Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Mike Roberts Blog: BASE STEALING is a KEY ELEMENT to WINNING BASEBALL

The Cotuit Kettleers in the 2009 Cape Cod League baseball season stole 109 bases in 44 games which led the league. This was the KEY ELEMENT for our team playing in the league championship game for the 2nd consecutive year. The team applied pressure at all times to the opposing defense.
The New York Yankees were led to the 2009 World Series Championship by a team of sluggers who used the Stolen Base to place more pressure on opposing teams. Derek Jeter, 35 years old, stole 30 bases for the fourth time in his career. Johnny Damon, 36 years old, stole 2 bases on one pitch in game four of the World Series that turned out to be the “Key Play” in the 2009 World Series. Sportswriters are still discussing whether or not they had ever heard of much less seen with their own eyes a stolen base play such as this.
Coastal Carolina University Baseball stole 121 bases in 2009 which led them to a 47-16 record. Head Coach Gary Gilmore has a philosophy similar to mine that the stolen base is a catalyst to WINNING BASEBALL.
Coaches and players are always searching for more and better ways to WINNING BASEBALL. As you prepare for the 2010 baseball season during this Christmas and Holiday Season I hope you will read my new book written with my son Brian Roberts who led the American League in stolen bases in 2007, and let us help you improve your base stealing game.