Conflicting Results

I've watched most of the playoff series so far and have been thinking the same thing.

I don't think players necessarily think it's faster or less dangerous, but that most do it to avoid being tagged. This is more common with plays at home, where the catcher almost always tags the runner or the plate, but from my viewing experience a lot of plays at second and third base involve the fielder squaring himself over the base and trying to tag the runner rather than stepping on the bag. Sliding/diving puts your foot/hand in first to try to get in ahead of the fielder's glove.

Although I never made it past Little League, so I could be dead wrong.

There's also the rule that a batter can overrun only first base and not be tagged out. In other words, a batter running through and touching first base cannot be tagged out by the ball holding first baseman if the batter continues in a straight path, not turning to second base. However at any time at second and third base a runner is tagged by the ball and they are not in contact with a base, they are out. So sliding does make it awkward for a fielder to reach down and touch a runner on the ground. It also helps to stop the runner at that base.

Redfred's last comment is the main reason players slide other than avoiding a tag. That way they can full speed until the slide, the slide slows them down drastically so they don't overrun the base. If they didn't slide they could not run full speed all the way to the base upright because they would have to slow way down before getting to the base.

Correct, at least in my opinion,,,, the slide is not about speed, it's about stopping.

If the first baseman is not standing on the base anything goes to avoid being tagged, as long as you stay inside the baselines...

Stealing a base the player must be tagged....

The Mets failure to stop a steal of third base is gorgeous in execution.

they may be trying to slide under a tag if they think the ball is coming.

The other thing when you're running into a base, by slowing down, it is not that much quicker. chances are better if your sliding in under a tag.

And to come in at full speed is only when you have intentions for extra bases.

That's my opinion.

And yes, sliding is dangerous, I'll attest to that, I tore my ligaments sliding under a tag into second. After your turn 25, you begin to break down, and get progressively more frequent and sever as time goes on.

The best I saw, is when the runner going home actually jumps up and over the catchers tag at home.

Back in my HS baseball days I found the flying Ninja kick to be way more effective than the running or sliding.

They guy at the base never saw it coming and always dropped the ball before he tagged me!

Thanks for the explanations.

I can see why they do it now but it still looks like a sure way to get gravel rash especially some of them seem to dive into the gravel without hand protection and palms flat on the ground.

That's got to break the skin and how many times can you do that in one game?

I did try to read the rules to see if I was missing something but after a couple of paragraphs my eyes glazed over and I nodded off.

Well, If you were making several hundred thousand to a million dollars a game what would you be willing to do to make it look like you were trying to earn it?

I know for that kind of money I'd put on a baseball uniform and let you drag me to the end of my 1/4 mile long driveway and back with my own tractors without complaint every week for the year.

Can't argue with that.

Baseball players have slid into a plate as long as there has been baseball, almost. As a midget league player in the early 1960's, I was instructed in the foot first slide. (i think that is now gone at that level of play) Charlie Hustle (Pete Rose) popularized the face first slide in the 1970's. Anyhow:

1. It gets the player down lower so he is harder to tag

2. It prevents over shooting a base

3. It gets the player out of the "line of fire" when a ball is being thrown to a defensive player at the base (this may be positive or negative depending on your point of view concerning personal protection versus stopping a potential tag out if the ball hits you)

4. And apparently it is a bit quicker, since running in and stopping means slowing down before you get to the base whereas the slide uses the base to stop you

5. And by falling forward at speed you are a body length closer.

With all of the different moves players use to steal bases, I wonder why no one has used a variation of the, jump side kick or " twio yeop chagi.