BA Article on Base Stealing & Hamilton

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today...2/2613901.html

Quote:

"When a pitcher falls into a pattern, when they have to throw strikes, then their times get up to 1.5 and 1.6," Reds minor league baserunning coordinator Darren Bragg said. "That's why you try to take advantage of it as a baserunner. You think 'That guy got in trouble 2-0 and that gave him a 1.5 time.' That's a pretty good chance to run if he stays in that pattern. Pitching coaches try to tell them to vary your looks. When the game is slow, it's easy to vary your looks. But as the game speeds up, it gets tougher."

The variables just keep on coming. Is it a fastball or a breaking ball (which is tougher to handle and takes longer to get to the plate)? Is the pitch to the catcher's glove side or arm side? Was the throw to the first- or third-base side of second base?

JJ Cooper really breaks down the times by the runner, pitcher and catcher and highlights how hard it is to catch Hamilton because of his deadly blend of speed and intelligence.