Baseball Bases / Softball Bases

The Importance of Release / Break-Away Baseball Base Systems

In every game, in almost every sport under the sun, players protect themselves with all kinds of advanced safety equipment. In baseball, players step up to the plate with helmets, catchers crouch down behind the bag covered in armor from head to toe. Yet every year, from the pros to Little League, baseball sees close to 1.7 million injuries in the field! What's causing most of these broken bones, abrasions, and concussions? It may sound odd, but bases are to blame, or more accurately, players improperly sliding into bases.

When a player hustles to second, and slides in just under the throw, his force is absorbed by the ground and the base. If he does it correctly, all of that energy is released and absorbed smoothly and everything's fine. But when he slides incorrectly, he can hit that base like a brick wall, causing all kinds of injuries from broken bones to serious abrasions! That's where regulations, policies, and technology have come in.

In 2008, Little League Baseball filed a new rule, designed to protect its players. Rule 1.06 stated that "it will be mandatory that all leagues utilize bases that disengage their anchor." Previously, almost all baseball base systems were permanent installations, with bases firmly anchored to the ground. This rule changed all of that.

The idea is simple. Bases that disengage or release from their anchor upon impact will absorb more energy instead of remaining in place, and passing that energy back to the player and causing an injury.

Different manufacturers accomplish this in different ways, but most break away base systems will look something like one of these:

When a player slides incorrectly into one of these bases, the top base flexes and absorbs more energy. If the force is great enough, it'll disengage completely from its anchor system, reducing even more impact energy and minimizing the likelihood of injuring the runner.

With the implementation of this rule, leagues around the country have been forced to upgrade their base systems…which admittedly, can be an expensive process, even with the affordable and easy-to-install systems in the market these days. That's why Sports Unlimited stocks a huge variety of safe, disengaging base system to fit any budge, any league, and any diamond.

---

Baseball Base Systems by Need

Complete In-Ground Anchor and Base Systems -

If your league or organization uses the same diamonds season after season, it may be cost and time effective to purchase a permanent in-ground anchor release base system. These systems include a housing structure for each base, which is installed directly under the ground, and remains there for the life of the base.

Convertible Progressive Release Base Systems –

If your league or organization already has older, permanent in-ground base mounting or anchor systems, and wants to convert them to disengaging bases, these are the base systems for you! Convertible progressive release base systems fit over existing 1" and 1.5" stem anchors, and use a specially designed base and tee to turn your formerly permanent, stable base into a permanent disengaging base system.

Portable Mounting Progressive Release Base Systems –

If you don't own, or use the same baseball diamonds regularly, it is most time and cost efficient to look into portable mounting release base systems. These systems use an advanced base and tee design, which installs into the ground with removable spikes, to deliver the safety and performance of disengaging release bases, without the permanent installation of an in-ground anchor.

Portable Indoor Mounting Progressive Release Base Systems –

Designed for gym floors, these portable baseball base systems provide the safety of disengaging bases for indoor games and practices. Their base and tee design comes complete with strong suction cups, which firmly secure it to any flat surface, like a gym floor. If a player slides into the base incorrectly, the suction cups keep the tee anchor where it is, and the base safely disengages.

---