at third base, that doesn't mean that you ignore the guy on second base. So, you have to get confirmation from both of those players, so they both know what's going on. The last thing you want to have is the guy at second base, running to third and you still have another guy at third base, that's going to cause them to crowd up and one of them is going to be out. And, remember that the responsibility of keeping the man on third base focused, belongs to the third base coach."