In the early days of spring training, it's easy to find the endless barrage of pitcher fielding drills, bunting sessions, and outfield position practice a little mundane. Nobody will blame you if you find it underwhelming to watch the best hitters in the world take one-handed swings off of a batting tee.
But lost in the monotony of these early spring workouts is the immense role that some of these less notable skills can play in a championship season. The Cubs won the World Series thanks to shutdown pitching, elite hitting, a league-best walk rate, and yes: baserunning.