Good baseline coaches are invaluable. They are particularly important to the younger players. When a 10-year-old gets on base, he’s too inexperienced and too excited to do much thinking about his next move. He needs calm, clear, concise instruction.

At the higher age levels, the base runner needs just as much instruction and assistance because the game is getting faster and more complicated.

The baseline coaches have three basic tasks:

Direct the traffic on the base paths

Keep the base runners alert to the tactical situation

Give Signs

The most important “traffic cop” is, of course, stationed at 3rd, some 15 feet in foul territory. When the ball is out of a runner’s line of vision, the coach, through the use of hand and arm signals, tells him what to do-slide, round-the-base, stop on the base, or go on to the next base. Here’s a set of signals that is simple and distinct: Slide! Baseball Training - Read More.