A runner at first base will lean toward second base. This is known as "leading off." The runner will dash to second base when the pitcher begins his pitching action. He just has a few seconds to get there safely because as the ball reaches the catcher, the catcher will throw it as quickly as he can to the second baseman. The purpose of this tactic is to confuse the batter by making him think there is a runner on second base. If the batter hits into that situation, then it can often result in a run scoring due to the fact that most batters do not want to hit with men on base. However, if the batter takes advantage of the "leadoff" and strikes out or gets hit by a pitch, then there is no harm done since there was no runner on base to begin with. In addition, runners have the opportunity to advance themselves up the batting order by reaching base via walk, HBP, or SB. A leadoff man who reaches base will usually start the next game's proceedings with a ride on the bench. However, this isn't always the case; managers may choose to sit their top hitters to rest them before a critical game or series. Finally, a leadoff man who scores lives on an error makes life easier for his teammates since he has already put another runner in scoring position.