Relationship between Confidence Level in Predictive Start of Base Stealing and Sprint Time

Abstract

In this study, twenty college baseball players executed a 10-meter sprint task that models base stealing. In the sprint task, the participants started sprinting at the moment when they judged that a pitcher in videos would pitch to a batter by prediction. They performed twenty-four trials. In each trial, the sprint time and the self-confidence level of predictive judgment were measured. Overall, the participant's sprint times and confidence levels were negatively correlated ; that is, as the confidence level increased, the time tended to be shortened. Therefore, although predictive play, such as base stealing, is risky, it is suggested that having confidence in predictive judgment will improve performance and increase the possibility of success.