The Need for Speed: Linear and Curvilinear Characteristics in Major League Baseball Players

The Need for Speed: Linear and Curvilinear Characteristics in Major League Baseball Players

The main aims of this study were to determine: 1) current values of base running key performance indicators related to home-to-first base running and running multiple bases; 2) how KPIs are related to each other; and 3) the influence of these measures on stealing and running two bases. Data on 475 players across 30 teams was collated from Baseball Savant, Baseball Reference, and Lahman databases for the 2019 to 2023 Major League Baseball (MLB) season, which involved coding 924 player events. The main findings were: a) the averaged base running speed for this sample of MLB players was 8.35 ± 0.39 m.s-1 (27.41 ± 1.27 ft*s-1); b) home-to-first base time averaged 4.41 ± 0.18 s; c) in the first 13.7 m of the run to first base, base runners had achieved 84% of their maximum 24.7 m speed, which was near maximal given the minimal change in acceleration (fourth segment = 0.39 m/s2); d) the players who stole the most bases had the highest speeds and accelerations; and, e) higher linear speed and acceleration were not observed amongst players who ran two bases. From this data, it could be inferred that traditional linear running measures are important predictors of running single bases; however, other factors seem important for the curvilinear running two bases. It may be that base runners need to be assessed and trained for linear and curvilinear sprint ability rather than assuming that improvement in linear speed via assessment and training, translates to improved multiple base running.