Will a player ever steal 100 bases in a season again?

Answer 1

Yes, it will happen again. It just depends on the player, the team, and the type of game they play. Teams that play "small ball" usually are the teams that steal a lot. A team like the Yankees for example have way too much power in their lineup. There is no need to steal as they don't want to take the chance of being thrown out with a long ball hitter batting right behind them.

Answer 2

No doubt about it, yes, someone will.

Stolen bases historically fluctuate quite a bit from era to era, and often from season to season, even within a player's own career.

Maury Wills led the NL in stolen bases six years in a row, with totals of (beginning in 1960) of 50, 35, 104, 40, 53 and 94.

Coleman and Henderson each stole 100 or more bases three times in their careers, but also led their leagues with totals in the 60s and 50s.

Lately, we're seeing totals in the 60s for the NL and mostly in the 50s for the AL, but certianly, and possibly sometime soon, someone will hit a hot streak early in the year, and will keep that pace up and go for 100. It's bound to happen. These guys are just getting too fast. And way too many pitchers are not very good at holding the runners, either, which will make it easier.

Answer 3

ABSOLUTELY !!!

Baseball is cyclical. When there is a long stretch where base steeling is rampant teams eventually adjust. They stress
quick deliver etc. all thru the minors and work harder on it in spring training.

They realize that a big, slow hoss catcher doesn't produce enough runs as he costs them. Thus offense is sacrificed for the defensive ace.

Once all the teams are holding and throwing out steelers, teams quit risking it. After a while they say, "hey we need to work harder on location (for example) and quick delivery and holding runners close get neglected. Or, " hey nobody steels many bases anyway, we could really use More offense out of our catcher. So the minors start trying to fill that need.

Soon the league is full of players that don't defend base steeling well and some Vince Coleman type will come along and expose that weakness and before you know it there'll be a base steeling explosion again.

Think about it, late 60's to early 70's Brock, Reece, Bobby Bonds, Mays. Then 10yrs. of not much. 80's to 90's Henderson, Coleman, Ozzie and Lonny Smith, Lofton. Trust me, steeling will cycle back in just like HR's did. And it probably will coincide with when it's decided there are too many HR's and do something (like when they lowered the mound) to reduce them

Answer 4

Not unless the game changes again. The 80's were all about speed and stealing bases. When smaller stadiums were brought in, managers wanted to build more power into the lineup and if someone got on base, especially if the hitter behind them was left handed then the manager wanted them to stay put. Personally, I think you want to get people into scoring position and it helps to have someone that can steal second. You don't see too much stealing of third though. I think 60 steals is like stealing 90 in the 80's.

Answer 5

They said the stolen base was dead back in the 5 and then in the 70s, too. Yeah, things will swing around again. It will take a great basestealer with a good on-base percentage playing on a team without a lot of homerun hitters. And a manager who knows how to to manufacture runs.

But it is a real rarity and may not happen for a while. I think that only 4 players (Wills, Brock, Henderson, and Coleman) have ever done it in the past century.

Answer 6

Podsednik was well on his way, Figgy had a shot, Reyes can do it.. Injury stopped the last couple of real chances but it will be done. Most likely by someone like Crawford who plays full time for a team that has little chance of winning a division or title. Pods should be held back by injury, Figgy broke his hand and Reyes is too valuable to risk late in the season. I would like to see it done soon, I think a lot of the "Art" of base stealing is gone from the game and now it's just a bunch of guys who are fast. Not like the older guys, Lou Brock, Ricky Henderson who understood which step to take first and studied pitchers.

Answer 7

I won't say never, but its not going to happen any time soon. There a few guys who have the talent to do it such as Reyes or Crawford, but with the way the game is played right now teams just don't run enough. There are entire teams that struggle to get their, let alone a single player. Unless teams change strategies and start playing more small ball again its not going to happen.

Answer 8

Eventually, but there is less emphasis on stolen bases right now. In this era, 50-60 steals is considered top line. You don't see too many teams playing small ball, or green lighting their base stealers. Soriano could reach 100, but he doesn't walk enough, and he tries to hit HRs. Juan Pierre can reach 100 too. I just think if there is a change in philosophy, it can happen.

Answer 9

Im going to go out on a limb and say someone will steal 110 SB in the next 3 seasons!

Answer 10

Simply put -- no in the current way the game is played. I grew up watching Lou Brock, Davey Lopes and Joe Morgan and they knew how and when to steal a base. That Concept is lost in today's game b/c players are not brought up being taught how to or when to.