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Old Fri Jun 06, 2003, 11:17pm
Bfair Bfair is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2000
Posts: 813
As Bob said, you don't "steal" when it's a passed ball---that's advancing. So when you say "we stopped stealing home on passed balls" you merely quit advancing home on those. That should have been considered long before a 10 run lead.

When you get a "comfortable" lead, start playing station to station baseball where possible without avoiding obvious advances. IOW, there is no need to attempt to stretch hits. There is no need to steal. It's not wrong to advance on obvious passed balls where runners should advance with little risk. Not advancing on obvious plays where you can and should advance is throwing salt in the wounds---but no need to advance on any play where any risk could be involved.

Don't bunt with big leads---nobody. That's also considered throwing salt in the wounds. Hitters should attempt to hit, but no risky stretching of hits. It's a time to attempt to hit merely to build averages. It's their job while on offense to attempt to hit, but not to now practice their bunting.

Bottom line, put on cruise control unless your comfort starts to disappear. While I've seen occasions where comebacks have occurred, they are the extreme exception and generally a result of poor play and not a result of avoiding to kick someone when they were down.

A little common sense combined with confidence in your team's abilities goes a long way.............


Freix

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