Evanston Baseball Softball Association

2015 Baseball Coach’s Manual

© 2015

2015 Baseball Coach’s Manual

Table of Contents Introduction i Throwing & Catching 1 Infield 4 Outfield 7 Base Running 12 Pitching 16 Catching 22

Hitting 26 Practice Planning & Game Preparation 28 Reference 31

2015 Evanston Baseball Softball Association’s Coaches' Clinics

This year our coaches’ clinics will be guided and assisted by the fifth edition of our Coach’s Manual. The Manual is divided into eight sections with ‘Skill’ and ‘Drill’ components in each. Every section will stress the fundamental skills that should be attained for a specific level of play and the corresponding drills that apply. The important part of this format is that coaches will be able to adapt the level of coaching to the ability of their individual players and/or team. There are eight ‘Sections’ to the Manual Throwing & Catching Infield Outfield Base Running Pitching Catching Hitting Practice Planning & Game Preparation Let’s explain some important terms that run through out the Manual: Skills - These are the fundamental and advanced abilities for each section. Drills - These are the fundamental and advanced exercises that can be used to improve each skill.

Codes - These codes represent the different levels of play within EBSA. Like the different stages of skill your players will have, these letter codes address the different levels of difficulty each skill or drill possess. However, don’t limit the use of these indicators. If you are coaching a Middle League team and have a couple of very good players, address their needs with skills/drills that apply to the Major/Pony level. Conversely, if you have a player who is older but just beginning the game, use more of the basic skills/drills. The codes are as follows:

R/F Rookie/Farm

M Middle

M/P Major/Pony

All Levels Applicable to all levels of play. Other Symbols:

These stars represent skills or drills that are particularly significant, fundamental, or flat-out fun. Look for and focus on these skills and drills.

KEY These are ‘key’ or important parts of a skill or drill that we see often with players. Or, they are

things to look for as your players perform the skill or drill.

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We have tried to make the Manual straightforward, interesting, and fun, and hope you will do the same for your kids. We printed on heavy grade paper so it doesn’t get too destroyed when you toss in your trunk with the equipment and ball bags. And, we only printed on one side of each page so you can make as many notes as you like.

We hope that it is clear and concise. However, we appreciate that some of the information may be

confusing or hard to understand. If there is something in the manual that you don’t quite ‘get’, please don’t hesitate to contact us by phone, email, or simply approach us at the ballpark. We’ll be happy to help.

We don’t profess that these are the only skills and drills that will work on the baseball field. We do know that they have worked for us and hope they can work for you. If you have some specific skills or drills that you have found successful, please let us know and we can add it to future versions of the manual. We are always looking for new and interesting things to do on the ball field. (aka…Church of the Holy Diamond.) Finally, we want to take this opportunity to thank you for volunteering. We appreciate all of your efforts in putting forth the time and effort to help our kids learn the greatest game ever played and have a great time doing it.

Here are two very important things to remember. One, like players, it doesn’t matter how much you know about baseball. What does matter is that you, as a coach, are willing to learn and get better. Two, as much as we appreciate your volunteer effort and ‘competitive spirit’, this is not about you. It’s about the kids. Remember, there is nothing better than when a kid ‘gets it’.

Thanks again and have a great season! Norm Werd Charlie Prieto eph02@comcast.net prieto32@hotmail.com Evanston Baseball Softball Association

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Throwing & Catching

This section is the most important section of the Manual. To be successful and have fun at baseball, a player must be as capable as possible in the basic fundamentals of throwing and catching.

Bobo Brayton was a very successful college coach that stressed the fundamentals of playing

catch through out his career. His mantra was, “Playing catch is the communication of baseball. If you can’t play catch, you can’t play baseball.”

Skill: The Grip (All Levels)

o 4 Seam/Across Excellent for small hands. Not much movement…helps with control.

o 2 Seam/Across More movement than 4 seam, but still good for control.

o 2 Seam/With The ball with the most movement.

o Loose controlled grip. Don’t pop the seams! o Dominate the top half of the ball. Palm of hand faces the target and fingers on top

of the ball. ‘Stay on top’ is a common term coaches use. Drill: Grip Gymnastics-With or without a glove, toss the ball 2-3 ft. in the air, catch it, and without looking grab it across the seams. (This drill is easy and safe. It can be done indoors, such as while watching TV.)

Skill: Get in the Correct Position to Throw/Starting the Throwing Motion (All Levels)

o The glove-side shoulder, hip, and the inside of back foot should be aimed at your target. o All positions require the same alignment. Pitcher, catcher, shortstop, OF… o Start the throwing motion…throwing hand extends straight back, palm down, then turns and

faces target as it moves forward. KEY: It’s very important that the player extends his throwing hand straight back. Imagine throwing to a target; the left shoulder, left hip, and inside of the back foot are all facing the target. Now imagine a ‘wall’ or ‘line’ that extends up a player’s back. When the hand moves back it cannot go past that wall. If it does, the player will begin to ‘spin’ and his front shoulder will fly open. Aside from having difficulty controlling throws, it will put more strain on the throwing shoulder. While adversely affecting the player’s arm strength, more importantly it could lead to a shoulder injury, as the player gets older.

o Arm back, weight back. o Release Point-When throwing, the highest a baseball should be is when it leaves your hand.

Keep it down! At release, keep the elbow above the shoulder. o Always throw at a target, ‘The Box’. (Shoulders to waist.) o Stay balanced through out the throwing motion. Stay ‘north and south’. Don’t fall left or right

at any time during the motion.

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Drill: 10% Drill- Get on one knee, while keeping the back straight, support the throwing elbow with the glove. Make sure the elbow is above the shoulder. Just flick it with the wrist. This illustrates the last 10% of every throw. {All Levels} Drill: Ten Toes-Proper weight and energy transfer. Get feet a little wider than shoulder width and toes pointing forward (They must be pointing straight ahead and not slightly outward.), feet are kept in place, as if in cement. This drill makes it difficult to point the glove-side shoulder and hip at the target. Getting players to handle this drill will make pointing the shoulder and hip at the target when they can move their feet that much easier. {M, M/P} Drill: Quick Toss…great for finding a player’s natural ‘arm slot’. If we make a player do all the correct fundamentals as quickly as possible, he will migrate to his most natural arm motion, {M, M/P} Skill: Catching the Ball (All Levels)

o Receive the ball like you are catching an egg or water balloon. ‘Your glove is not a fork!’ (Using eggs or water balloons in practice is a good tool and tons of fun. Try it!)

o Two hands. Why? No. 1 reason; transfer and get rid of the ball faster. o When catching the ball, get in position to make the throw.

Drill: 2-Man Speed Catch (Quick Toss) {M, M/P} Drill: 4 Corner Quick Toss {M, M/P} Drill: 3 Ball Toss/Soft Hands (A great drill for Middle, Farm, and Rookie.) {R/F, M}

o Split your team into two groups of single-file lines without gloves. o One player at a time, toss three baseballs, one after the other. (Use a backhanded toss. It’s

straighter and ball will have less vertical movement as compared to underhand. Vertical movement of the ball can create more head movement and that makes it more difficult to track the ball.

o Player should receive with two hands, (Remember, like an egg!) drop the ball and focus on the next ball.

o Get progressively faster. (The fear factor…it helps create focus. On your 2nd or 3rd time around, check out the look in their eyes. Some players will be a little more intense.)

At this point, let’s stop and play some catch. What do we know so far?

♦ First, hold the ball across the seams for an easier grip. It will produce less ‘movement’ and make it easier to catch.

♦ Second, as we receive the ball we start getting our bodies in position to throw. ♦ Third, catch the ball with two hands to get rid of the ball faster.

To this point, we’re good. However, we are missing an important part of the throwing/catching equation. Earlier we spoke of our body position when we throw. (Glove-side shoulder and hip should be aimed at target and the throwing elbow above the shoulder.) This process is broken down into two parts.

♦ First, by watching the flight of the ball we have to anticipate its position. Such as low and to the right, up

and to the left, etc… This is a visual focus and/or concentration. ♦ Second, (This is the difficult part.) we have to employ kinesiology, the science of movement. The term

we use to describe getting ourselves in position to receive, transfer, and throw the ball is…

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Move Your Feet!

It’s that simple! Move your feet! Be ready and anticipate the throw. Move your feet! Catch with two hands and transfer the ball to your throwing hand. Move your feet! The body is now in position to throw because…you moved your feet!

As we said earlier, this is the most important skill section of the manual. We

cannot stress it enough. Every practice and every game starts with playing catch. Get all your kids proficient at playing catch and they will be more successful at all the other skills and have more fun.

Finally, encourage your kids and their parents to play catch at home as much as possible. It’s a great

way to improve their fundamentals and a great way to spend some time with their kids. Remember what Coach Bobo Brayton said, “Playing catch is the communication of baseball.” Tell your players’ parents, “Go have a conversation with your kid.”

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Infield

The infield is glamorous! It’s sensational! It’s where many of baseball’s ‘Hollywood stars’ play. Thing like double plays, diving stops, stolen bases, tag plays at the plate all happen in the infield. More balls are hit to infielders than anywhere on the field. If you want to play infield you have to be focused at all times. Now, we are not saying that outfielders don’t need to focus, but infielders have less time to be ready; the ball is on you in no time! A key part of being focused is to anticipate. Since the ball gets to an infielder more quickly, the reaction time is shorter and the infielder must anticipate. Focus, anticipate, prepare, and react are key characteristics of good infielders. If you’re an infielder and you’re not ready, the game will pass you by…quickly. In a nutshell, infielders have to be very ready on every pitch. Skill: The Ready Position {All Levels}

o Heel-Toe Alignment- For right-handers, toe of right foot is even with instep of left foot. (Flip-flop this for lefties.) Feet are slightly wider than shoulders and player should be on balls of feet.

o Hands out and butt down; bend at the waist and knees. o ‘Rock Ready’/Similar to receiving a tennis serve. o FAPR (Focus, Anticipate, Prepare, React)

Drill: Demonstrate the ‘Ready Position’ {All Levels}

Skill: Footwork/Glove-Body Position for Receiving a Ground Ball and Getting in Position to Throw {All Levels}

o Glove position-glove hand should be out and away from the body with fingers pointing down.

o Field baseball ‘out in front’. Glove hand out…no alligator arms. o Receive ball like and egg/water balloon. o Align body/glove to throw-Glove-side shoulder, hip, and inside of back foot aimed at target.

(See Throwing & Catching) o To do this, use the ‘Crossover’ step. (It’s another way of saying, “Move Your Feet”) {M M/P}

As ball approaches, field ball between middle and glove-side of stance. When getting to ball, weight should shift so ball is in middle of body. As ball is funneled to throwing hand, the right foot crosses over in front of left foot and

the throw is made. (Flip-flop this for LH.) *** Once mastered, this skill will greatly improve your infielders. Try this yourself. Once your infielders get this down, they will be much smoother and stronger.

Drill: Ball Line Up {M M/P}

o 3 balls in front of a player, approximately 2-3 feet apart. o From the ready position they approach the ball as if it were rolling toward them, staying low

and reading off their glove leg. o Use crossover step to get the body in position to throw.

Drill: Ball Line Up/Rolling - Same as above but with coach rolling ground balls. {M M/P} Drill: Bucket of Balls-This drill truly proves that you don’t need a bat to practice ground balls. {M/P}

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o Split your team into two groups, one at SS and the other at 2B. You and an assistant will be near the mound, each with a bucket of 20 or more balls. (Having more balls in each bucket is better. 40-50 is great!)

o Position a player from each group to play 1B. The ‘2B group’ throws to their first baseman on the bag. The ‘SS group’ throws to a first baseman positioned about 10-12’ down the baseline toward home. Each coach then proceeds, in a rapid-fire delivery, to throw ground balls to each player. (This drill can also be done without a first baseman. Simply have your players throw to one of the panels in the fence by the dugout. Players at SS throw to one panel, players at 2B throw to another. You can also use movable nets as targets.)

o The players practice their ready position, hand and feet positions, fielding the ball off the proper foot, and using the crossover step while throwing. Do this with a sense of urgency/game-like conditions.

The most important part of this drill is fielding the ground ball but keep an eye on the throws to make sure they are fairly accurate. This will also be a good way to evaluate your players’ arm strength.

o After all the baseballs in the bucket are finished, have the kids retrieve them, put them back in the bucket, switch lines, 2B to SS and visa versa and do it again, and again, and again…

o Let’s do the math. With 25 baseballs in each bucket, and six players in each line at 2B and SS, each player should get 4 ground balls in about 4 minutes or 48 ground balls, for the group, in 4 minutes. The more you do this the faster you will get.) Go thru each line four times and each kid will field 16 ground balls in eight minutes. Let’s see you do that with a bat. (More baseballs equal more ground balls and less time retrieving them.)

Drill: Relay Drill-This drill replicates the ‘relay’ or ‘cut-off’ throws from outfielders to infielders. {M M/P}

o Set up six players in three groups of two. In the beginning, have each group stationed the approximate length of the baseline at your level of play. This distance can be lengthened as the season goes on.

o Start at one end and throw the ball to the center position. These players, utilizing the ‘Move Your Feet’ theory, throw the ball to the other end. It is very important that the middle players, or relay people, who are transferring the ball, move their feet and always turn to their glove side when throwing the ball.

o After receiving the ball from the middle player, the player at the other end starts the process again by throwing to the other middle player. The key here is that all the players rotate and take turns receiving and throwing the ball. The middle players have to be very alert as they jump in and out of the middle position.

o Emphasize catching with two hands, moving their feet, keeping their hands up for a good target, and, for those players in the middle, turning to their glove side. This drill should be done as quickly as possible. Emphasize a sense of urgency/game-like conditions.

o After 10-15 throws switch the groups. Eventually, every group should get 10-15 throws in the middle.

Drill: Max Rep or ‘So You Think You’re an Infielder’ Drill (Great for the end of practice, for two to three players.) {M M/P}

o Use a bucket of baseballs, 40-50. o Position a player at their infield position and another at 1B. o They should not be concerned with balls they miss or throw away. o Object of drill is to work at an accelerated pace and to see if they maintain the proper

fundamentals when they are fatigued.

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Drill: Circle Drill {All Levels}

o This is a good skill drill, slightly hazardous to a coach’s health, and great fun. It’s great for promoting teamwork, competition and it’s exciting! A great workout for coaches too…if you survive. (It would take too long to describe. Call us come to practice for a demo.)

Drill: Cone Drill {M M/P}

o 2 cones, 15 feet apart. o Player stands between and slightly in front of cones. o Coach will be 60 to 70 feet from cones. (Closer for smaller kids.) o Object…”Keep every ball in front of you.” Stop everything. (If you can touch it…catch it!) o Throw ground balls with easy and difficult bounces and ‘line drives’. o Split your team into two groups. Create a little competition. Inject a little fun. Outfielders vs.

Infielders…etc. This is a great opportunity to work on their ‘Sport Center ‘ highlight film.

Skill: Communication {All Levels} o Talk before the play; how many outs; hold up fingers. o Talk during the play. o Talk about the situation o Talk about anything. It’s communication. o Aggressive on pop-ups.

Pop-ups with full infield-Make them ‘call it’. See Outfield-Communication Drill

Skill: Mental Approach {M M/P}

o Anticipate the play. o If you don’t want it, it will find you.

Drill: Situations Drill-See ‘Situations’ in the Outfield chapter.

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Outfield

We believe outfield can be the most difficult position to play on the baseball field. Outfield?!?! The outfield, where all you do is stand around and the action may be 150 to 200 feet away. Difficult? How difficult is it to stand out there and be bored stiff?! That’s exactly the point! Especially for kids, it is very hard to be that detached and stay focused on, and ready for, the action that is soooo faaar away! Especially kids in the younger leagues, playing outfield is a wonderful opportunity to get distracted; building things in the dirt, watching birds migrate from RF to LF, or rearranging their uniform are excellent ways to while-away their time. It’s safe to say, they’ll be distracted and not ready. If they are not ready, the ball will ‘find them’ every time. Getting kids to concentrate and use the skills and fundamentals necessary for good outfield play is not easy. Here are the basics:

Skill: Ready Position {All Levels} o Heel-Toe Alignment, glove-side leg out, slightly wider than shoulders, on balls of

feet. o Hands out (Off the knees!) o Butt down but not as much as IF. o Anticipate o Rock Ready/Similar to receiving a tennis serve. A little more relaxed and upright

as compared to infield.

Drill: Demonstrate the ‘Ready Position’. {All Levels} Skill: Anticipate {M M/P}

o Anticipate everything and anything. o Pick the most obvious plays in your head. o Repeat the situation before the pitch.

Skill: Getting a Good Jump on the Ball {M M/P}

o See the ball through the hitting zone and react. o Move on every swing; including foul balls.

Drill: Play shallow during batting practice (if you take BP on a field); see the ball off the bat; work

on the first step. o Move on contact; foul balls included. Again, recognize the ball through the hitting

zone. Skill: Fielding the Ball {M, M/P}

o Going Back on Fly Balls Going back on fly balls-feet should be slightly open Aggressively open hips in direction of ball. Be aggressive in the first several steps. Get there first! Then find the ball!

o Coming In on Ball-Ball in front vs. “Do or die”. Game situation will dictate; this should come from coaches.

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o Cutting off balls in the ‘gap’. The ‘gap’ is that big space between outfielders. To keep balls in front of outfielders they should choose wide angles when pursuing balls in the gap. Wide angles. Anticipate where ball will be. Do not run directly at ball; ‘surround’ it.

(Get the body in position to throw. Whoa! Where have we heard that before? See below, ‘Getting in Position to Throw’. Move Your Feet-MYF)

Drill: Coming in on Stationary Ball and ‘Breaking Down’ Your Steps-This drill emphasizes the proper footwork necessary to field an outfield ground ball. {M, M/P)

o Place a ball approximately 15-20’ in front of the outfielder. From the ready position, have the outfielder make a controlled charge to the ball.

o As he gets close to the ball, he will break down his steps to short quick ones. While maintaining good balance, he will lower hands to ball without fielding it.

o While bending down, the left knee will bend to the ground while the right knee bends to 90 degrees. He must stay balanced and behind the ball. {For RH player.}

o Again, ‘shape’ the hands around the ball to ensure the player stays down. Do not pick up the ball. Repeat drill 10 times.

o This drill is then done with a rolling ball and then batted ball. Drill: Coming in on Stationary Ball and ‘Breaking Down’ Your Steps Then Making the Throw {M, M/P)

o Same as above but as player bends to pick up ball and begins to rise and throw, the right foot comes forward and turns so the inside of the foot faces the target. (This will get the glove-side shoulder, hip, and the inside of back foot aimed at target. See Throwing & Catching section.) This will insure a quick release without taking the extra step. MYF

Drill: Coming in on Stationary Ball and ‘Breaking Down’ Your Steps Then Making the Throw for the ‘Do or Die’ Play- ‘It’s the last inning. We have to throw the runner out.” {M, M/P)

o Charge ball; field on outside of glove-side leg. Same as above but at a faster pace and we field the ball on the outside of our glove-side leg. Execute the above footwork so the glove-side shoulder, hip, and inside of back foot faces the target. Do it fast! We have to throw the runner out! It’s Do or Die!

Drill: Pizza Delivery Race - Two runners. One runs regular stride with a glove. The other, eyes and glove arm up. ‘Regular’ will always beat the ‘delivery man’. {M M/P}

Drill: Zigzag Drill – The object of this drill is to get your players comfortable going back in either direction for the ball. {M M/P}

o Start with a line of players in front the coach. o Each player sprints off on a 45% angle left or right. o The coach throws the ball in front of the player so he/she must extend the glove to

catch it. (Like catching a touchdown pass.) o The player then drops the ball and switches directions and takes a diagonal line in

the opposite way. The coach then throws another ball in front of the player. o This is repeated so each player gets four balls.

This drill, by throwing the ball in front of the player, reinforces the proper way to go after a ball; keeping glove down while running. (No pizza deliveries!!!)

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Drill: Angle Line Dill – The purpose of this drill is to get the player comfortable running a longer distance for a ball and putting themselves in position to throw before they make the catch. {M M/P}

o Start with two lines of players. Each line is approximately 15-20 feet away while facing the coach. Each line will alternate

o The player in the right line sprints hard on the diagonal up and left for 3-4 seconds before the coach throws the ball trying to ‘lead’ the player. (Another touchdown pass.)

o The player then catches the ball, turns the glove shoulder to the target, plants his back foot and throws in the opposite direction to the other coach. The throw must be low and accurate. {MYF}

o Again, no pizza deliveries!!! Drill: Find the Ball Drill. - This drill will help them see the ball off the bat and anticipate where it is going.

When an outfielder has to run a long way for a ball, after recognizing which direction the ball is headed, they should start running hard with their head down. (Remember the ‘sprint’ demonstration. They then pick their head up, ‘find the ball’ and catch it. {All Levels}

o Stand 10-15 feet away from the player as he/she faces you in the ready position. Underhanded, throw the ball 12-25 ft. in the air straight above their head.

o The player must continue to look directly at you until you say, “Go!” Give them enough time to ‘find the ball’ and catch it. The height of the throw will vary with the level of play. Also, as the kids progress

start to move the throws within 5-10 feet of their starting position. (This gets fun because they get to ‘dive’ and make unbelievable catches!)

They should naturally start to look at your hand to see which direction the ball is headed. Don’t tell them to do this in the beginning. Try to observe it first. If some kids are having trouble with this, tell them to watch your hand release the ball. It should help. This is very similar to watching the ball through the hitting zone when playing outfield.

Skill: Anticipate the Play & Getting in Position to Throw (MYF) {All Levels} Like the infield, we need to get our body in position to throw while we are catching a fly ball or ground ball. Because throws from the outfield are much longer, it’s very important that we establish momentum as we receive the ball and prepare to throw.

o Anticipate where the ball will be. o Catch the ball as close as possible to throwing position. o Shoulder, hip, and inside of back foot face the target. o If possible, catch the ball near the throwing side. o Where are you going to throw the ball? Know before you get there. o Always look for the cut-off man. If the base is reachable with a low throw, do it!

Use the cut-off man as a guide.

Skill: Communication {M, M/P} o CF is the boss. o On fly balls OF’s overrule IF’s…always! o Situations

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‘Do or Die’--It’s the end of the game. We have to be ready to throw out a runner.

‘No Doubles’--We have a lead. Play slightly deeper so nothing gets by our outfielders.

Drill: Communication Drill {M, M/P}

o Start with two lines of players thirty feet apart and twenty-five feet in front of the coach.

o Throw a pop-up/fly ball between the outfielders. One should call for the ball while the other backs up the play.

o The player calling for the ball must call for it loudly three times. Use the word “Mine” instead of “I got it”. One syllable is quicker. How loud? Embarrassingly loud! (It’s less embarrassing then the result of “I got it. You take it”.)

o The object is to improve communications between outfielders and teach players to be aggressive and go after every ball until they are called off. This drill can be done with the infield and outfield together. This is a great drill for developing confident fielders.

Skill: Backing Up the Play {M, M/P} o All OF’s should be moving on every batted ball. o Back up bases on all infield plays. o Go somewhere!

Drill: Situations Drill {M, M/P}

Through out the history of baseball practice one of the most functional drills that addresses the defensive responsibilities of a team is the ‘Situations’ drill. (Frankly, we wouldn’t be surprised if Abner Doubleday used the drill).

KEY: It is a drill, when done correctly and efficiently, can truly educate your players and help them understand that everyone has a responsibility every time a ball is hit. They may have to make a play, or back-up a play but every player has something to do.

It works like this:

o Put at least one player at every position, including pitcher, and get them in the ‘ready position’.

o Announce the ‘situation’ such as, “Runner on 1B with one out.” or “Bases loaded and nobody out.”

o Throw or hit a ball a see how your players react. o Review the play and make the necessary corrections and do it again with the same or

different situations. It’s that simple. There are variations, such as the following:

o Use your extra players as baserunners. It adds a more game-like atmosphere to the drill.

o ‘Everybody Stop’- (This is our favorite!) Throw the ball in the outfield and make sure ‘everybody stops’ and does not go after the ball. Then ask some, or all, of your players what are they going to do based on where the ball was ‘hit’. Encourage them to answer anyway they can. Correct the wrong answers and then yell, “Go!” and see what happens.

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This can be a tedious and time-consuming drill. Don’t work this longer than 30-35 minutes. If you do, your players may become bored and disinterested and you will ‘lose’ them. If it’s not going well, work on the drill another day.

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Base Running

Base running could very well be the most neglected skill in youth baseball. Too often kids are not taught the basics of what is one of the most fun things about baseball. When we speak about the offensive component of baseball, coaches always focus on hitting. Base running is commonly the ignored skill yet can greatly effect a ball game.

When it comes to base running, coaches just don’t get it. Let’s think about this; what kid doesn’t like to run as fast as they can and then jump or slide in the dirt? Why wouldn’t we teach it? Speaking of sliding, as a major component of base running, if players don’t do it right it can cause serious injury. We will address this later in this section.

So we have a skill that is a lot of fun, can greatly effect your team’s performance, and can cause serious injury if not done correctly. We think that warrants some serious attention. It makes very good sense for us to teach our players the finer points of base running. They’ll have fun and they won’t get hurt, what a concept!

Skill: Getting Out of the Batter’s Box {M, M/P} o Three step sprint, hard and low. o Choices-Determine what and where by flight of ball. What was hit, ground ball, fly ball, line

drive? Where was it hit? Ground ball in the infield…run thru the bag at 1B Ground ball or fly ball to the outfield…take an aggressive ‘turn’ at 1B.

Drill: First 3 Steps/Find the Ball Drill {M, M/P}

o Hitter stands in the box ready to hit, then takes a swing. o Coach throws or hits a ground ball or fly ball. o Hitter must recognize and react to ball in IF or OF running through the bag or

‘taking a turn’. o Hitter can also yell what type of ball is hit, ground ball or fly ball.

Skill: Running to First Base {M, M/P}

o Infield Ground Ball o Hit front of bag.

Run through the bag; two full strides past. Look right after passing the bag for ball. (Re: wild throw, etc…)

Drill: ‘How Many Fingers’ Drill {M, M/P}

o Hitter starts in batter’s box and takes full swing then sprints to 1B. o Coach crouches in front of 1B in foul territory. As the runner approaches, show 1-5 fingers

about 6” off the ground. Runner then yells out how many fingers. This will force runner to see and hit the front of the base.

o Look for: First 3 steps, hard and low; front of bag; through the bag; look right two strides past 1B.

Skill: Running Out Outfield Ground Ball, Line Drive, or Fly Ball…‘Taking a Turn.’ {F, M, M/P}

o Get the angle to 2nd base; use either foot when touching 1B. o Sell The Double. (STD) Selling the double is all about hustle! We want players to

aggressively take the ‘turn’ at 1B. STD creates a sense of urgency with the defense that can lead to mistakes.

o Is it an OF fly? STD. Is it in the gap between LF and CF? STD. Single right at the leftfielder? STD.

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o Make the defense force you back. Get your players aggressively taking the turn. o Find the ball. After taking a turn at any base, it's the base runner’s

responsibility to find the ball. They have to know where the ball is in order to be ready to advance, or retreat back to the base.

Drill: Taking a Turn {M, M/P} o With runners at home, start them to 1B. o Place cones, gloves, ball-buckets or coaches to make runners begin their turn and

cut the angle to 2B inside of obstacle. Place one 12-15 ft. short of 1B and about 3-4 ft. to the right of the

baseline; runner must go around creating the angle to 2B. Get outside of this cone.

Place one 10 ft. from 1B, 2-3 ft. to the RF side of the baseline to 2B. Runners must get inside this cone.

KEY: As we take the turn at first base our path is like a banana. Players who have quick feet don’t have to get too ‘wide’ before they get to 1B. Those who aren’t quick enough may have to take a wider turn. Their ‘banana’ may have a bigger bend in it.

Skill: Lead Offs {M/P}

o 1B-Getting off the bag. o Start with one foot on bag with both feet pointing toward 2B. o Take one step toward 2B then use straddle steps to establish lead off. Do not

cross left foot over right! If a pitcher attempts a pick-off when the runner is in the middle of a crossover step, he will be completely off-balance and won’t be able to get back to first.

o Right-hander; watch their feet. First movement. ■ Right foot-it’s a pick off. Back!!! ■ Left foot-Go!

o Stay low…left hand over right…left arm jabs…stay low. For ‘hit & run’ play… after 2 steps, take a peek at hitter to find ball.

o Left-hander; imagine a narrow wall extending from the pitching rubber up. When the left-handed pitcher lifts his right leg, he can’t lift it past that ‘wall’ toward 2B. If he does, it’s a balk. Watch LH left shoulder. When he starts motion the left shoulder may turn

toward 3B. If so, he’s coming to 1B. ■ What to do when the lefty has a good move? Go on first movement. If

you’re picked off, steal second. Run on the inside half of the baseline. It will make it more difficult for the first baseman to throw to 2B.

Skill: Lead Offs from 2B-Depends on the situation. {M/P}

o With two outs, take a ‘deep’ lead off. (Deep? While getting off 2B, the runner also backs up toward the OF.) Why deep? With two outs our main objective is to score on a single to the outfield. A deep lead off will give us a head start with the angle when taking the turn at 3B.

o With less than two outs, take a more ‘shallow’ lead. Less toward the outfield and closer to the baseline. This lead off will require baserunners to execute good fundamentals when taking the turn at 3B.

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Skill: Lead Offs from 3B {M/P} o Lead off in foul territory; come back in fair territory.

■ If the baserunner is in fair territory and is hit by a batted ball, he’s out.. o Return to the base in fair territory.

■ It hinders the catcher and third basemen during pick-off attempts. Drill: Lead Offs {M/P}

o Simulate with pitcher. (This can be pick-off practice also.) o For 1B and 2B you can use three runners at one time. 4-5 feet apart toward the outfield.

Skill: Taking Turns Around 2nd and 3rd. Who is the most important coach on the bases? {M, M/P}

o The baserunner! When the ball is in front of base runner, he/she is the most important coach. They must learn to evaluate the situation and make the call.

o Ball behind the runner, such as a runner on 1B after a single to RF; find the 3rd base coach before hitting 2B.

o Taking a turn at 3B, baserunners go aggressively around the base. Coach will send or stop him..

o If the runner is stopped, find the ball!

Drill: Coaches, cones and/or gloves. Use them as you did 1B. {M, M/P} Drill: ‘Around the World’-Everyone’s involved! (A great aerobic workout!) {M, M/P}

o Runner on 1B gets a good lead, and then goes to 3B working on the turn at 2B. o Runner on 2B gets a good lead, and then goes home working on the turn at 3B. o Runner at 3B tags on a fly ball. o Two runners at home.

■ One at home plate swings and goes to 2B working on taking the turn at 1B. ■ The other starts at another home plate, 10 feet behind the ‘official’ home

plate. This batter runs to another 1B along a baseline that is 10 feet to the right of the ‘official’ baseline. This runner works on running through the bag and checking for overthrows.

Skill: Tagging Up on Fly Balls {M, M/P}

o Runner makes the decision, not the coach. o Runner can anticipate the catch. Tag on the first touch. There doesn’t have to be a catch. o Adjust your feet to see the ball.

Skill: Sliding {M, M/P}

I don’t like head-first slides! When it comes to sliding I am ‘old school’; slide on your butt. The chance for injury, specifically to hands, arms, and shoulders, is far less when sliding on your posterior. In addition, someone please explain the logic behind sliding head-first into home plate when the catcher, with all his protective gear on, is waiting. (Usually with a smile on his face.) It has happened to many players at the major league level also; they incur serious injuries and miss numerous games because of sliding head first. (Rickey Henderson and Derek Jeter to name two.) Let them learn how to hurt themselves with a head-first slide when they get older.) If they learn how to do it correctly on their backside, they may not try it head-first.

o Teach one slide, the Pop-up. Slide on the butt. Not thigh, knee, calf, hand, etc… o Sit down to sliding position by tucking one leg under the other.

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o Keep hands up! o Walk in to it, then jog, and eventually run. Do it in socks. o As they move thru the slide their upper body’s momentum should carry them up

and out of the slide when they will find the ball and advance to the next base if possible.

KEY: Make sure the hands are up. Players will try to support themselves and will often get their hands caught under their butt or legs. Also, don’t let them lean back too far. That will deter their momentum and they will not be able to ‘pop-up’. Drill: Sliding-Get them in a line and let it rip! {M, M/P}

o Sliding Pad-No shoes. o Wet Day-Wait for a wet soggy day and practice on the outfield grass or bring out the hose.

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Pitching

Some Thoughts About Pitching (Or, reflections of an average hitter who could throw.)

In many cases, the kids who are your best athletes will be your pitchers. They are usually

the strongest, fastest, and the best throwers on the team. With that completely subjective perception, let us continue.

Let us stress one very important piece of information. Before a player can begin to pitch, his throwing mechanics must be fundamentally correct. The throwing fundamentals in the ‘Throwing & Catching” section must be accomplished before we begin to pitch. If they are not, pitching will perpetuate those poor fundamentals. Inherently, the ability to correct those fundamental errors becomes much more difficult as the player gets older.

Before we continue, let us quickly talk about muscle memory. Muscle memory is a

common term for the process of the neuromuscular system memorizing motor skills. The problem is our muscles can remember how to do things incorrectly. This can apply to golf, tennis, bowling, or any physical skill we attempt. In addition, the older a person is, the more repetitions of the proper skill are required to correct the problem. For our ball players, who are younger and don’t require as many reps, we need to get their muscle memory correct now. If we do, we have players who are fundamentally sound and more resistant to injury. Another important issue is this: In most levels of youth baseball, pitchers pitch too much, but don’t throw enough. Play catch!!!

To pitch effectively a pitcher should have a strong arm. An arm that throws hard is good, an arm that is durable is better. The best way to increase strength and durability is to throw; not necessarily pitch, but throw. For young players, throwing as much as possible (at least 3-4 times per week) using the

correct fundamentals makes for a strong, durable, and injury-free arm.

Our last, and most important, objective when teaching how to pitch is the most difficult. Referring back to our slightly subjective perception of pitchers, we like to say that pitching takes backbone, fortitude, determination, and high moral fiber. More seriously, it takes nerve and bravery to stand on that mound all by yourself knowing that the outcome of the game may depend on you. This could be a little intimidating for any 9, 14, or 25-year old. We need to cultivate and encourage our pitchers, particularly when things are not going well, to relax, stay focused, and not give up. Remember, our job as coach is to put kids is the best position to succeed and have fun. The pitching skills we describe may seem very detailed but they are truly fundamental. They emphasize the basic essentials to help a player become a pitcher. We will try to show that any player can pitch no matter how hard he throws. The key features of the skill and drill training will be the ability of our pitchers to throw strikes. During the season ask your pitchers this question again and again, “What’s your best pitch?” The correct answer is, “A strike!”

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Skill: The Grip {All Levels} o 4 Seam/Across

Excellent for small hands. Less ‘movement’…helps with control. o 2 Seam/Across

More movement than 4 seam, but still good for control. o 2 Seam/With

The ball with the most movement. o Loose controlled grip. Don’t pop the seams! o Dominate the top half of the ball. Palm of hand faces the target and fingers on top of the ball.

“Stay on top.”

Drill: Grip Gymnastics- With or without a glove, toss the ball 2-3 ft. in the air, catch it, and without looking grab it across the seams. (This drill is easy and safe. It can be done indoors, such as while watching TV.) {All Levels} Skill: Getting in Position to Throw {M, M/P}

o Wind-Up vs. Stretch-‘Less is more’. The less extremity movement a pitcher has, the better he will stabilize his ‘Center Of

Gravity’ (COG-waist/bellybutton) and the more balanced his body will be through delivery. (Remember from the Throwing & Catching section, stay North and South/N-S.)

o The ‘stretch’ position is a good starting point to use with pitchers at any time in their development. It limits the amount of ‘moving parts’, versus the wind-up’, that a pitcher may use. This will help maintain balance throughout the pitching motion. (Keep your pitchers going N-S, not east and west.)

o The stretch position begins with the side of the right foot up against the rubber and the left foot parallel to the pitching rubber. (We will do all of our positioning as if our pitcher is right-handed.)

o At this position the pitcher will begin to concentrate on the catcher’s target. Feet should be approximately shoulder-width apart and in a relaxed and comfortable

stance. The ball may be in the throwing hand or glove. We prefer glove.

KEY: Hiding the Ball-This is an important and neglected skill that kids should learn at 12-14. Particularly from the stretch position, many pitching motions are started with the ball in the throwing hand. As pitchers get older and start to throw different pitches, they will tend to change their grip while the ball is still in the throwing hand in full view. Changing grips should be done in the glove, which is why we prefer that pitchers start their motion, whether from the stretch or wind-up, with the ball in their glove. o The next position is called the ‘set’ position.

Extend the left foot 4-12” forward and then back to its original spot, or the ‘set’ position. When doing this, he will have his right hand in the glove on the ball and will raise his hands/glove in the air to a height that is comfortable then return the hands/glove to a point a few inches above the waist. He must coordinate the foot returning close to the original spot with the hands being ‘set’ above the waist. When the hands are ‘set’, make sure they are close or against the body. This will help maintain balance.

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Skill: Starting the Pitching Motion {M, M/P}

The ‘less is more’ theory also applies to starting the pitching motion with respect to balance. Balance could be the most important attribute of the pitching motion. Stay simple, stay balanced.

o From the ‘set’ position, the left leg is lifted. At that moment the hands, arms, and shoulders should come up together at around shoulder height relatively close to the chest. Maintain balance and a center of gravity! If the arms wander the shoulders and body/torso will follow. COG!

o Keep the head stable… eyes should remain parallel with the ground. If the head tilts at all it’s harder to pick up the target. (“Can you shoot free throws with your head tilted left or right?”)

o When the left leg starts its movement forward, the right hand extends straight back with the palm of the hand facing down. Don’t go past the ‘wall’!

What’s the ‘wall’? Stand behind your pitcher when he is in the set position. The body is facing 3B. Imagine a ‘wall’ that extends straight up the pitcher’s back and behind toward 2B.

When the hand and arm are extended back they should not go past that ‘line/wall’ toward first base.

If this happens, the body will start moving forward and the arm can’t catch-up. Control problems are the first result. But more importantly, the arm will absorb most of the strain and as the pitcher gets older, elbow and/or shoulder injuries could develop. (Remember the ‘wall’. We will use it again.)

o The right hand begins to turn away from the pitcher and starts its forward motion with the palm facing the target and the fingers on top of the ball. (Remember the grip; across the seams.)

It’s important that pitchers have a specific target, the catcher’s glove. Get your catchers to show a good target.

Another good focus…imagine a string or ‘laser’ that extends from their fingertips to the target.

Skill: Leg Lift and Striding Toward Home Plate {M, M/P}

o The height the leg is lifted is a matter of preference. Extra movement requires extra energy. However, a bigger ‘controlled’ lift means more power. (Ask Nolan Ryan. It worked for him.) A good starting point…get the thigh parallel with the ground.

o Now, let’s extend our ‘wall’ along the pitcher’s back toward home plate. (Let’s convert the ‘wall’ to a ‘line’ that extends toward home plate.) When the left foot lands it should be on or slightly to the right of our ‘line’. If it lands to the left of the line, another ‘catch-up’ situation could develop. The body gets too far ahead and the arm can’t catch up. The result: poor control and/or injury.

o Keep the lead shoulder ‘closed’ or aimed at the target as long as possible. Aside from keeping the body back and enabling the arm to move forward with the help of the body, it also hides the ball from the hitter longer. The less time the hitter sees the ball, the harder to hit.

o When the strike foot lands it should be on the ball of the foot. Landing on the ball of the foot sustains balance and enables a good finish. The toe should be pointing at home plate as it lands to help maintain balance.

If the heel hits first, you have just pulled the emergency brake. Screeeech! It stops all forward progress and makes it very difficult to finish (aka follow-thru). A simple illustration, try to run as fast as you can on your heels. It just doesn’t work.

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Drill: 10% Drill (See Throwing & Catching) {M, M/P} Drill: Ten Toes {M, M/P}

Proper weight and energy transfer. Turn the opposite shoulder, but don’t go past the ‘wall’ with the throwing arm. Go straight back. (See ‘KEY’ in Throwing & Catching)

Drill: Quick Toss…great for finding a pitcher’s natural ‘arm slot’. (See Throwing & Catching) {M, M/P} Drill: 3-Step- This drill is a great way to improve balance, efficiency, and arm strength. It’s a variation of

‘long toss’. {M, M/P} o Two players are at the appropriate ‘long toss’ distance. (A good starting point is the

baseline length at their specific level of play.) o Each player starts from the ‘set’ position with his left shoulder and hip facing the target.

Hands are together close to the body to maintain a good center of gravity and balance. o Step One: The player extends his left foot with a normal stride. o Step Two: The right foot moves behind the left leg.

At the moment the second step ends and the third step begins the hands break, the throwing arm goes down and straight back (don’t go past the ‘wall’) and the player throws.

o Step Three: The left foot extends to finish. o The ball should not fly any higher than when it leaves the hand. If players cannot reach their

target, that’s OK. They can ‘one-hop’ or bounce it to their partner but keep the ball low. o Ten throws are made at this distance; move them 10 ft. back for another 10 throws; and

eventually extended to 100-110 ft. (The length of throws depend on the level of play. Don’t go too far.)

o Stand tall and balanced. The legs move but the upper body has very little movement. Be still. If not, you will have an unbalanced situation.

o Finish straight ahead. Do not fall left. If so, your pitcher is out of balance. To compensate he may drop the throwing elbow below the shoulder which will cause the ball to sail up and to the right. Try this game: ‘Hit the Hat’ While doing the 3-Step drill, players drop their hats 15-20

ft. in front of where they are standing. Each player tries to hit the hat on the fly. This will keep the ball low.

KEY: 3-Step Drill

Upper body stays quiet/still. No lean or sway. Some players will lean back before the release. This is done to get that little ‘extra’ to make the long throw. What it really does is reinforce an early release, which results in a high throw. That early release will equate to high strikes when he starts to pitch.

Finish straight ahead and balance. Do not fall!

Drill: Knee-to-Knee-This drill is excellent for working on control, balance, and the full pitching motion without placing too much strain on the arm. Pitchers can do this drill the length of the season and should be done between pitching outings. {M, M/P}

o Two pitchers should be approximately ¾ of the pitching distance normally used in their specific age group or league.

o Each pitcher will throw three sets of ten pitches to his partner who will be the catcher. After the first set, the roles switch and the second pitcher throws a set.

o The ‘catcher’ should be down in a catcher’s position or at least on one knee.

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o The ‘catcher’ then gives the pitcher a good ‘face-up’ glove target. This is a target where the glove is as close to perpendicular to the ground as possible. This target should also be between the knees. (Hence the name, ‘Knee to Knee’.)

o The pitcher works from the stretch position and while using his full motion, throws the ball at 75% of normal velocity. Do not throw 100%.

o Again, the things to look for are balance, very little upper body movement, smoothness, arm moving down and straight back and consistent low strikes.

KEY: Knee-to-Knee Drill

o When the arm is extended back, don’t go past the ‘wall’. o Keep front shoulder ‘closed’ as long as possible. o Make sure the strike/landing foot does not land ‘open’ or left of the ‘wall/line’. o Strike/landing foot should land on ball of foot, not heel first.

Skill: The Finish {M, M/P} o Once the pitcher has started his motion forward he accelerates and releases the ball. It is now

time to decelerate, or ‘follow-through’ with balance. When a pitcher fails to follow-through it is usually caused by a flaw in some part of his

delivery up to that point. Look to adjust things that effect balance or body/arm position. One more thing…not following-through is a failure in mechanics that can also be attributed to fatigue.

KEY: Deceleration is when injuries happen. In Tom House’s book, ‘The Pitching Edge’, he states that deceleration is half as long as acceleration. Consider the distance, time, effort, and physical action it takes to pitch a baseball. Now look at the distance, time, effort, and physical action it takes to slow down and stop. That is why we work so hard on correcting those factors that effect acceleration and less on those that effect deceleration.

Skill: Conditioning {M, M/P} Conditioning, or aerobic and anaerobic training, may be the most disliked word in the pitching world. Unfortunately, there is no way around it.

o Players at the lower levels don’t need much conditioning. Only their arms need conditioning. How? Throw, throw, and then throw some more!

o Focus more on the fun aspects of pitching with younger players. Let them throw, pitch (Knee to Knee), and have fun.

o However, a little conditioning cannot hurt the 12, 13, and 14 yr. olds. Normal jogging 3-4 times a week for 10-15 minutes is good, but incredibly boring. Sprints of 30-40 yards in length can help with strength also. Here are some fun and interesting ways to do conditioning.

Drill: The Quarterback Drill or ‘Go Deep’-With this drill you are able to show your hidden Manning, Brady, and Farve-like skills. You can share stories with your kids about your memorable football career. (Whether that would be classified as fiction or non-fiction is up to you.)

o This drill is best suited to do in the outfield. Have your pitchers line up with their glove and a baseball on the right or left field foul line. You will approximately 30-40 yards away toward center field.

o One at a time, a player runs/hard jog to you, tosses you the ball when they are about 10 feet away. o Next, they sprint hard at a slight angle so you can ‘lead’ them with a long touchdown pass like

the great quarterback that you are. (The length of your touchdown passes are completely up to you, your arm strength, and your mood.)

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An important point to remember is that pitchers get more out of this drill if you are able to put the ball slightly out of their reach. They might not tell you directly, but they will appreciate it greatly. If they are complaining but still diving for the balls, you have been successful. (Let them catch a few…but not too many.)

Drill: Around the World-Refer to the base running module. This drill is great for all age groups. A great conditioning tool that will improve base-running skills as well.

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Catching

Like the other positions ‘up the middle’ of the field, such as shortstop, second base, and centerfield, your catcher will usually will be one of your better athletes. You are looking for someone who has some of the following characteristics: quick feet, a strong arm and a quick release of the ball, soft yet strong hands, and someone who has no fear of the baseball. Now that you all have a little league version of Yogi Berra, Johnny Bench, Yadier Molina or Buster Posey, let’s continue. Your catcher can be a role model for your team. Having a good catcher can be the main building block for having a solid team. As far as knowledge of the game is concerned, your catcher should be one of your smartest players. Get your catchers to be aware of as much as they can. Give them 'friendly reminders' during the game. As they get to the higher levels, catchers will be expected to know everything that is going on during the game. Like pitchers, they need to be cultivated and singled-out for their bravery, brains, and hard work. It’s not an easy job and they should be appreciated. More than any other fielder, a catcher can have an enormous effect on a game. Skill: The Stance {All Levels}

o Receiving Stance with No Runners on Base Stay low. Give both the pitcher and the umpire a good look at the strike zone. Relaxed and ready. Weight on the insides of feet, knees slightly rolled in and the

back straight. “How close to the hitter should he be?” Barely reach the back elbow of the hitter

with the glove. Too far from hitter…balls are received low and look low to the umpire. Too close…catcher’s interference.

Throwing hand, behind the back in a relaxed fist. Look out for foul balls. o Receiving Stance with Runners on Base-With runners on base…more aggressive, especially

if the runner(s) are a threat to steal. Elevate tail and flatten back; puts catcher in a better position to throw and block the

ball in the dirt. Stagger the feet. Left foot slightly out in front. Better for balance and a head start in

getting in position to throw. Throwing hand should be in a fist behind their glove to protect against foul balls.

Enables a quicker glove to hand exchange.

Skill: Receiving the Ball {M M/P} o Catch the ball from a position of strength. Try to catch the ball with the glove inside the left

elbow. o Beat the ball to the spot. ‘Absorb’ the ball don’t grab it. Extra concentration is necessary.

Similar to ‘quick toss’, anticipate location of pitch. o Framing-A quick and effortless movement of the glove/ball back into the strike zone. Upper

levels only. (This requires some strength that only upper level players will have.)

Drill: Soft-Toss Catch-Without a glove, have the catcher take his receiving stance. Get as many baseballs as possible and from about 6-8’ away give your catcher repeated backhand tosses. Receive them softly with his glove hand and his elbow slightly bent. Do sets of 10 at a time. (Major leaguers do 100-150 per day at spring training.)

Drill: Batting Practice-Have the catcher catch BP. They can work on fundamentals through multiple reps in

a short period of time.

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Skill: Blocking the Baseball {M M/P} o Drop to the knees as quickly as possible. Replace your feet with your knees. o Keep the shoulders square to the spot where they believe the ball will hit. o Tuck chin into their chest. o Keep eyes forward; do not lose sight of the ball. o Cup the shoulders forward so the ball bounces off the body and remains in front. o Position the glove with the fingers pointing down with the back of the hand against the

crotch. Block the ‘5 hole’.

KEY: The goal of blocking the ball is to have the ball hit square in the chest and drop straight down in front of the catcher. It should be stressed that every ball in the dirt should be blocked, and not necessarily caught.

Drill: Block Everything! - Catcher is in the receiving stance. From 20-25 ft. away, throw balls that will bounce off the catcher’s chest protector. Start with tennis balls or soft baseballs. {M, M/P}

Skill: Find It. Get Ready to Throw-After blocking the ball, the catcher should find it quickly and get in position to throw. {M, M/P}

o Get around and over ball, then in position to ‘rake’ with two hands. Scoop it up. o Go after the baseball with two hands. Never glove hand only. Two hands enables catcher to

turn the body and get in position to throw. o Find the ball…then the runners. Remember, it’s very difficult to throw out a runner without

the ball.

Drill: Halfway Toss and Block-Stand midway between home and the mound and throw baseballs in the dirt. The catcher should block, retrieve, and get in position to throw. Also, work on ‘raking’ the ball into the glove. {M, M/P}

Drill: Up Down Up-Set four baseballs in front of home plate approximately 4-6 feet apart. From the

receiving stance, the catcher moves to the first ball, ‘rake’ the ball and get in the throwing position, then throw the ball to a base. Repeat this with the remaining three balls. {M, M/P}

Drill: Find The Ball/Backstop Zones-When runners are on base, a ball can get by a catcher and he will

lose sight of it. It may take a strange bounce and he will not be able to locate it. Create three ‘zones’ behind the plate starting with the first zone being near the first base line. The center zone is number 2 and the third base side is zone 3. When your catcher cannot find the ball, communicate what zone the ball is located. If the ball is at his feet, yell “Feet!” (There’s some rocket science for you.) {M, M/P}

Skill: Throwing Footwork {M M/P} Maximize your catcher’s ability by coordinating their glove work with footwork. (Move Your Feet!) A good transfer of the ball from glove to throwing hand will greatly enhance the ability to make a quick release.

o Good footwork starts with a good base. Left foot slightly ahead of the right. Allows the catcher to use the jump pivot/step.

o Jump Pivot/Step-Shift the feet from pointing at 2B to pointing at 1B or the right field line. Like rotating on a pole.

o Stay low coming out of the crouch. Don’t stand up. Keeping low will help stay on ’top’ of the baseball. (Hand on top and behind baseball; elbow above shoulder. If the elbow drops below the shoulder, the ball could end up in center field.)

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Drill: Quick Release Drill-Have the catcher toss the ball 2-3 feet in the air. Catch it with two hands and bring it to the throwing position and make the throw. (Grip ball across the seams.) {M, M/P}

Drill: Foul Line Drill-Have two catchers line up on the foul line 30-40 feet apart with the foul-line running

between their legs. After getting in the receiving stance, one catcher will receive the ball and throw out an imaginary runner. Switch the roles to get enough reps. {M, M/P}

Skill: Fielding the Position {M, M/P} KEY: The catcher’s responsibilities for fielding the position are greater than any other position on the field. At the higher levels of play they include calling out fielding responsibilities before play begins, controlling specific defensive signals, bunting and stealing situations, and defensive positioning of other fielders.

The fielding situations we will emphasize are bunt plays and plays at home plate. Let us reiterate the importance of encouraging our catchers and instilling them with a 'sense of urgency' (SOU). The rest of your team will follow the catcher's lead. Again, this is a tough position for a tough player. Let them know they are exactly that and make your players aware of your catcher's progress and value.

Skill: Bunt Plays {M, M/P}

On bunt plays, here are some factors the catcher must consider; speed of runners, speed of hitter, game situation, i.e.; is the score tied, down a run, up a run, etc. What a catcher should do:

o Be willing to take charge. o Make every effort to field all bunted balls. They have the best view; it’s all

happening in front of them. o If the ball is bunted towards first base or the middle of the field, take a direct line to

the ball and ‘rake’ the ball in with both hands o Quickly set the feet toward their target. Stay low and deliver a strong and accurate

throw to the base. o If the baseball is bunted toward the third base side there are two methods of

footwork. Stay inside the ball, opposite the foul line, step over the ball, rake the ball in

and spin the body to locate where you will throw the ball. Plant the feet and throw.

‘Round’ the baseball, staying outside the ball, rake it in, and then set your feet and throw. This forces the catcher to get his feet and body in position to throw.

Skill: Plays at the Plate {M/P} Plays at the plate can be the most exciting in baseball and the most frustrating for your catcher. The catcher must depend on his teammates to get the ball to home plate on time. All the while, he/she must worry about someone running at them at full speed.

o Keep the mask on at all times. Let them get used to keeping it on. It’s for safety and confidence issues.

o Try to position the left foot at the left front corner of home plate. This will not interfere with the runners right to the plate if the throw is not on time.

o It will enable him/her to block the plate and apply a tag if the throw is on time. o The hard part is…

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Trying to keep your eyes on the ball and catch it; then look to find the runner and apply the tag. The tendency is to split their attention resulting in dropping the ball or missing it altogether.

Stress watching the ball into the glove with two hands and applying a good firm tag to the runner.

Low athletic stance. ■ After making the tag, get up and find the other runners on base.

Skill: Fielding Pop-Ups {M, M/P}

o The catcher takes charge on all pop-ups in the infield. o Consider them automatic outs, not crisis situations. o Direct traffic and call out the play. o Pop-Ups behind home plate.

Right handed hitter, ball usually to catcher’s right. Left handed hitters, ball usually to catcher’s left. As the ball is in the air, catcher should turn in the predominant direction. Take off the mask, but hold on to it until the ball is found. Once the ball is found, throw the mask the other way. Balls behind home plate will have a tendency to come back towards home plate. Balls in front of the plate will have a tendency to come back towards the plate. Get squarely under the ball and catch it above the head with two hands.

o Always use two hands. The one-hand catch is for do-or-die diving plays only.

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Hitting

It has been said that the one of the most difficult athletic skills to learn is hitting a pitched baseball. Ted Williams said, “Hitting a baseball is the single most difficult thing to do in sport.” He may right. After all, the people who do it the best are only successful 30% of the time.

Hitting is very difficult and there are many ways to teach it. Along with difficult, it can get very complicated. Below are skills and drills that have worked for us in the past. Some of them may be a bit technical but we have tried to break the fundamentals down into ‘positions’ to make it easier to teach, learn, and evaluate or troubleshoot. Most importantly, good mechanics develop through good repetitions.

Skill: ONE Position-The Stance {All Levels} o Start with a good base. Feet are shoulder-width apart or wider. o Keep back foot straight or angled forward slightly. o “ON YOUR TOES” Weight on front half of feet, not back on your heels. o Hands are relaxed with a comfortable grip. The bat should be held in your fingers, not

in the palm of the hand. o Front elbow relaxed o Back elbow up but not above shoulder and relaxed o Two eyes on pitcher, soft focus on the pitcher head.

Skill: TWO Position-Getting Backside Loaded {All Levels} o Get weight back early by using slight shoulder tuck. o 75 to 80% of weight should be on backside as pitcher is winding up with remaining

weight on front side on toe/ball of front foot. ♦ We are trying to create a balanced swing attack through proper weight transfer, back to

front. ♦ We generate bat speed by using bottom half of body, a key to hitting the

ball hard. o Weight then starts to transfer forward to a 60/40 position. o Hard focus on pitcher’s release point.

Drill: Wall Drill-Take your stance about 8-12” away but facing the wall making sure the back foot is turned slightly forward. Put your hands against the wall about shoulder height. With your hands against the wall, get your weight back then take a stride with your front foot and rotate your hips open. {M, M/P}

Drill: Pre-Load Drill-This drill is done off a tee and then using ‘soft toss’. Player takes stance then holds

the proper ‘load’. Player then swings with the emphasis on loading to attack baseball. {M, M/P}

Skill: The THREE Position-Swing Attack {M, M/P} o Fine focus, pick-up the pitcher’s release point. It helps eliminate distractions such as a pitcher

with an unusual wind-up. (Imagine a small box around pitcher’s hand at release point.) o Short and straight to the point of contact. Lead the bat with your hands. o Keep your hands inside the baseball. No long looping swing. o Keep bat head above the hands as you begin your attack and swing slightly up toward ball. o As you gain ground thru the swing back elbow stays close to back hip, then extend

hands and release barrel. o Chin should finish on back shoulder.

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Drill: Pick a Number-This drill addresses recognizing a pitcher’s ‘release point’. {M, M/P} o Break the team up into two lines. o Two coaches, one at each line, will be 12-15 feet from the first hitter in line. o The hitter takes his/her stance. o Wind-up, as your hand comes to its ‘release point’ show 1, 2, 3, or 4 fingers. o Hitters must recognize the number of fingers shown. Make sure you do it slow enough so

they can recognize the fingers, but not too slow.

Drill: Soft Toss {M, M/P} o Kneel or sit on a slight angle in front of the hitter against a fence or backstop. o Make a level underhand toss to the hitting zone. Give the hitter a signal or trigger to get

backside loaded, the two position, then make the toss about thigh high.

Drill: Pepper {M M/P} Pepper is a great tool for hitters to work on recognizing a release point. Pepper is played with one batter with 3-4 fielders about 12-15’ away from the hitter. A fielder tosses the ball and the hitter hits soft to medium ground balls. The hitter should work on taking a short easy swing, looking to make good contact with the ball and hit it on the ground.

Drill: Bat Behind the Back-This drill is good for developing lower body skills. {M, M/P}

o A hitter gets in his/her stance with a bat behind their back and inside of their elbows. Have them swing at an imaginary pitch being thrown. This reinforces throwing the hips into the swing and squashing the bug.

Skill: Mental Approach {M/P}

o Look for fastballs with less than two strikes. o Make adjustments for other pitches when down in the count. o Be aggressive and look for your pitch. o Think before you get there. Observe and ask questions. o Be confident and positive no matter what the count.

Skill: Bunting {M, M/P} o Move up in the batter’s box. This creates a better angle to keep the bunt in fair territory. o Proper footwork-Pivot on the balls of the feet while slightly opening up the front shoulder. o Get the hands away from the body. o Be relaxed. Catch the ball with the bat. o Do not wrap the top hand around the barrel of the bat. Hold it with your thumb and

hand behind the bat. o Guide the ball with the bottom hand.

Drill: Helmet Drill {M, M/P}

o Place two helmets approximately 15 ft. down each baseline and three feet inside the foul line. o Using live pitching, make the bunters execute a bunt between the helmets and the foul lines. o Make a game of it; OF’s vs. IF’s.

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Practice Planning & Game Preparation

Practice planning will be the foundation of your team and the vehicle used to establish how your players react to you as a coach. You will also create the pattern for how your team interacts with themselves, assistant coaches, opponents, and umpires. It will depend on your organization, consistency, and your ability to put every one of your players in the best possible position to succeed. (Now that you have done all that, you have to figure out how to have a whole lot of fun at the same time.) The ‘Game Preparation’ portion of this section has to do with being able to evaluate your players so they have the best chance to succeed and have fun. Note: You will notice that there are no ‘levels of play’ or ‘skills and drills’ designated in this section. The items discussed in this section apply to any level and don’t fit well into the skills and drills categories.

The Basics o Have a plan and put it on paper. Have plan B ready. Be prepared. o Let the players know what is going to be covered. Keep them involved. o Keep it short and sweet. No practice should be more than 90 minutes…max! (Even shorter for the

younger kids.) If you can’t cover everything you want to cover in 90 minutes then you had too much planned or you didn’t allocate your time correctly. (I can’t focus for much more than 90 minutes. Why should we expect a kid to do it?)

o Do every drill in a game-like atmosphere. Create a ‘Sense Of Urgency’. (SOU) o Get help! Don’t do this by yourself. Plead, beg, or bribe other parents/coaches for help. o Keep everyone doing something. Split up into groups. Idle hands breed bad habits. (Less BP.)

How to Start o Do it the same way every day. Get a routine going; jog, stretch, throw… o Spice it up, add competition, and create a SOU. o Give rewards for getting better or for ‘winners’ of the drills. Nothing special, something like losers

do 5 push-ups or take a lap.

Early Season o Focus on playing catch. Use drills and competition to make it fun and create that SOU. o 3-5 minutes for each throwing segment. Make corrections and move on. o Basic infield and outfield drills. Again, use competitions to make it fun and create SOU.

In Season o Go over specific situations from the previous game. Recreate those situations. o Run your drills with game-like urgency. SOU

■ Have coaches hit or throw the ball; keep everyone busy by rotating players from the field to the bases.

■ SOU and hustle everywhere! Teach them how to hustle, they probably don’t know how. Remember, it’s a game of repetitions.

Managing the Team/Respect o Respect for the game. o Respect for coaches and teammates. o Respect for umpires and opponents. o Golden Rule

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Keep It Basic. o Throw strikes, throw the ball, catch the ball…it works.

■ Bunting-Practice it and use it. It helps hitters see the ball and puts pressure on opposing teams.

■ Limit Batting Practice. Do hitting drills and hit in the cage. No BP on the field!!!! A waste of time and space.

Game Preparation o Put the effort and time into preparing for the game. Have an idea of who should play where, where

players should hit in the line-up, who will pitch, etc… o ‘Do the Math’ – aka “Who do I play where?”

■ Be strong up the middle. 4-5 of your best players should be up the middle; SS, 2B, P, C, and CF.

■ That leaves 7-8 players for the remaining positions; LF, RF, 1B, and 3B. If you split each game in half at these positions everyone plays at least half the game.

KEY: Does this mean that Johnny, who is not one of your top five, doesn’t get a chance to be an all-star

shortstop? No! You have a full season! It should not be difficult to work these players in. Every player deserves a chance. Make sure Johnny gets a chance to practice that new position before you put him there in a game. It’s your responsibility to put Johnny in a position to succeed. Besides, you never know what you might find.

o Please, please, please, don’t position kids as if your picking names out of a ‘brown bag’. This

game is difficult enough that we shouldn’t put kids in places where they have not practiced and have little chance to succeed. It’s not fair to the kids. If a player wants to play shortstop, great! Work with him in practice and get him ready.

Expectations o Set goals for you and your players. Not wins and losses, but skills and drills. o Be consistent. o Not all expectations have to be baseball-related. It’s never too early to start having your kids take

responsibility for equipment, clean dugouts, uniforms, etc. o SOU! o Rules…keep it to a minimum. Less is more. How about…

■ Do the right thing. ■ Be on time.

KEY: Be focused and play hard. If every player is focused on the fundamental aspects of his game and

makes his best effort possible, that’s all we, as coaches, can expect. Everything else, including results, will take care of themselves.

Be Fair and Firm o Praise them publicly and admonish them privately. o Make the connection with the goal you have established. Be realistic but push them and yourself

to be better. o You need every player on your team. Stress that everyone is crucial to your team’s success. o Put your players in a position to succeed.

■ Who should play where? Average, good, better, and best. ■ Be strong up the middle.

o Practice days are for you; game days are for the kids.

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■ Don’t micro manage the game. Learn from it and work on improving their fundamentals during the next practice. Keep a small ‘pocket’ notebook during games for notes.

Fun! What a Concept! o Practice…keep it fun and keep it moving! SOU! o Some portion of every practice should be dedicated to unmitigated fun. It doesn’t always have to

be about baseball. (The ‘Baseball Olympics’ work also.)

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Reference

Coaching Baseball Successfully, Andy Lopez Baseball Skills & Drills, American Baseball Coaches Assoc. The Baseball Coaching Bible, American Baseball Coaches Assoc. Baseball Strategies, American Baseball Coaches Assoc. Offensive Baseball Skills, Rod Delmonico The Pitching Edge, 1st Edition, Tom House The Pitching Edge, 2nd Edition, Tom House Fit to Pitch, Tom House Coaching Pitchers, Joe ‘Spanky’ McFarland

Equipment Websites

Directsports.com Tomark.com Baseballexpress.com Baseballwarehouse.com Masa.com Sportskids.com (folding tee)

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