Running Speed in Professional Baseball

Running Speed in Professional BaseballEugene Coleman, EdD, CSCSProgram in Fitness and Human Performance, University of Houston–Clear Lake, Houston,Texas

© National Strength and Conditioning AssociationVolume 29, Number 3, pages 72–76

Keywords: baseball; running speed; training

Introduction

Professional baseball is a sport inwhich running speed plays a sig-nificant role. It is one of the 5

tools that professional Major LeagueBaseball (MLB) scouting agents assesswhen evaluating talent (6). Speed is theonly common denominator of both of-fense and defense. Given the amount oftime that scouts spend looking for speedand the importance awarded it by man-agement and coaches, it is surprisingthat the research on this topic is verylimited. The purpose of this paper is toreview the published research on speedin professional baseball. Six findingsconcerning speed in professional base-ball will be discussed.

Finding 1The fastest players do not always partici-pate at the major-league level (Table 1).Data collected (5) on 210 professionalplayers in the 30- and 60-yd dash indi-cate that the fastest players were at the AAlevel (second to lowest level in profes-sional baseball). The AAA players (sec-ond highest level in professional baseball)were the second fastest group, followedby MLB (highest level in professionalbaseball) and A-level players (lowest levelin professional baseball), respectively.Olympic records indicate that most

champion sprinters are younger than 25years of age (7). Members of the AAteams are approximately 23 years of age.The more experienced AAA and MLBplayers are older than 25 years of age.

The authors concluded that the Class Aplayers were the slowest because theyrepresented a heterogeneous populationwith the least amount of playing experi-ence and ability. Approximately 60% ofA-level players studied had less than 1year of professional experience and lim-ited instruction in running technique.Of the 132 A-level players evaluated,only 74 were placed eventually on one ofthree Class A teams. The remaining 57were released or assigned to the extend-ed spring training squad. The Class AAteam had only 25 players on its activeroster and represented the best of theyoung talent. The fact that only 20% ofA-level players eventually make it to theAA level suggests that many of theyounger players do not belong in profes-sional baseball.

The typical AA player runs to first baseat a velocity of 24.7 fps. The typical AAplayer would reach first base 3.0 ft aheadof the average Class A player, 0.5 ftahead of the average AAA player, and 2.6ft ahead of the average MLB player.

s u m m a r y

Research on running speed in pro-

fessional baseball players indicates

that (a) the fastest players do not al-

ways participate at the major-

league level; (b) there is no signifi-

cant difference in speed between

right- and left-handed batters; (c)

significant differences exist among

positions; (d) Major League Baseball

(MLB) players run to first base at less

than 85% of maximum speed; (e)

MLB players run “all out” to first base

approximately 1 time per game; and

(f ) maximum speed does not

change during the course of the

MLB season.Examples of ways to uti-

lize these findings with amateur ath-

letes are presented.

72 June 2007 • Strength and Conditioning Journal

Finding 2Despite popular belief among baseballcoaches and players, there is no statisti-cally significant difference in the timerequired to run to first base betweenright-handed batters (RHB) and left-handed batters (LHB). Data collected(4) on 316 MLB players as they ran tofirst base in game situations indicatedthat the average MLB player ran to firstbase in 4.33 ± 0.15 seconds. Mean timefor LHB was 4.31 ± 0.17 seconds,whereas mean time for RHB was 4.35 ±0.15 seconds. Even without a statistical-ly significant difference, these timesmight be meaningful. The average LHBreached first base approximately 10 in.ahead of the average RHB. Baseball is agame of speed with the difference be-tween making a defensive play and/orreaching base safely often being a matterof inches. The fact that LHB reachesbase approximately 10 in. ahead of RHBplaces added stress on the defensiveplayer and provides a slight edge to therunner on close plays.

Finding 3Significant differences in speed existamong positions at the major-leaguelevel (Table 2). In the same study (4),the fastest players were those who playedthe positions located in the center of thefield (center field, shortstop, and secondbase). Table 2 presents a ranking of timeby position from fastest to slowest MLBplayers. Center fielders were significant-ly faster than all other positions.

These findings are consistent with thephilosophy that teams need speed up themiddle because these positions havemore ground to cover on defense (6).Faster players tend to bat earlier in thelineup so that their speed can be used toget on base and the slower, more power-ful players can drive them in. Slowerplayers tend to play behind the plate(catcher) and the corner positions (firstbase, third base, left field, and rightfield). Players in these positions have lessground to cover on defense, tend to beheavier, and are selected more for their

power production (home runs and runsbatted in) and ability to hit for averagethan for their speed and defense (6).

Table 3 contains data indicating the dis-tance ahead or behind (in feet) players atone position are compared with playersat another position when reaching firstbase. Although many of these differ-ences are not statistically significant,they might be meaningful in game situa-tions. The difference between shortstopand right field, for example, though notstatistically significant, might be mean-

ingful because the higher mean runningvelocity of shortstop causes that positionto reach base ahead of right field by 0.65ft or 7.8 in.

Finding 4The average player runs to first basefewer than 3 times per game. Analysis ofmore than 5,000 plate appearances byMLB players indicated that players ranto first base in 72% of their plate ap-pearances and walked back to thedugout or to first base (base on ball orhit by pitch) 28% of the time (3). The

73June 2007 • Strength and Conditioning Journal

Table 1Comparison of Running Speed Times by Level of Performance (5)

Level Distance (yd) Time (s)

Major League 30 3.75 ± 0.11

AAA 30 3.66 ± 0.15

AA 30 3.64 ± 0.12

A 30 3.77 ± 0.18

Data were collected from a lead-off stance with running shoes.

Table 2Ranking of Time by Position at MLB Level, Fastest to Slowest While

Sprinting to First Base During Games (4)

Position n Time (s) Velocity (fps)

CF 44 4.16 ± 0.14 21.63

SS 25 4.26 ± 0.13 21.13

2B 35 4.27 ± 0.14 21.08

RF 28 4.29 ± 0.16 20.96

LF 39 4.30 ± 0.14 20.94

U OF 12 4.30 ± 0.15 20.91

U IF 24 4.32 ± 0.12 20.83

3B 35 4.39 ± 0.13 20.45

Catcher 43 4.48 ± 0.11 20.11

1B 31 4.50 ± 0.12 20.02

All 316 4.32 ± 0.17 20.81

MLB = Major League Baseball, CF = center field, SS = shortstop, 2B = second base, RF = rightfield, LF = left field, 3B = third base, 1B = first base, U OF = utility outfield, U IF = utility infield.

average player ran to first base 2.4 timesper game, about 65 times per month.

Finding 5The typical MLB player runs “all out” tofirst base approximately 1 time pergame. Data collected on 2,683 runs tofirst base during a 162-game season in-dicated that the typical player ran to firstbase at 84.1% of maximum velocity (3).The threshold for the development andmaintenance of running speed is 90% ofmaximum velocity (7, 8). In addition,athletes who train at less than 90% ofmaximum velocity are working onsomething other than speed (1, 8). Onaverage, MLB players run at subthresh-old intensity slightly more often(50.6%) than they run at threshold in-tensity (49.4%). Approximately one-third (31.8%) of the runs were at near-

threshold level (80–89%) and 19.7%were at less than 80% effort.

Finding 6Maximum running velocity does notchange from month to month duringthe course of a MLB season. The data inTable 4 collected on 10 MLB players asthey ran to first base indicate that, al-though there were differences in velocityfrom month to month, these differenceswere not statistically significant. Maxi-mum velocity was lowest in the first andlast months of the season and highest inmidseason (3).

Given the fact that players ran to firstbase about 2 times per game and thatthese runs were at threshold intensityless than 50% of the time, one might ex-pect a significant reduction in speed

from the beginning to the end of the sea-son. The fact that players did not slowdown significantly might be attributableto the other forms of running requiredduring the season. However, running ingame situations is not limited to runs tofirst base. Players have several opportu-nities to run in both offensive and de-fensive situations. Offensively, playersrun out base hits and errors. Once theyreach base, they may be required to steala base or to participate in hit-and-runplays. They also get involved in rundowns and advance one or more baseson hits, errors, passed balls, and wildpitches. Defensively, in addition tomaking routine plays, they sprint toballs in the gaps, cover bases, back upteammates, participate in cutoff andrelay plays, and engage in run downs.The MLB schedule requires that each


Table 3Distance (ft) From First Base: Comparison Between Positions (4)

Position Catcher 1B 2B SS 3B LF CF RF U IF U OF

Catcher 0.00 0.39 4.44* 4.66* 1.62 3.81* 6.82* 3.80* 3.23* 3.59*

1B 0.39 0.00 4.86* 5.09* 1.93 4.23* 7.24* 4.20* 3.63* 3.99*

2B –4.34* –4.75* 0.00 0.23 –2.68 –0.59 2.36* –0.52 –1.06 –0.72

SS –4.56* –4.97* –0.19 0.00 –2.88* –0.80 2.15* –0.73 –1.27 –0.92

3B –1.55 –1.95 2.75* 2.97* 0.00 2.14 5.18* 2.21 1.65 2.00

LF –3.74* –4.14* 0.64 0.86 –2.11 0.00 2.96* 0.06 –0.49 –0.14

CF –6.82* –7.24* –2.31* –2.10* –4.91* –2.87* 0.00 –2.81* –3.33* –3.00*

RF –3.80* –4.20* 0.43 0.65 –2.18 –0.08 2.90* 0.00 –0.55 –0.20

U IF –3.23* –3.63* 1.06 1.28 –1.64 0.48 3.46* 0.55 0.00 0.35

U OF –3.59* –3.99* 0.64 0.86 –1.98 0.04 3.10* 0.20 –0.35 0.00

*Significant at the p < 0.05 level; positive values indicate distance ahead.1B = first base, 2B = second base, SS = shortstop, 3B = third base, LF = left field, CF = center field, RF = right field, U OF = utility outfield, U IF = utility infield.

Table 4Changes in Mean Max Speed and Mean Max Velocity From Month to Month (3)

Variable April May June July August September

Speed (s) 4.33 ± 0.16 4.30 ± 0.14 4.31 ± 0.12 4.31 ± 0.13 4.32 ± 0.14 4.33 ± 0.15

Velocity (m/s) 6.34 ± 0.20 6.38 ± 0.19 6.37 ± 0.19 6.37 ± 0.19 6.35 ± 0.19 6.34 ± 0.20

team play 162 games in a period of ap-proximately 180 days. Many of thegame-related movements within eachcontest are at maximum or near-maxi-mum speed. The number of gamesplayed and the frequency with whichgame-related movements are performedallow the players ample opportunities tomove at an intensity sufficient to main-tain running speed.

Practical ApplicationAlthough this information was obtainedon elite professional athletes, it has sev-eral practical applications for coachesand players.

First, there is a minimal level of maxi-mum speed required to be successful atthe professional level. Because speed is 1of the 5 essential tools that scouts lookfor, players with exceptional speed(<4.00 seconds) to first base or (<6.8seconds) in the 60-yd dash will auto-matically draw at least minimal interestfrom some scouts. Coaches should en-courage these players, especially thosewho lack power potential, to maintaintheir speed and to spend extra timeworking on the other essential tools—fielding, throwing, hit for average, andhit for power—that will make themmore attractive to scouts. Likewise,coaches of players who are 1–2 standarddeviations slower than average (4.33 ±0.15 seconds) should realize that unlessthey play one of the corner positionsand display a high level of power, theseplayers are not likely to draw the atten-tion of professional scouts. Slower play-ers with high power potential should beencouraged to improve running me-chanics and to participate in drills de-signed to improve running speed.

Second, as indicated previously, signifi-cant differences exist among positions.The faster players are in the middle of thefield (second base, shortstop, and centerfield) and the slower players are on thecorners of the infield (first base and thirdbase) and outfield (right field and leftfield). The slowest position is catcher.

The 5 tools (skills) that scouts look forwhen evaluating position players arespeed, ability to hit for average, abilityto hit for power, fielding ability, and armstrength/accuracy, but not necessarily inthat order. Each player is evaluated onthe 5 different physical attributes ortools and given a score of 2–8 on each,with 5 being average and 8 being out-standing. Players are evaluated for bothpresent status and potential for futuredevelopment. The information present-ed in Table 5 provides insight into thequality of performance that scouts arelooking for (6).

According to Table 5, players who canhit for average and power, have averagearm strength and fielding ability butbelow average speed should be encour-aged to consider playing first base, thirdbase, or right field, because speed is thelowest priority for these positions. Like-wise, players with good hands (catch andthrow) but who lack power, the abilityto hit for average, and speed should beencouraged to become catchers.

Finally, running performed in game sit-uations is sufficient to maintain speed

among pro athletes from opening dayuntil the end of the season. Pro athletes,however, play a 162-game schedule.College teams play 56 scheduled gamesand high school teams play only 21scheduled games. The length of the proseason and the frequency of games (162games in 180 days) provide pro playerswith greater and more frequent oppor-tunities to run at threshold intensitythan are given high school and collegeplayers. In addition to shorter schedules,high school and college teams also aresubject to league and conference rulesthat limit practice and training time.

Given the importance of skill training,some coaches opt to limit the amount ofpractice time spent on speed training infavor of more skill training. With cre-ative scheduling, however, coaches canincrease the amount of time devoted tospeed training by incorporating morehigh-intensity running into daily prac-tice sessions.

Running mechanics and base running,for example, can be added to the dailywarm-up drills (7). Speed work can be in-corporated into the workout immediate-

75June 2007 • Strength and Conditioning Journal

Table 5Tool Priorities by Position (6)

Catcher First Base Second Base Shortstop

Catch Bat Bat Field

Throw Power Field Throw

Bat Field Run Run

Power Throw Power Bat

Run Run Throw Power

Third Base Left Field Center Field Right Field

Bat Bat Run Bat

Power Power Field Power

Field Run Bat Field

Throw Field Throw Throw

Run Throw Power Run

ly after the warm-up, with players re-quired to meet specific target times forvarious sprint distances (2). Batting prac-tice is another opportunity for speedtraining. Traditionally, players will take5–10 swings in batting practice and thenjog to first base after their last swing.Once they reach first base, they will make1–2 low-intensity breaks and then joginto second base as a teammate takes theallotted swings. From second base, theymake a low-level break and then jog intothird and walk home. A better approachwould be to require the players to runhard to first base after their last swing andmake their breaks and runs from base tobase at game speed.

Another opportunity for running isfielding practice. Often players standin one place where they field andthrow to a baseman and/or cutoffman. Whereas repetition is an essen-tial part of skill training, speed can beadded to the drills by having playersrun the bases once or twice per week asplayers go through fielding practiceand cutoff and relay drills at gamespeed. Coaches can increase the quan-tity and quality of outfield running byhaving the players run side to sideand/or front and back for every ballhit in fielding practice, rather thanstand in one place and wait for the ballto come to them.

Finally, coaches can have an assistant,intern, or student aide time, record,and chart all runs to first base and frombase to base in game and specifiedpractice situations. Times can beplaced on a spreadsheet with columnsfor time (s), distance (ft), velocity(fps), and percentage of maximumspeed (% maximum velocity). This in-formation can be reviewed weekly todetermine how often players run, howhard they run, and how often they runat threshold velocity. Timing playerson a daily basis creates an environmentin which speed becomes an importantattribute of daily performance. Onceplayers become aware of the impor-

tance of speed, coaches can set teamand individual speed goals for specificsituations, such as time for base hits(i.e., home to first, home to second,home to third, and home to home) andtime from base to base (i.e., first tothird, first to home, second to home,and third to home) on sacrifice flys andcontact plays.

Given the importance of speed and thelimited time available for practice, it isimportant that coaches get maximumresults in terms of both speed and skilltraining in the time available. The sug-gestions outlined above are examples ofa few of the methods that coaches canuse to increase both the frequency andintensity of running without sacrificingtime for skill training. ♦

References1. BRUNNER, R., AND B. TABACHNIK. So-

viet Training and Recovery Methods.Pleasant Hill: Sport Focus Publishing,1990. pp. 50–52.

2. COLEMAN, A.E. Target and recoverytimes for speed training in baseball.Strength Cond. J. 23(6):7–8. 2001.

3. COLEMAN, A.E., AND T.L. DUPLER.Changes in running speed in game sit-uations during a season of MajorLeague Baseball. JEPonline. 7(3):89–93. 2004. Available at: http://www.asep.org/journals/JEPonline/issue/2005_04. Accessed: June 2004.

4. COLEMAN, A.E., AND T.L. DUPLER.Differences in running speed among

Major League Baseball players in gamesituations. JEPonline. 8(2):10–15,2005. Available at: http://www.asep.org/journals/JEPonline/issue/2004_06. Accessed: April 2005.

5. COLEMAN, A.E., AND L.M. LASKEY.Assessing running speed and bodycomposition in professional baseballplayers. J. Appl. Sport Sci. Res. 6:207–213. 1992.

6. COLEMAN, G. 52-Week Baseball Train-ing. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics,2000. pp. xi–xiv.

7. DINTIMAN, G., R. WARD, T. TELLEZ,AND B. SEARS. Sport Speed. Cham-paign, IL: Human Kinetics, 1998. pp.46, 189–190.

8. O’DONNEL, K., AND L. SEAGRAVE.Sprint Training Video Vol. 1. South Eu-clid: Speed Dynamics, 1991.

Eugene Coleman is chair, Program in Fit-ness and Human Performance, Universityof Houston–Clear Lake and strength andconditioning coach, Houston Astros Base-ball Team, Houston,TX.


Coleman

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Running Speed in Professional Baseball