Can you steal on a foul tip

Stealing bases can be a very important part of every baseball game. Learning how to steal bases and prevent the opposing team from stealing bases can turn the tide of any game. Let’s take a look at the different rules regarding stealing in baseball.

Stealing Base

No, stealing a base does not mean sneaking onto the baseball field at night and physically carrying off a base plate. Instead, it refers to the event in which a baserunner progresses to the next base without help from a teammate’s hit.

With high stakes and only seconds to spare, stealing a base is a rare and risky undertaking that, if unsuccessful, can derail a team’s momentum. For instance, influential baseball statistician Bill James has proposed that attempts to steal a base may be more detrimental than beneficial for a team, unless the attempting baserunner has a success rate of at least 70%. However, in the event that an attempt to steal a base is successful, it can be a great boost to the morale of a team and their fans, and can increase the likelihood of scoring a run.

When a runner steals a base, he advances to the next base when he is not entitled to it. Base stealing most often occurs between first base and second base.

Leading Off

A runner on first base will often stand slightly toward second base while the next batter is at-bat. This is called “leading off.” Baserunners will often lead off in order to make their distance to second base shorter if there is a hit, but they will also do it in preparation for a possible stolen base.

If a baserunner is leading off with the intent to steal second, they must be extremely careful with their timing in order to avoid a pickoff or an out. When the pitcher begins his pitching motion, a runner who is leading off will immediately sprint toward second base. He only has a few seconds to get there safely, because once the baseball reaches the catcher, the catcher will throw it to the second baseman as fast as he can.

If the runner reaches the base before the second baseman can tag him out, the runner is safe, and now occupies second base. Attempting to steal a base is a gamble that only the speediest base runners are willing to take, and often only in low-risk situations (for example, when there are less than two outs).

Pickoffs

Sometimes, a potential base-stealing runner is put out even before he has the chance to steal the base. Runners often stand near the base they are currently on, but may lean towards the next base. This is because runners are not required to touch the base when someone is at-bat, so they take advantage by standing slightly closer to the next base. Runners who are planning to steal will try to get as far in advance as they can get prior to the pitch, which puts them at the risk of being picked off at their base.

When leading off, it is important for the player not to get too far away from their base, in case they have to quickly run back to the base. If they are too far away, the pitcher can potentially execute a pickoff, which involves throwing the live ball to the a baseman before the runner who is leading off can make it back to first. This would result in the runner being tagged out.

Pickoffs most often occur at first base; before their pitch, the pitcher will quickly throw the baseball to the defensive player holding the runner, who tries to tag the potential base-stealing runner with the baseball. If the first baseman tags the runner before the runner touches first base, or any other defensive player at any other base, the runner is out and the pickoff is successful.

Double Steal

Double steals are very rare occurrences in baseball. A double steal is a scenario in which two baserunners steal bases during the same play (either simultaneously or with a slight delay between them). The strategy behind the double steal normally involves having two speedy runners on base, or a speedy runner on second and a slower runner on first. In this second scenario, the slower runner would count on the catcher being distracted by the first runner and slipping into second base unnoticed.

Stealing on a Foul Tip

Baserunners do not have to tag up on a foul tip, and can also steal a base. However, it is a foul ball if the foul tip isn’t caught, and runners must return to their previous base, even if the steal was successful.

Interference on a Steal

Runners cannot advance to the next base on an interference call. For example, if the umpire interferes with the catcher’s attempt to make a play on a steal or pick, the runner will be forced to return to the previous base. The only scenario in which they would advance a base is if the runner taking first base due to the interference in turn forces the runner to move up to the next base.

Balks

In order to successfully steal a base, timing is absolutely crucial. Many baserunners, therefore, only attempt to steal a base while the pitcher is in the motion of throwing the ball to home plate. This is due to Baseball’s Rule Eight, which states that once the pitcher commits his set position to one specific direction, he must follow through. If the pitcher is found guilty of “balking” (changing his mind mid-pitch and attempting to throw elsewhere), all the baserunners will be allowed a free walk to their next bases. By waiting until the pitcher has committed to throwing towards home plate, the baserunner is able to ensure that he has the maximum amount of time to safely make it onto the next base.

Reverse Steals

Although it may seem obvious, it is illegal to “reverse steal,” or steal a base backward. Because the action is so counterintuitive (given that the goal of a baserunner is to safely run from first base to home plate, not to run back to first base), the rule prohibiting this action was not even officially written down until 1919.

Stealing Strategies

Stealing bases is an age-old method for sparking offenses, so naturally, there is a good deal of strategy that goes into deciding when to attempt to steal a base. These strategies can vary from team to team, but they have a constant impact on the game nonetheless.

Stealing Second Base

Most baserunners attempt to steal second base. Again, this has to do with deceiving the pitcher. Statistically, there is a higher percentage of right-handed pitchers than left-handed pitchers. Furthermore, the set position of a right-handed pitcher requires him to turn his back on first base, effectively creating a blind spot. By waiting until the pitcher has completely turned away and has diverted his attention elsewhere, a baserunner on first base can maximize the chances of safely making it onto second base. 

Stealing Third Base and Home Plate

Attempting to steal while on second or third base is far riskier, as there is a greater chance that the baserunner’s motives may be detected by the pitcher before he has committed to a set position. The distance between the catcher and these bases is also shorter, allowing them to be more easily caught stealing.

Reading The Pitcher

In short, stealing a base is all about being able to read the pitcher. For instance, there may be specific, telltale signs that provide a clue as to which direction the pitcher may throw. Through careful observation, it may be possible to detect that a certain pitcher always shifts his back leg, or digs in his toes when he is about to enter the set position towards home plate, but not elsewhere. Another common giveaway is that the pitcher may always look towards a specific direction before pitching towards home plate, but not anywhere else.

Making Quick Decisions

While physical speed and agility are, without a doubt, absolutely essential when stealing a base, equally as important are timing and the ability to make quick decisions. Within five seconds, the baserunner must be able to determine whether or not attempting to steal a base will be the best course of action, and then follow through. There is very little room for error.

Herman Schaefer

Herman “Germany” Schaefer, an MLB player widely known for his sense of humor and various pranks during his games, is famous for being the only player in history to have “stolen” first base whilst he was on second. During a game in 1908, Schaefer had been on second base with a teammate on third. In order to distract and draw the pitcher’s attention away from his teammate so that he could safely steal home, Schaefer spontaneously decided to run backward to first base…back to where he had started!

According to accounts provided by teammates, everyone had stood dumbfounded, in shock at what had just happened. However, as there had been no rule prohibiting such actions, the umpires had little choice but to let the play stand. After Schaefer’s death in 1919, the MLB rulebook was revised to include Rule 7.08i, which states that a player who runs in reverse order will be called out by the umpire.

Tony Thomas

A second rare instance of base-stealing first occurred on July 11, 2019, when Atlantic League player Tony Thomas became the first baseball player to “steal” first base…not from second, like Herman Schaefer, but from home plate! Due to rule changes brought about by the new partnership between the Atlantic League (an independent league) and the MLB, it became possible for players to “steal” first base from home plate whilst they were at-bat. This could only be done, however, on any pitch that was not caught in flight, another term for a “wild pitch” which hits the ground before the catcher retrieves it. The rule change essentially stated that if a batter received a wild pitch, he was allowed to make a break for first base, though he could of course still be thrown out.

On July 11, 2019, Tony Thomas became the first player to make use of this new rule change. A player for the Atlantic League’s Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, Thomas made a run for first base during the sixth inning when an 0-1 pitch from the Lancaster Barnstormers went wild, flying past the catcher. Thomas’ run for first was successful, and he became the first player in organized baseball history to “steal” first base from home plate, while at-bat.

FAQ

Can you steal a base when the pitcher has the ball?

Yes, you are allowed to attempt to steal a base before the pitcher has thrown the ball. This is a risky maneuver, however, because the pitcher could very well notice you’ve taken off and pick you off with ease. That being said, many base stealers attempt to take off as the pitcher is in their windup to throw the ball to home plate in order to get the best jump possible.

When are you not allowed to steal a base in baseball?

You are not allowed to steal a base during any situation in which the ball is dead. This includes during mound visits by the umpires, catcher, or coaches, directly following a batter who is hit by a pitch, during a foul ball (up until the pitcher is given a new ball), during pitching changes, and during video reviews.

Are you allowed to steal home in baseball?

Yes, you are allowed to steal home in baseball. Stealing home is usually only done when another base runner is stealing simultaneously as a distraction. In some cases, however, if the player on third base notices that the pitcher has an unusually long pre-pitch routine, they may take off for home as soon as the pitcher goes into his motion. In order to do this, a large lead is typically required.

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