The Run in

[ultimate7]

Starting a new thread for this, in a prior thread
Lips said

"If the ball is hit very hard while traveling slowly and the outfielder thinks it's gonna be really close to a homer, then the outfielder will opt for the extreme run-in technique (he won't shimmy at all - he'll strictly run in).  At this point, like I said in rare cases, the outfielder is so far away from the ball by the time the ball bounces off the wall.  By the time he gets to the ball, it's impossible to get the runner out."

How confident are you guys that this works.  It probably doesn't come up nearly as often in curve.  Smokedubad is convinced it works, I'm not yet certain, though I am starting to lean that way.

[GDavis]

I read that it works in The Onion, so it has to be true.

[Gantry]

I am 100% convinced that the run-in technique is effective.  Now perhaps we use it too much at times, but it will keep flyballs from leaving the park..

[ultimate7]

Basically, though, you are preventing a HR, but they still end up with a triple or ITP HR, right.  Are you ever able to hold them to a double while executing a run in?

BTW, nice response GDavis

[Gantry]

It's usually a double not a triple or homer.  Homers are super rare and those are typically reserved for the times where you think you hvae no chance so you keep running in.  To your surpise it hits the wall, but it's too late at that point...

The best move the run-in is to make balls that would tpyically hit the wall catchable...

[fknmclane]

I'm confused on this one.  Just for clarification: when a ball is hit and looks like it's gonna be close to a homer, you haul ass towards the infield, away from the ball and this somehow makes the ball not go out of the park?

[Gantry]

You got it...  Strange but oh so true...

[fknmclane]

You got it...  Strange but oh so true...

I've never done this before or even heard of it.  Gonna have to try it out.

[BDawk]

The only problem is, you never really know if you're right. Those balls might have never left the park.
Just a thought.

[SmokedUBad13]

How confident are you guys that this works.  It probably doesn't come up nearly as often in curve.  Smokedubad is convinced it works, I'm not yet certain, though I am starting to lean that way.

I am 100% confident that it works for what I like to call "hanging homers" that would normally land within the first '15 rows.'  I call it "pulling it in."  Foster and I are excellent at it, but Foster has perfected it (I first taught him though).  Our technique doesn't consist of a strict run forward, but a few steps forward, a couple back, a few forward, couple back, etc.  A significant difference can be seen as the ball slows down to either hit the wall or land in the outfielder's glove.

Where the baserunner ends up depends on how soon you have to start pulling it in.  If you have to start pulling it in immediately after the ball is hit, then it's likely a triple if the runner has any speed.  Very seldomly does it become an in-the-park homerun.  Most often it's a double or triple.  But hey, you saved a run from an automatic homer.  So it's worth it all in my mind.

Beales
www.rbibaseballcotut.com - The R.B.I. Baseball COTUT

[fknmclane]

Does it work no matter where the ball is hit?

Gantry, you guys run straight in.  SmokedUBad, you do a shimmy or is it more structured than that?

[Gantry]

We do both depending on the severity.  But it's definitely more of a back-n-forth technique or else you'll be too far in...

[Lips]

Like Gantry is saying, we do more of the run-in, run-out combination.  And like Smoked is saying, the run-in outweighs the run-out.

fknmclane, this technique also works on foulballs headed toward out of play (in any direction).  You want to run "against" the direction of the ball more than with it.

Basically...a run-against, run-with type of strategy.

And yes, it works!!!!

[SmokedUBad13]

SmokedUBad, you do a shimmy or is it more structured than that?

To be exact... assuming a ball is hit dead center field, I will run down for 3/4 of a second, and then up for 1/4 of a second, then keep repeating.  So it's like 3 steps toward home plate, then one step up, 3 down, 1 up, etc.  It works.

I never knew that Gantry and Lips went up also.  Nice, we're on the same page.

Beales
www.rbibaseballcotut.com - The R.B.I. Baseball COTUT

[JoeDirt]

The only problem is, you never really know if you're right. Those balls might have never left the park.
Just a thought.

This seems logical, in theory, but it just isn't the case.  With many hrs in the game, you know it's out at the crack of the bat...

[Baines]

I definitely buy into this theory.  My technique is pretty much the same as what Lips and Smokedubad described.  I pull it out on any borderline fly ball.  It won't help a line drive or a bomb 20 rows deep but it definitely works on the close ones.

[Wilfong]

I'm new to the run in and tried it on a friend last night. I think it kept a couple balls in the yard, he denies it. I think there will be some drinking RBI going down in a few hours, I'll try it again.

-Gantry- I used the retreat last night to much success with Spilman. I also hit 13 bombs with CA. Of course, I only had 16 hits and the other 3 were singles. Thanks for developing it, I use it 95% of the time now. How often do you use it? It seems to produce many popups.

[fknmclane]

Chubbs and I have got to try this.  I had no idea it was so widespread and that it's effectiveness was so well known.

[Gantry]

To bump (thanks to Baines) I pretty much use the the retreat on every AB in straight pitch.  With righties I don't reatreat as much and sometimes pull off the Tettleton instead.  But it's a good 96% of the time...

[capt_taco]

I found that when I try the retreat, it definitely increases power by a huge amount. I've had entire games where 90+% of my hits are homers because of that. When I was a little kid, I used to think starting at the back of the batter's box and moving forward worked, but that actually seems just to create grounders.

Also, the Tettleton has really never done anything for me, except mess up my timing and create pop-ups. Except when I'm drinking, but I can't be sure about that.

And as for the run-in, it definitely works. I'd never tried it until a few weeks ago, but it certainly saves some home runs. Don't know why -- maybe limits the'in-play' dimensions as the ball travels back, or maybe something else. Anyway, it works, and I've been impressed with it.