ESPN Video: To Run or Slide.

[Caper]

I thought this was a great video. ESPN decided to test whether running straight through 1st base was faster then sliding to first base. No question as to which is riskier, sliding into 1st base can cause serious injury. To me it seems common sense tells me that diving is faster.... But I have always heard the opposite, that in fact, running through 1st base is the faster way to get there...... and that seems to be the conclusion of this demonstration. The evidence seems to suggest that running straight through is the proper play..... But I'm not sure.... Watch the video.

 

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:10766501

 

All this seems to prove to me is that diving from 10 feet is a slower way of getting to 1st base then running through. But watch it when they overlap the video around 1:35. During the initial part of dive... the diver pulls significantly farther ahead of the runner.... It's not until around the last foot and a half that the runner catches then passes the diver.

 

Really, all this tells me is, injury concerns aside, diving is always the better strategy.... just not from 10 ft. If you were to begin the dive from say 6ft, it seems that you make up significant distance. Now of course the injury concern overrides everything and it's probably not a good idea.... But in playoff games... where the risk/reward factor may lean more towards risk ... maybe it becomes the best strategy.

[P2F]

I thought this was a great video. ESPN decided to test whether running straight through 1st base was faster then sliding to first base. No question as to which is riskier, sliding into 1st base can cause serious injury. To me it seems common sense tells me that diving is faster.... But I have always heard the opposite, that in fact, running through 1st base is the faster way to get there...... and that seems to be the conclusion of this demonstration. The evidence seems to suggest that running straight through is the proper play..... But I'm not sure.... Watch the video.

 

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:10766501

 

All this seems to prove to me is that diving from 10 feet is a slower way of getting to 1st base then running through. But watch it when they overlap the video around 1:35. During the initial part of dive... the diver pulls significantly farther ahead of the runner.... It's not until around the last foot and a half that the runner catches then passes the diver.

 

Really, all this tells me is, injury concerns aside, diving is always the better strategy.... just not from 10 ft. If you were to begin the dive from say 6ft, it seems that you make up significant distance. Now of course the injury concern overrides everything and it's probably not a good idea.... But in playoff games... where the risk/reward factor may lean more towards risk ... maybe it becomes the best strategy.

 

The difference of a few inches. It's nice to finally see this quantified.

[Caper]

The difference of a few inches. It's nice to finally see this quantified.

 

 

 

Yeah... but that's from 10ft. And running through seems to give you a few inches advantage.... But of you look at the part they pause, around 1:30. It seems diving gives about a 12 inch advantage... up until about 5 ft (I would have to see frame by frame to be more accurate). So wouldn't the proper conclusion be that diving 5ft away from 1st base will get you there about 12 inches faster?

[P2F]

Yeah... but that's from 10ft. And running through seems to give you a few inches advantage.... But of you look at the part they pause, around 1:30. It seems diving gives about a 12 inch advantage... up until about 5 ft (I would have to see frame by frame to be more accurate). So wouldn't the proper conclusion be that diving 5ft away from 1st base will get you there about 12 inches faster?

 

You may be right.

[P2F]

You may over dive the bag lol

 

That's what I was considering as well lol, but if you hung an arm or leg low, you'd be all right.

[P2F]

Perfect way to break it!

 

True, I suppose the injury risk is heightened in that situation.