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Baseball Instruction/Touching Bases while running
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Question
You told people that you use the right foot on all bases while running. Absolutely incorrect. I suggest you do some research before giving out wrong answers. It is the left foot which touches the outside tip of each base.
Don: I am not sure which answer or answers to people you are referring to, but there is no absolutely correct, or incorrect information on this point, other than to not adjust your stride to hit the base and to hit the inside corner, regardless of which foot you use.
For younger players starting out, it makes no difference which foot they touch the base with, you just want them to get the inside corner and stay in stride.
I have run tests on my own high school players and they have all gained some degree of speed when using their right foot, as compared to their left, consistently .5 to 1.2 seconds over a complete 4 base cycle. Again, it has to be in the context of not changing their stride to do so.
The gain was minimal; but the longer you play and the better the competition, every little thing gained is to your advantage as a player, no matter which part of your game it is.
Yours in baseball,
Rick
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| Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 8 | Clarity of Response = 8 | Politeness = 10 |
| Comment | Many scientific studies done by the Institute Of California, as well as independent studies by Major Division 1 Colleges can refute your facts. They have proven that the left foot touch, because of the centrifugal force of the right leg swinging toward the next base and the fact that you run the bases in a counter clock wise order, increase speed. The left foot is the preferred foot, but I accept the majority of opinion that the most important thing is to touch it. Don | ||
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Answers by Expert:
Rick Bundy
Expertise
I can answer all questions relating to the fundamentals of baseball from t-ball to college, individual and team instruction, game strategy, drills, practice organizaton, coaching philosophies and, last, but not least, the mental game.
Experience
4 years little league
4 years high school baseball( 2 varsity)
2 years junior college baseball
1 summer, Central Illinois Collegiate League, Galesburg, Pioneers
2 years, four year college
Publications
I am the owner/builder of theoleballgame.com, a website for playing and coaching youth baseball.
Education/Credentials
Retired teacher 31 years (retired 4)
36 years high school baseball coaching/15 as a head coach/19 varsity asst, 2010 was the 36th.
I am in my 10th year as a coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks Training Centers, the official youth baseball and fast pitch softball camps of The Arizona Diamondbacks.
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