When the subject of base running comes up, speed is often thought of as the first and most important element. But as the classic story about the Tortoise and the Hare demonstrates, being the fastest doesn’t make you the best runner.

Mike Roberts, a consultant for the defending World Series champion Chicago Cubs and father of former Baltimore Orioles All-Star second baseman Brian Roberts, believes you must possess natural instincts to run the bases effectively. The problem, he says, is players and coaches aren’t putting in the time to develop that awareness.