As a base stealer myself, I was focusing on staying low, and used my hand to get that “jump”. I found my hand moved my feet.

You also need the eyes of a long jumper hitting the board, as to know when to start your slide.

Very nice idea about including an around the bases event for the All Star game. I’m sure they could get a number of young bucks off of the various rosters who predominantly might sit the bench during the season to enter into such a contest so that the “A” players aren’t affected. Heck, bring in some blazing minor leaguers who usually are on the 40 man rosters for the last month of the season.

On base stealing, as an ex-base stealing fool I would say that the most important factors with an understanding of the game situations and conditions are:

1. Pure Speed and absolute quickness as a combined talent
2. Bold aggressiveness and a daring attitude
3. Reading the pitcher’s moves and tendencies with the catcher (always assume the catcher will throw the runner out if given a decent chance)
4. Giving the pitcher and catcher different looks and perceptions leading off the bag by changing the tempo, timing and distance of harboring around the base
5. Decoying the specific fielders covering the bag one is currently occupying
6. Deploying various initial moves towards the next bag (artfully beginning a slow walk while just off the bag into a full sprint is highly successful when used at the appropriate time)
7. Having a slew of sliding tactics and techniques for “hitting the bag” to be stolen
8. A willingness to sacrifice one’s body for the many collisions to occur with the basemen receiving and delivering the tags

There are plenty of other nuances, but it basically boils down to speed, guts and developing a sixth sense of creating odds for success

p.s. Try pitching your idea to the commissioner’s office. Who knows what might happen down the road?!