For one thing, speed never slumps. In his famous rookie year, when he was accused of swinging the bat like a Little Leaguer, Larry Bowa finished with a .250 average. Well, he probably got all but .050 of that with his legs. First to second on poor relays, second to third on deep flies, third to home on contact plays. A guy on first who is a threat to steal is a distraction, a way to get a hitter more fastballs.
Pitchers hate to throw over there.
Six will get you five that the starter who keeps stepping off and looking annoyed by a dancing runner will be gone by the fifth inning. I intend to use it. But I'm not going to risk taking the bat out of Pat Burrell's hands just to steal a base. We'll run, but we won't run just to run. The one constant as baseball eras change is to score runs by hook, crook, legs or lumber.