Comments on: Tigers bring in “baserunning consultant” to get Austin Jackson running more

By: louhudson23

louhudson23 — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 13:04:35 +0000

It would not take much to improve. Actually,a fairly simple directive,if followed,would do it. “Swing,and upon contact, run like hell”. Obtaining this skill would be a vast improvement for the constantly gazing(sometimes raking) Cano.

By: weaselpuppy

weaselpuppy — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 23:20:47 +0000

98% of the CS for Miggy, Avila, Prince, Peralta, Laird, Kelly, Elmon were H & R fails fo sho.

By: hodaghunter

hodaghunter — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 22:34:53 +0000

No one has perfected the face first base-sliding flop better than Fielder.

By: jwbiii

jwbiii — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 21:28:06 +0000

There are two real things a baserunning coach can do.

First, most players don’t take big enough leads. A body length with an arm extended and a step means that all you have to do to beat a pick off throw is a make a cross over step and fall. If you can push off after your cross over step and slide, that’s a few more feet.

Second, the umpire is watching the same thing as the baserunner to determine whether a pitcher balks, but they have different perspectives. Teaching a baserunner to translate what a balk looks like from a point of view 12 feet or so off the bag is difficult, but that’s the difference between getting a good jump and a bad jump.

Teams that Davey Lopes has coached have shown marked improvement in baserunning efficiency, so these things can be taught.

By: 4cornersfan

4cornersfan — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 20:50:47 +0000

I hear that the Yankees are bringing in Manny as a motivational baserunning instructor for Cano this year.

By: flosox

flosox — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 20:40:20 +0000

I picture this consultant to look like “The Bob’s” in Office Space…

By: historiophiliac

historiophiliac — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 18:24:16 +0000

It’s the stopping that’s the problem for him.

By: albertmn

albertmn — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 18:20:41 +0000

Some guys just aren’t good at stealing bases, regardless of speed. They just aren’t as good at reading the pitcher and getting a good jump. I would say the jump is almost more important than the speed. If they can teach him to read the pitchers and get a jump, he can steal more. If not, he won’t, regardless of speed.

By: stlouis1baseball

stlouis1baseball — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 18:13:10 +0000

Dan…Prince goes all out…all the time. And if you are sleeping he will grab extra base.
He may be a large mammal…but the dude can run. As far as large mammals go anyway.

By: sagnam

sagnam — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 18:00:21 +0000

The Tigers seem to perfer hit-and-runs over straight steals. I’d be curious to know how many of those caught stealings were actually failed hit-and-runs.

By: weaselpuppy

weaselpuppy — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 17:47:14 +0000

If you watched any games, you’d see Fielder busting his ass down the line every single time..he plays full out 100%…he’s a big fella, but he doesn’t jog anything out…

By: historiophiliac

historiophiliac — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 17:32:23 +0000

Isn’t Leyland sweet?

By: dan1111

dan1111 — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 17:16:54 +0000

Don’t worry; they hired a basejogging consultant for Fielder.

By: geoknows

geoknows — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 17:12:01 +0000

If Jackson is concerned about being embarrassed, he has picked the wrong occupation. It’s a sport where you can expect to fail 70% of the time.

By: Detroit Michael

Detroit Michael — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 17:09:20 +0000

Good, glad to see they have recognized a problem. Given Jackson’s fielding range, triples, BABIP, etc., he sure seems to be fast on the diamond in respects other than steals. As the article mentions, both the number of steals and his stolen base % were pretty bad in 2012. He could definitely use some coaching at base stealing technique.

Hopefully, Jesus Montero is not the new baserunning consultant!

By: historiophiliac

historiophiliac — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 16:58:16 +0000

Hmmm, not exactly the player I would pick as needing baserunning consultations first….

When they bring in a “sliding consultant” to work with Fielder, I hope there is video! Lots and lots of video. Fielder-bowling!