Why is stealing bases becoming less common in baseball?

Question

I noticed how fewer and fewer players steal bases these days. Why is this happening? Does this mean that 300 SB will become the new 500 SB?

Answer 1

Stealing just isn't in the game plan for a lot of mlb ball clubs. For a lot of them they steal when it's the perfect opportunity presents itself.

A lot of teams also want to avoid a player having possible multiple hamstring problems throughout the year.

Answer 2

Kobe, I'm glad You asked that because I've been wondering the same thing. Now, its true that the long ball is much more common, but I think there is another reason; the decline in numbers of black athletes playing baseball. Leaving aside being politically correct, lets face it; the American Black athlete is the fastest man on the planet. Look at your great basestealers from the 60's on: Maury Wills, Lou Brock, Ron LeFlore, Ricky Henderson, Joe Morgan, Vince Coleman, Tim Raines, Kenny Lofton-gee, see a pattern here? And if Deon Sanders had concentrated solely on baseball, he too would have had 80+ steal seasons, believe it. I think that if you saw a greater influx of black ballplayers in baseball, then you would see a resurgence of the SB as an offensive weapon, because you would have some freaks come into the league who could steal 80+ bags. It would never be like before because guys hit 'em out so often now, but you would see something of a resurgence of the speed game on the basepaths.

Answer 3

The stolen base has nearly dropped out of sight during the past 10 or 15 years as you have stated. With all the power numbers up most teams just hang around for the three run homerun. You will also notice when most players run now it involves the hit and run, to stay out of the double play, and not just a straight steal. Thank God for Jose Reyes, Carl Crawford, and a few others that make the game exciting.

Answer 4

In large part it is because of the emerance of the slide step that pitchers started using to slow down baserunners. Without the high knee kick, the ball gets to the plate faster which allows the catcher more time to make the throw, making SBs less likely.

This can be compared to the decline in SBs when pitchers started pitching from the stretch with runners on instead of from the windup all the time.

Answer 5

Well I guess that at some moments people can't risk being thrown out, but that does not mean people won't steal. Why infact on May 27, 2007 a guy stole three bases. I personally think that stealing in the big leagues would be hard because your running 90 feet and the picher throws to the catcher 90= miles per hour. That concludes my answer, Bye!

Answer 6

Small ball unforturately has been replaced by home runs. Everyone swings for the fences instead of stealing bases or putting on the hit and run. The teams that use speed and timely hitting always beat power hitting teams. Compare the 1998 Yankees to the 2007 Yankees.

Answer 7

Baseball is now in a phase where power hitting is the main thing as far as offense is concerned; teams seem more focused on keeping the runners on base while the next guy bashes the ball. Many teams don't want to risk running themselves out of a big inning.

Answer 8

Stolen bases are less common than 20 years ago because offenses are stronger; the risk of being thrown out is too great for the potential lost runs.

The Slide-Step motion used by pitchers with runners on base has also made it much more difficult to steal a base as the delivery time to the plate has been shortened by more than a second.

Answer 9

The emphasis is on hitting the ball and scoring runs, not on base stealing. Further, the guys are bigger, are not fast, and are likely to get thrown out more often than they steal a base. There are still a few, however, who pose constant threats to steal a base, like Lugo and Crisp of the Red Sox.

Chow!!

Answer 10

Runs are hard to come by these days and a lot of teams can't afford to get throw out when they get on base.