Fundamentals: All Players

Transcription

1 Fundamentals: All Players When preparing to receive a throw (any player), players should present a target with two hands in front of the body. Catching the ball in front of the body allows the eyes to follow it all the way into the glove. The glove is pointed so the fingers point up to catch throws. Bend knees for lower throws or turn fingers down if throw is too low. Ready Position- is nothing more than an athletic position, with the knees slightly bent, the weight on the balls of the feet, hands out in front, and the feet shoulderwidth apart. PREP Steps- All fielders should use prep steps (take a step with right and left foot forward) as the pitch is approaching home plate. Catching Line drives- Teach your players to try to catch line drives above the waist, if possible, and always with two hands out in front of the body so that the eyes can see the ball and the glove at the same time. Sometimes on line drives that are not hit directly at the fielder, he or she may have to make a one-handed play. Balls above the waist should be caught out in front of the body with the fingers pointing up, while balls below the waist should be caught with the fingers pointing down. Where to aim on a throw- The throw for a tag play should arrive at belt level. Many times coaches say that the perfect throw arrives right on the bag, but it is actually much harder to catch a throw at that level with a runner bearing down on you than it is to handle a ball that is waist high and drop a tag straight down. The throw for a force play should arrive at chest level. The throw for a cutoff play should arrive at head level. Hitting Hitting Drills- To increase the velocity at which batters get the center of mass of their bat toward pitched baseballs, batters need to swing striking implements with which they do not have downward stress, such as broomsticks for younger players and shovel handles for older players. This is the Underload principal and one arm swings develop bat speed. The farther the hands grip the bat from the center of mass of the bat, the greater the downward force they have to overcome. Want hands closer to center of bat mass. To do the rear arm only and front arm only drills, have batters grip the striking implement the length of their rear arm forearm above the knob end of the striking implement. To do the both arms drill, have batters start with grips that are half-way between the knob and the length of their rear arm forearm above the knob. With the both arms drill, also have batters grip the striking implement with no less than one-half inch between their hands. Front arm only drill- the front arm must come to a complete stop and the swinging implement continues forward to contact the ball. As a result, the striking implement should contact the ball after the front arm stops moving forward, not when the front arm is moving forward. You do not want to drop the

2 center of mass of the hitting implement to below the front hand. To do the Front Arm Only drill, have batters place a head band around the wrist of the front arm, twist it once and hold the other loop with the rear hand. The purpose of the head band is to apply backward force with the rear arm that locks the position of the front arm with the position of the torso. Batters need to keep the upper arm of the front arm vertically close to the side of their Rib Cage. To start accelerating the bat, batters should explosively rotate their acromial line to perpendicular to the direction at which the location of the pitched baseball requires. For outside pitches, the acromial line should be perpendicular to the hole between the infielders on the opposite side of the infield (do this before driving rear arm straight forward). For middle pitches, the acromial line should be perpendicular to the pitcher (do this before driving rear arm straight forward). For inside pitches, the acromial line should be perpendicular to the hole between the infielders on the pull side of the infield (do this before driving rear arm straight forward). Once the acromial line is appropriately perpendicular, batters should powerfully punch the center of mass of the bat horizontally straight toward the pitched baseball and the front arm stop the forward movement of the handle of the bat. The velocity of the rotation of the acromial line determines the velocity of the center of mass of the bat before the rear arm applies straight force to the center of mass of the bat and the front arm stops the forward movement of the handle of the bat. Hitting Tips- The center of mass of the striking implement must move absolutely horizontally through and after the striking zone. The challenge is to smoothly move the center of mass of the striking implement from the slightly above the shoulder height at which it starts to the anticipated height of the pitched ball. At no time should the center of mass of the striking implement move below the center of mass of the pitched ball. To do this, batters must use their rear arm to control the pathway of the center of mass of the baseball bat. When batters use their front arm to control the center of mass of the baseball bat, the inertial mass of the bat moves the center of mass of the baseball bat below the level of pitched baseballs. Don t use front arm to control the bat. The rear arm completely controls the center of mass of the baseball bat. Until the bat enters the contact zone, other than preventing the inertial mass of the baseball bat from pinning the front forearm against the body, the front arm does not apply any force that accelerates the baseball bat. After body rotation initiates the forward movement of the bat, the rear arm horizontally punches the center of mass of the baseball bat through the pitched baseball. When the bat enters the contact zone, the front arm stops the acceleration of the handle of the baseball bat. To firmly hold the bat, as the body rotates forward, the front upper arm lays vertically against the body and the front forearm remains perpendicular to the acromial line of the shoulders. From the start of the baseball swing through contact with the pitched baseball the position of the front arm remains the same (keep it tightly bent). After the bat contacts the pitched baseball, want batters to take their front hand off the bat (only the rear arm decelerates the bat). When the bat enters the contact zone, the rear arm drives the bat forward and the front arm stops the forward movement of the handle of the bat. These parallel and

3 oppositely-directed forces on both sides of the fulcrum between them add together to maximally accelerate the baseball bat through contact. This action is Forcecoupling. This technique gives batters over double the driveline length of 'traditional' baseball batters. When batters move the center of mass of their baseball bat at upward angles, they have to have had the center of mass of their baseball bat below the height of the pitched baseball; this leads to popups. Batters should never have the center of mass of their baseball bats below the height of the pitched baseball. If batters do rotate forward with their front foot, then batters are able to forwardly rotate their hips, shoulders and rear upper arm over their front foot. Therefore, at contact, batters can drive their rear arm down their acromial line (longer driveline). The difference between driving the rear arm down the acromial line versus driving the rear arm perpendicular to the acromial line is the length of the straight driveline (if drive perpendicular, then have a shorter driveline). The only active movement of the front arm is to apply the oppositely directed force to the handle of the bat just before the center of mass of the bat collides with the center of mass of the pitched baseball. First, the forward rotation of the entire rear arm side of the body overcomes the inertia of the baseball bat. Second, when the acromial line (shoulders) is perpendicular to where batters should hit the pitched baseball, with their rear arm, batters drive the center of mass of the bat in straight lines toward the pitched baseball. Third, just before the center of mass of the baseball bat collides with the center of mass of the baseball, with their front arm, batters should suddenly stop the forward movement of the handle of the bat. Fourth, immediately after colliding or not with the pitched ball, with their front arm, batters should release the handle of the bat and only use the rear arm to decelerate the center of mass of the bat. Hitting Objectives- Want batters to hit low line drives that skip off the infield dirt behind the base lines (between 1 st and 2 nd and 2 nd and 3 rd ) into the outfield grass. Do not want batters to hit pop-ups, fly balls or line drives that do not skip off the infield dirt behind the base lines into the outfield grass. Hitting Grip, Positioning in box, Stance, and Approach- Grip should start loose, but rotate to box grip with bat still in fingers, not in the palms- line up ring fingers. When batters pull back with their front arm and drive straight toward the pitched baseball with their rear arm, batters have the palm of their front arm facing downward and the palm of their rear arm facing upward. The proximal phalanges (big knuckels or base of knuckles) of both hands to line up pointing in opposite directions. To stop the handle of the baseball bat with the front arm, batters have to pull their front arm forearm straight backward. Batters have to have the proximal phalanges of their hands pointing in opposite directions perpendicular to the driveline of the bat. Back elbow should be down. Position in the box should be a little off the plate to increase chances of hitting balls to opposite field and/or up the middle OR set up to your strength (meaning that if you like to pull the ball, then set up close to the plate) OR set up to manage your weakness (meaning that if you don t like the outside pitch then again you would set up closer to the plate). To maximally rotate the body, batters have to keep their arms and legs as close to the body's vertical axis of rotation as

4 possible. This means that the knees have to be close together. Don t have too wide of a base. Have feet about shoulder width apart in the stance and weight on balls of the feet (equally distributed). The feet of the batter should be just wide enough that a push off the rear foot easily moves the center of mass of the body forward without the center of mass moving downward. Have front foot slightly open (like pointing between mound and 1st base for right handed hitter); helps turn on inside pitch. In the stance, batters should stand erect (directly upward) and point their acromial line (shoulders) 45 degrees open to the pitcher s throwing arm (so open shoulders a little). To prepare to swing the bat, batters should point their acromial line at the pitchers (line up shoulders with pitcher) as the pitcher takes ball out of his/her glove. In their stance and reverse rotation preparation phase, the batter s bat should lay horizontally barely above their shoulders at a right angle to their acromial line; batters should be able to touch their rear arm side earlobe with the thumb of their rear hand. In their stance and preparation phase, batters should have weight on balls of feet and be prepared to move their body. When about ready to swing (pitcher starting his/her delivery), the batter should have a little of their weight on the toes of their front foot as though they are about to step forward (and be ready to push backwards); this is a timing mechanism (keep most of weight on back foot toes). Then, when baseball pitchers release their pitches, batters push off their rear foot and walk forward through contact; rear foot does not leave the ground until after contact with the ball. At contact, front foot has full contact with the ground and rear foot has heel off the ground). After contact, both feet move forward through contact. Therefore, after contact, the heels of both feet come off the ground. This means that the batter moves their head forward through contact (a little). By moving forward through contact, batters lengthen their driveline through the pitched baseball. No Forward Stride- Not striding forward with the front foot eliminates the extra step of having to time when the front foot lands with the arrival of the ball into the contact zone (easier to make contact this way). By not having a stride (instead, just going up on front toes as preparing to swing), it also increases the straight driveline through contact. By rotating the entire rear arm side of the body forward through contact, batters are able to drive their rear arm significantly farther forward. Hitting the outside pitch- The outside pitch contact point is at an angle that is 40 degrees further back (further from the pitcher) than the contact point for a pitch right down the middle; contact point for pitch right down the middle is from a straight line from where your front foot is. To hit the outside pitch, you do need to move your body towards the outside corner by stepping towards the plate with your front leg (your rear leg continues to moves the body forward); front foot appropriately laterally relocates the center of mass of the vertically upright body (hips, torso, and head). Batters need to always keep their hips under their torso and head. When stepping towards plate with your front leg on an outside pitch, land on the toes. Body Rotation- To maximally rotate the body, batters have to have their torso (shoulders down to toes) vertical. The batter must ALWAYS try to keep his/her

5 hips directly under the head and torso. With their torso vertical, the bat is horizontal. Ideally, will have no back shoulder dip (drop right shoulder down for right handed hitter); keep this drop to no drop or as little drop as possible. The height of the pitched baseball that does not require baseball batters to make any vertical adjustment in the height of the center of mass of the baseball bat is the height at which baseball batters hold the baseball bat before they start to rotate their body. Therefore, batters with this technique prefer pitched baseballs at the height of the center of mass of the bat before batters start to rotate their body. The farther away from the height of the center of mass of the bat before batters start to rotate their body, the greater the adjustment the batter have to make. Therefore, batters with this technique prefer to receive pitched baseballs that cross home plate above waist high. If forced to swing at pitched baseballs that cross home plate below waist high, then batters should try to hit baseballs such that it hits the ground before they reach the infielders. To move the center of mass of the bat closer to the height of low pitches, to always keep their torso vertical, batters should bend their legs and lower their hands. If pitched baseballs cross home plate at close to the height of the center of mass of the baseball bat before batters start to rotate their body, then the handle of the bat should be below the height of the pitched baseball. If pitched baseballs cross home plate at the height of the batters waist, then the handle of the baseball bat should be at the height of the pitched baseball. If pitched baseballs cross home plate at the height of the batters knees, then the handle of the bat should be above the height of the pitched baseball. If a pitched baseball is inside, then need to hit the ball out in front of your front foot. If pitched baseball is outside, then need to move body toward the outside and keep the same baseball swing. Leg and knee action- the rear leg drives the center of mass of the body forward through contact. The front leg acts as a pivot point around which the body rotates. When batters lock out their front arm side leg, they stop the forward movement of the center of mass of their body. To accelerate the bat through contact, batters have to continue to move the center of mass of their body forward through contact. Batters should rotate the entire rear arm side of their body forward through contact. To do this, batters drive their rear arm side knee straight toward the pitched baseball. To move the center of mass of the body horizontally forward through contact, batters have to rotate their body over their front foot and apply force straight backwardly with their rear foot. Finding bat s Center of Mass- In general, baseball bats with slender handles and big barrels have their center of mass farther down the bat and baseball bats with thick handles and slender barrels have their center of mass closer to the knob. Use the find-the-center-of-mass-of-baseball-bats technique and wrap a one-half inch piece of athletic tape around the bat at its center of mass. The center of mass of the baseball bat is that location of the bat where equal amounts of the bat are on both sides of the center of mass. Lay people call the center of mass of the bat, the sweet spot. When pitched baseballs contact the center of mass of the bat, the bat does not vibrate. To find the center of mass of a baseball bat, batters need to hold baseball bats vertical with the fingers and thumb gently holding the knob and, with the other hand, tap the bat along its length until the bat

6 does not vibrate (lean bat against body and have barrel near ear). You can also find the center of mass by holding one bat horizontally and tapping it with another bat; the bat you are using to tap the horizontal bat will bound a little higher and make a slightly different sound when bouncing it on the center of mass. The actual center of mass is about the size of a finger. We will put a piece of masking tape on the center of mass to help us during practices to hit the ball on the optimal part of the bat (need to remove tape for games). Could put colored marker on tape and then look at baseball after you hit it during soft toss, tee work, or pitched ball to see if ball has any of the color on it (showing you made contact with that ball on the sweet spot. For aluminum bats, the center of mass of bats is a plane (flat, level surface) and for wood bats it is a molecule (smallest unit of physical unit of an element or compound- simplest unit). To have the center of mass of the bat consistently collide with pitched baseballs, batters have to have the pathway of the center of mass of the baseball bat horizontal through the contact zone. Most importantly, on its way to the contact zone, the pathway of the center of mass of the baseball bat must never move below the level of pitched baseballs. Some general hitting advise/tips- Error- A hitter doesn t get his or her hips into the swing properly. Tell the hitter to open the front toes a little bit more, pointing it slightly toward the pitcher and to possibly open the stance a bit. The back toes also can be turned slightly toward the pitcher to keep the hips from getting locked up. If a batter is swinging over top of the ball, ask him or her to try to hit the bottom half of the ball during drills and vice versa for a hitter who consistently swings below the pitch. Break swing into different components when working on things in practice. Work on hitting pitches at shoulder height before mastering hitting pitches below shoulder height. Batters using Marshall s technique do not swing at pitches below the middle of their upper leg (unless have 2 strikes or have a hit and run on). Work on weight shift (go back to go forward- small shift back keeping hands near back shoulder). Do soft toss just focusing on the proper grip (start loose, but rotate to box grip with bat still in fingers, not in the palms- line up ring fingers). To teach players to keep their front shoulder in, do front toss (toss from 10 feet away with firm underhand tosses towards outside part of plate). Punch the ball with your rear arm in a straight line (don t drop your shoulder or have a long looping swing). At ball contact, your rear arm palm should be faced up and front arm palm should be faced down (don t roll wrists too early). At contact, shoulders should be aligned perpendicular to where the batter drives the center of mass of the bat. Initiate the bat s forward movement with the rear foot and then actively horizontally punch the ball with your rear arm so the center of bat mass goes through the baseball and your shoulders should be perpendicular to bat s center of mass at ball contact. Keep head as still as possible and always keep eyes on the ball. Hit your favorite pitch with 0 strikes, hit any strike with 1 strike, hit anything that could be called a strike with 2 strikes. Be ready to adjust if needed during a game; like if the umpire has a really big zone, then swing at that pitch if you have 2 strikes. Study the pitcher (pick up release point) when waiting to bat and time him. Let the outside pitch travel. Realize that curve ball is going to break down and away (so if pitch coming in at knees, then it will break

7 for a ball). If trying to get out of way of a wild/inside pitch- bring your bat down, tuck your chin, and curl your body in towards the plate and end up so you look away from the pitcher. Marhsall teaches his batters to not hit inside pitches. Instead, he prefers batters stand far enough away from home plate to make inside pitches middle pitches, make middle pitches outside pitches, and move the body to keep outside pitches outside pitches. We will not go to that extreme. We will recommend a hitter set up to their current strengths (meaning if they like to pull the ball, then set up close to the plate); a crafty pitcher could pick up on that however and pitch to their weakness (meaning pitch that same batter away from the plate). Or, we will recommend a hitter stand slightly off the plate if they hit to all fields (this will increase odds to hit up the middle and to the opposite way. Bunting Bunting tips- Pivot on both feet to provide full vision and bend the knees slightly (turn body to forty-five degrees toward the pitcher). Get bat out over center of plate and into fair territory. Place feet shoulder-width apart with weight more on front foot. Don't "square" around toward the pitcher; this makes it difficult to get out of the way of an inside pitch. Slide top hand up to a point just below the label (bring bottom hand up on bat some too for better bat control). Hold bat in top hand between thumb and index finger to protect fingers. Hold bat at top of strike zone in front of home plate. This gives the hitter a better angle to keep the ball fair. Bend knees for low pitches; do not drop the barrel of the bat below the hands. Position bat head above the hands at pivot and when making contact. Don t let bat s center of mass drop below the ball. Let the ball hit the bat; don't stab at the ball, but try to "catch" it with the bat head. Use the bottom hand to guide the bat and push the ball in the desired direction. Don't worry about showing too early in a sacrifice situation; put sacrifice bunts down first base side as it is easier to bunt that way (for right handed batter). Follow same basic fundamentals when bunting for a hit, but show bunt later. Throwing Learning 4 seam grip (all players)- Players should grip the ball in the throwing hand using a four-seam grip with the index and middle fingers next to the horseshoe (have middle finger closer to the horseshoe loop) and across the four seams (the index finger is the shorter finger and the way the seam drops down at this point allows both fingers to contact it). You space slightly apart with the place thumb under the ball and use ring finger (along with little finger) as a support platform. The ball is gripped lightly in the fingers, not in the palm, as if holding an egg. The fingers should be fairly close together, as the wider apart they are the less velocity is generated by the throw.

8 Successful throwing- pendulum swing throwing arm straight back (palm under the baseball), palm facing away from your head as swinging throwing arm back (like towards 3rd base if on the pitching rubber), have slight bend in throwing elbow with a long arm swing, glove foot should land (land on heel) at the same time that the baseball reaches its highest point on the swing back, glove arm thumb is point down towards the ground and glove and throwing shoulder are pointing directly at your target, IMMEDIATELY (as soon as your glove foot touches the ground) bring your upper arm (shoulder to elbow) close to vertical (and to your head) as you lay your throwing forearm back horizontally to the ground (focus on keeping the baseball/hand back like you are passing it to someone) and tilt your head back a little and keep hips under your head and head over rubber when take same step forward with your glove foot (then have a forward vertical lean with the same angle of the mound as rotating body forward over the glove foot), use your glove arm as the key for your explosive acceleration, you pull your glove arm into your glove shoulder while pointing glove thumb from down to up, you stand tall and rotate over your glove foot (hips and throwing arm move forward at same time), and release the baseball (release the baseball when your pitching upper leg is pointing vertically downward and just in front of your glove upper leg AND arch your upper back at release) with a straight driveline and pronate (point throwing thumb down and palm away from head) at release (stick the target). Your throwing foot should land in front of your glove foot (after release). Only your throwing side of body is exposed to a hit baseball after release (practice getting used to this fielding position); less of your body is at risk to getting hit by ball This technique is safest and best for your arm. It takes a while to learn if you have learned the traditional throwing technique It uses the tricep and lats as opposed to the chest and teres minor (back of shoulder) to throw the ball (like a javelin or football thrower and more of a push action than a pull action); less side to side wasted force that puts strain on the arm and decreases throwing consistency. If player wants to use the traditional throwing technique, then let them do that (not enough time to learn new motion in short amount of time); focus on long arm swing (get elbow up and ball up), ball to highest point/glove foot landing at same time, land on heel (to help move body in straight line towards target), active glove arm that controls the explosive rotation forward towards the target,

9 glove ends up at the glove shoulder as rotating (helps not bend over at waist), release ball with throwing elbow above the throwing shoulder, stand tall at release (not good for back to try to bend over and also loses leverage- this is a misunderstood mechanic that bending the back means a player is properly following through and momentum towards the target after release. Infielders Force Plays- The player throwing the ball should make the throw about as high as the chest. The player covering the base should get to the side of the base edge nearest the player making the throw as quickly as possible and provide a target with two hands out in front of the body. This shortens the throw s length and, thus, the time it takes to arrive, making it more likely that an out will be made. If the play is going to be close, the player should stretch as far as she or he can and catch the ball in the glove hand only. If the play is not going to be close, the player should stretch a comfortable distance and catch the ball with both hands. The player catching the ball should always try to shorten the distance and time of the throw so the throw will get there before the runner does. Anticipate a bad throw. No matter what, it is important not to take the foot toward the ball too soon, because it can lock the fielder receiving the throw into a position that will not allow him or her to reach a throw that is slightly off target. The receiver of the throw also should stand tall at the bag in an athletic position with the knees slightly bent, ready to move off the base for an errant throw. Once the direction of the throw is determined, the player covering the base should take the glove and glove-side foot directly to the ball at the same time (land on the heel to help keep foot on base stay on the base). The ball should enter the glove at about the same time that the foot hits the ground. SS stretch on double plays: stretch with left foot when getting from 2 nd baseman or 1 st baseman on outfield side of baseline (push off bag with right foot and create throwing lane to 1 st ); can also use crow hop footwork, stretch with right foot when getting from pitcher, 3 rd baseman, catcher, or 1 st baseman on infield side of baseline- Shortstop Inside Pivot (step forward with left foot that was on the bag while swinging arm back and throwagain, should have a throwing lane to 1 st ), or if late getting to bag- step on bag with left foot and throw at the same time (release throw as making contact with bag with glove foot- need to practice this timing). Ideally, the SS would like the ball delivered early from any of the other infielders so the SS can cleanly catch the ball right before he/she touches the bag, gets throwing lane and makes the throw. SS should be athletic and be ready for the throw to be off-line and ready to adjust and just try to get the lead runner out if play is slow developing and/or no chance to turn two.

10 Fielding a ground ball- fielder must create a wide base with the feet. Doing so allows the infielder to get the rear end down and closer to the ground instead of having to bend at the waist (not bringing eye level down as approaching the baseball makes it easier to field balls). Having the rear end down allows the head to stay up and the eyes to stay focused on the ball. Be aggressive and attack the baseball and move feet so have an angle to where you are throwing to. Want to get the short hop or the big hop and not the more difficult in between hops. If ball takes bad bounce, at least try to keep it in front if you can t field it cleanly. Also, dive for ball and at least try to knock it down if know can t field it cleanly. For hard ball hit at you, try to field just off center (glove slightly to your glove side knee side); harder to judge speed and hops of ball if coming directly at you. The hands should be placed out in front of the body so that the eyes can follow the ball all the way to the glove. Glove should be touching the ground. Fielders should place their bare hand beside the glove and relax the wrist of the glove hand so that the fingers point almost straight down. Push through the baseball with glove (forward a few inches) once ready to field the ball. Keep glove open so the glove can see the baseball. Once the ball enters the glove and is squeezed, the bare hand should go on top of the ball to allow for an easy transfer and a quicker throw. If have time, then gain ground to make your throw easier (replace your glove foot with throwing foot and can then do a shuffle towards the target and throw); stay balanced, low and athletic while gaining ground towards your target. If don t have time, then quickest way to release ball is to replace glove with throwing foot (so put throwing foot just to the right of where glove fielded the ball) and step with glove foot while swing arm back and then throw; this is same concept as the Crow Hop. After releasing the ball, should continue to take a few steps towards your target (want your momentum going towards your target). Backhands- The fundamentals used for the backhand are

11 the same as for the routine ground ball. Fielders create a wide base with their feet, get their rear ends down, and catch the ball out in front of their bodies. The wrist should be relaxed, with the fingers of the glove pointing straight down and touching the ground. Then push through the ball with glove open. Try to beat the ball to the spot on a backhand play and use the throwing side backhand footwork (controlled back-hand- glove side knee touches ground and field just in front of the throwing side foot). Can then just step with glove side foot as swing throwing arm back after fielding the ball and throw. Especially important to keep glove seeing the baseball (keep glove open) and to trust your backhand (watch the ball, not the glove). Can also use the glove side backhand method (or crossover lunge method). The crossover lunge method may allow you to have a further reach- throwing side knee touches the ground and left leg crosses over as if turning to walk. Ball should be caught off the front foot (left) instead of in front of it; want glove to be out in front of body. Can even use the Ozzie Smith method and field backhand out in front of front foot with neither foot really in front of the other. Fielding a Slow roller- run as hard as can to the moving ball, come to a jump stop to get body under control (do this as quickly as possible), field ball with glove (only use bare hand if ball isn t moving), step towards base and throw. This method minimizes the likelihood that base runners will advance farther than the ground ball warrants. Cal Ripken IT (advanced play)- if 2nd baseman fields ball deep to his forehand (right handed thrower) and trying to throw to 2nd base (and didn t get his feet set up so can quickly open and turn to 2nd base), then best play is to turn glove side (so turning so facing outfield as turning on throw) to allow to get more on the throw. Similar concept on a bunt fielded by left handed pitcher down 3rd baseline (with play at 1st). Turning glove side on throw allows a stronger throw than opening body up and throwing (and is normally a quicker way to get rid of the ball). Other tips- infielders should anticipate slower hit balls when batter has 2 strikes on them. Use glove if ball is moving and use bare hand if ball is not moving. Underhand Flip- The underhand flip should be used to start a double play or force a runner at second on balls hit directly at the middle infielder or balls hit to the second base side of the middle infielder. After the ball is fielded, the mechanics of the flip are as follows: 1. Stay low and take your momentum toward the target by shuffling the feet or using a crossover step. 2. Get the glove out of the way so that the player receiving the throw can see the ball. 3. Keep the wrist stiff and the hand behind the ball. 4. Don t wind up and swing the arm too much; let the body s momentum carry the ball to the target. 5. Release the ball, leaving the hand high at the target s face level. 6. Bring fingers towards the target (not up to sky) 7. Follow the flip toward the target. The shortstop has an advantage over the second baseman when using the underhand flip to record the out at second since the shortstop is more open toward the bag. This makes the flip from short to second feel more natural. For the second baseman, the natural movement is to take the ball that is caught in front of the body to a point behind the body, turning the entire body in the process, before flipping the ball. Because the second baseman catches the ball out in front, he or she should flip it to the shortstop from out in front. Momentum still should be taken toward the target with a shuffle or

12 crossover, the wrist still should stay stiff without winding up, the hand should be left at face level after the ball is released, and the flip should be followed. The underhand flip is an uphill feed. It should travel on a line from low to high without an arc so that it can be caught at the chest or face level for an easy transfer and throw. Can also work on the side flip which is sometimes easier for a second baseman to use. Proper tags: Middle infielders and 3rd baseman should meet pick off throws on the base from pitcher (don t stand on base); allows fielder to field his position better as pitcher pitches. 1st basemen will stand with edge of foot on base and shuffle out as pitch thrown. All fielders meet throws from catchers on pickoffs or throws to catch runner stealing. Feet positioning for 1st baseman (pick from pitcher)- right foot against front edge of base and left foot pointed slightly open about halfway between home plate and 3rd base (do need to be in fair territory). Let pick off from pitcher travel and place caught ball right in front of inside bag edge so runner comes into your glove. Feet positioning for 1st baseman getting throw from catcher (if starting behind the runner)- meet throw aiming to catch it right in front of base (facing throw). Place caught ball right in front of inside bag edge so runner comes into your glove. If 1 st baseman is starting in front of runner, then he should just have feet point towards catcher (heels on edge of base) on catcher pick off and tag in front of the base; if near the foul line then use drop step and shuffle towards runner to get back, if closer to 2 nd base then use drop step and shuffle towards the 1 st base to get back. Middle infielders straddle bag (back left corner) and have feet pointing about half way between home and 1 st base. Place caught ball right in front of base so runner comes into your glove. 3 rd baseman straddles bag (back left corner) and have left foot pointing towards 2 nd base and right foot toward the plate (body towards home plate). Place caught ball right in front of base so runner comes into your glove. On all throws (from infield, pitcher or catcher), fielder should be facing the target with feet positioned behind the bag and in a way that allows him to go in all directions (for when there is a bad throw); will lean forward with body straddling the bag as ball comes in. Taggers must be in position to see both the thrown baseball and the baserunner; therefore they should stand behind the baseline. To enable taggers to react to the location where the thrown ball will arrive, taggers should stand far enough behind base line so that they can catch the ball while moving forward. Taggers first job is to make sure the ball doesn t get past them or hits base runners (which leads to extra bases). By standing farther behind the base line, the taggers can move in all directions without concern for the base runners. When the thrown ball is high and/or wide, taggers have more time and room to catch the ball. When the throw is low, taggers have room to either move forward through base runners (since making play on ball) or move backwards for a better hop. When thrown baseballs hit base runners, taggers can move through the sliding base runners and smother the baseball. Infielders that catch ball in front of base risk runner running into them (knock the ball loose and/or undercut the fielder and risk their glove wrist to injury) and may tag out too far in front (and miss a runner on hook slide)- tag blindly ; concept is to let the ball travel (it should be moving quicker than a fielder moving forward and then back and could come into play on

13 a close play at a bag (meaning let ball travel gives that extra split second to tag the runner out- the velocity of the thrown baseball is faster than the glove arm will move). The throw for a tag play should arrive at belt level. Many times coaches say that the perfect throw arrives right on the bag, but it is actually much harder to catch a throw at that level with a runner bearing down on you than it is to handle a ball that is waist high and drop a tag straight down. The runner will probably be sliding into the base, so the player receiving the throw should catch the ball and take the glove straight down and straight up. Remember that when receiving a throw for a tag play, they need to move from the base to keep throws that are offline or in the dirt from getting through and allowing baserunners to advance. If the runner is sliding, the tag should be applied with just the glove (the ball must be in the glove). If the runner comes into the bag standing up, the player applying the tag might want to use two hands to execute the tag. Proper way for middle infielders to take throw at 2 nd base from the outfield; if taking throw from left field, then fielder should straddle base (straddling base makes it easier to find base after get throw) with toes and shoulders facing the fielder. Fielder then reads the throw. If runner will make it safely easily, then fielder should go towards the throw (leave the bag by a step) so not in way of runner (and maybe can tag runner on an overslide). If have a chance to get the runner out (ball may beat the runner), then If throw to glove side and on line (right handed player), then reposition feet so catching ball in a way to put glove right in front of the base (so put left foot on right field side of bag)- turning back to right field. Your right foot would be on the 3 rd base side of the bag (so end up straddling base as catch ball); or could do a 180 degree spin move to reposition feet. If have chance to get runner (ball beats runner) and throw to throwing side (right handed player) and ball thrown on line, then reposition feet so catching ball in a way to put glove right in front of the base (so put left foot on right field side of bag)- turning back to 3 rd base. Your right foot would be on the 3 rd base side of bag (so end up straddling base as catch ball); or could do a 180 degree spin move to reposition feet. If taking throw from center field or right field, then use this same technique (reposition feet with left foot on right field side of bag and right foot on 3 rd base side of bag). Looking the runner back- On ground balls in certain situations, a fielder can look a runner back to the base before throwing to first for the out, thus keeping the runner from advancing. For example, when a runner is on second and a ground ball is hit to the third baseman, that fielder should catch the ball (focusing entirely on fielding it first!), and as he or she begins the throwing motion, look quickly at the runner to keep the runner from advancing. Unless the runner tries to advance, the fielder should not stop or slow the throwing motion. If the runner does try to advance, the fielder is ready to make a play on the runner. If the fielder doesn t pay attention to the runner, the runner likely will be able to advance. This also can occur when a runner is on second or third and there is a ground ball hit to the pitcher with fewer than two outs. Use pump fake- if have runners on 1 st and 2 nd to start a play (play starts with 0 outs) and get the out at 2 nd base but don t have any chance to turn a double play, then a smart play would be to pump fake throw to 1 st base (because never want to

14 waste a throw and possibly throw ball away) and then take a look at the runner that went from 2 nd to 3 rd base; may be able to bait that runner to take a big turn around 3 rd base (so could then maybe get that runner out). Making sure of the first out. In a double-play situation, the top priority is to get the lead runner out. If infielders retire the lead runner, they can attempt to complete the double play. Rushing to get the double play instead of making sure of the first out can lead to a situation were no outs are recorded, which can set your opponent up for a big inning. 3 Man hot box: Players replace throws they make, run with ball in throwing hand and get throwing lane (tag runner going away from you with ball in throwing hand if can), receiver should give target that helps thrower get throwing lane (so don t have to throw across the runner) and yell NOW when ready to receive a throw, can use ball fakes, receiver should run into the throw after sees it is good, never give up advancing base, fielders should try to close ground (come in on runner so throws aren t long), try to have as few throws as possible, can t make contact with the runner if don t have the ball (get out of way and replace your throw after make it), be out in front of base about 5-6 feet so catch it and tag runner before he/she gets to base, and make sure ball is in hand that tags the runner (ideal to tag runner with two hands; ball in glove and throwing hand securing glove if runner coming towards you). Backup fielders should stay at least 5 to 10 feet behind the primary fielders unless the play has moved close to a base. Outfielders Outfielder skills- learning to read the ball off the bat and get a good jump on fly balls takes countless hours of practice. On a sure single, the outfielder wants to field the ground ball (like an infielder with a wide base, the rear end down, and the hands out in front) and get the ball to the appropriate cutoff man as quickly as possible to hold the runner to first base. When runners are on base and there is a hit, the more quickly the outfielder can get to the ball and get it to the cutoff, the less likely that the runners will advance more than one base. When an outfielder catches a fly ball, he or she prevents the batter from getting to first base and, in some cases, any runners from advancing. The outfielders should hold their gloves more near waist level than their infield counterparts, but their knees should bend slightly and their weight should be on the balls of their feet. Outfielders should always be squared toward the hitting zone. Outfielders should look in at the hitting zone when the ball is pitched so that they can see it hit the bat. Think where ball should be going if hit to them before each pitch is made. Outfielders must get to the spot quickly (get behind the ball) after a ball is hit to keep the batter off the bases or prevent the baserunners from advancing. To accomplish this, outfielders should move at full speed to the spot where they think the ball is traveling, get under control to make the play, and then get rid of the ball as quickly as possible, throwing it to the appropriate infielder. Should put glove up right before about to catch (don t run with glove up in the air- instead, outfielder should pump his arms). Most young athletes tend to drift toward the ball, which means they are still moving as they catch the ball. This delays them in getting rid

15 of the ball and can allow runners to advance. Drop step, then crossover Step- Outfielders use this technique to track down fly balls that aren t hit directly at them. The outfielder should first use a drop step (drop one foot back, turn the body, and cross the other foot over in the direction of the ball). Many times a fielder incorrectly lifts the leg nearest the ball and puts it back down in almost the same place before doing a drop step or crossing over. Doing this means it takes extra time to get to the same spot where the player who executed the proper drop step. Making the catch- To catch a fly ball correctly, the player should get to the spot where it is going to come down as quickly as possible. The ball should be caught while moving forward whenever possible. The eyes should remain on the ball at all times, and the ball should be caught with two hands above the head. This allows the outfielder to watch the ball all the way into the glove. After the ball enters the glove and it is squeezed, the outfielder should put the bare hand on top of the ball and bring the glove and ball directly to the center of the body (chest) for a quick transfer and throw. As soon as the outfielder thinks that the ball can be played by him or her, he or she should call for it by yelling, I got it! I got it! I got it! Show crow hop rhythm for outfielders (3 Step body action)- this is a technique in which the fielder generates momentum toward the target before releasing the ball. Teach crow hop rhythm to outfielders: field ball in front of glove side foot (keep glove on outside of foot); head down. Gather ball in front of your chest, as the body moves beside where the glove foot landed drop throwing hand downward out of glove and hop forward (keep eyes on target) off the glove foot onto the throwing foot (such that when their throwing arm side foot lands the throwing arm is hanging pointing vertically downward). Then pendulum swing throwing arm backward and upward to driveline height at the same time that the glove foot lands, rotate off of glove side foot and throw. Advanced Plays- catching ball at fence; find ball, then fence, then ball again (lead with your throwing hand as get close to the fence to stop you from crashing into it). Diving for a ball (dive for soft fly balls especially)- foot first slide (slide like sliding into a base and make sure glove hand doesn t get caught on the ground). If diving forward- to avoid injury to their glove arm side shoulder, players must never land face first. Instead, they need to land on whichever side/back of the shoulder to which they have to turn and roll over onto their back. Players should also use their throwing side forearm to land on if diving so don t bend back their glove wrist when extending for ball with glove. Backing up batted balls. Outfielders not directly involved in a play should back up each other. If the ball gets away from one outfielder, the backup can make the play and prevent the runners from taking an extra base. The number one job of an outfielder is to keep runners from advancing extra bases on balls that are hit to them. Cut-offs and Relays Cutoffs and Relays- A cutoff is set up on every ball hit to the outfield and is designed to manage the throw from an outfielder on a routine ball. The cutoff person is in place to stop throws that are errant or when there is no play at the base where the throw is heading and to keep trailing baserunners from advancing

16 to the next base with no consequence. A relay situation occurs on a ball that gets by the outfielders when there is no way that the outfielder can throw the ball all the way to the base where the lead runner is heading. In this situation the batter is guaranteed to have at least a double and there might be a play at home (if there were a runner on first when the ball was hit) or third (if the batter is trying to stretch the hit into a triple). On most batted balls, when the throws from the outfield will be coming into second or third base, the shortstop and second baseman are responsible for serving as the cutoffs. Cutoffs to Second Base- The cutoff person needs to know the fielder s arm strength and stand far enough away from the base so that the throw can either be cut off or make it to the base on no more than one hop. The player covering the base can see the runner coming. If the runner is staying at first, the player covering should simply tell the cutoff to cut! If the runner is trying for second and the throw needs help to get to the base, the player covering should yell, cut, second! or, cut, two! If the throw is on target and the runner is coming, the player covering should say nothing and the cutoff should let the ball travel all the way to the base. Cutoffs to Third Base- With a runner on first, the shortstop always is the cutoff player for base hits to the outfield. The third baseman covers the base and directs the shortstop so that he or she is in a direct line between the fielder and the bag. The shortstop should set up at a spot where the outfielder can throw the ball on a line and hit him or her in the head. As with the player covering second base, the third baseman tells the shortstop whether to cut off the throw and which base (if any) to throw it to. The shortstop should be in position so the fielder can throw as soon as he or she fields the ball and far enough away so that the right fielder can get the ball to him or her at head or chest level without having to throw the ball with an arc. The third baseman should direct the shortstop so that he or she is lined up directly between the fielder and the base. he or she should also tell the shortstop whether or not to cut off the throw and where to throw it. The second baseman covers second. Cutoffs to Home (will use pitcher since smaller field instead of 1st and 3rd basemen)- The catcher directs traffic on this one. For base hits to left field with a runner on second or fly balls to left with a runner on third, the catcher lines up the pitcher in a direct line between the left fielder and home plate. The third baseman should be far enough out that the left fielder can throw the ball on a line and hit him in the head. It is the catcher s job to tell the pitcher whether to cut off the throw and which base (if any) to throw it to. For balls hit to centerand right field the catcher directs the pitcher in a similar manner. Relay Basics- If a ball gets through an outfielder so that the fielder can t throw the ball all the way to the base where the lead runner is heading, a relay situation arises. Our team will yell Relay. This ball is going to be a double no matter how fast the outfielder gets to the ball and throws it into the infield. So, there is no play at second, but if the player tries to stretch the double into a triple or there was a runner on first who is trying to score, a throw may need to be made to one of those locations. The player who was the cutoff player needs to get out farther to assist the outfielder in getting the ball to the proper base. The other middle infielder should set up as a trailer, about 10 feet behind the relay person. If a throw is low or high to the relay, he or she should let it go to the trailer. The third

17 baseman and catcher should communicate about where the final throw should go, and the first baseman should make sure that second base is covered in case the runner makes a hard turn and gets caught too far off the base. The pitcher will either back up 3 rd base or be the cut-off man to home (so a 2 nd cut-off player). Mechanics of the Cutoff or Relay Throw- If the cutoff or relay person is receiving a throw, turning and throwing to a base in an attempt to cut down a runner, it is important for that player to be able to make the throw as quickly as possible. To do this, the throw should be caught with two hands for a quick transfer. As the ball approaches, the player receiving the throw should turn his or her body and start moving toward the base where the he or she will be throwing the ball (use crow hop ). This will allow the player to generate momentum toward the target before the ball actually arrives, making it possible for the quick transfer and throw. 1 st Basemen First base play- 1st baseman is a key player and makes more unusual plays than any other position player. If the ball pulls the first baseman from the bag, he or she will use the stiff underhand flip to flip the ball to the pitcher covering the base. If the ball is closer to the bag, the first baseman may run over to tag the base. Sometimes a first baseman may start a or a double play; other times, depending on the situation, the first baseman may attempt to cut down a runner at home or even 3rd base (if trying to keep a key runner off 3rd base like to make the 1st out at 3rd on a force play). When ball is hit to another fielder- That s when the first baseman s job becomes most important. When that happens, the first baseman needs to get to the base as quickly as possible and set up as a stationary target for the player fielding the ball. The first baseman should not crouch, but instead should be as big a target as possible while still keeping the knees slightly bent. The throwing-side heel should be placed on the inside of the base (closest to the thrower), and the shoulders and toes should be squared to the fielder making the throw. The glove foot should be on the ground. The only exception is for a ball fielded close to home plate for a right handed 1 st baseman or dropped 3rd strike that goes to 1st base foul area for a left handed 1 st basemanplace your glove side foot on base and throwing foot on ground on this play to give you a better chance to catch the ball (reach across your body and give thrower a backhand glove target; don t try to take glove to the ball as much on this play like you do with other foot technique)- the concept is you want to present a throwing lane where the ball won t hit the runner. The most important thing for the first baseman to remember is to not stretch too soon. He or she should let the ball travel across the diamond, taking the glove and glove-side foot toward the throw together. The ball should hit the glove about the same time that the foot hits the ground. The first baseman should always anticipate an off-target throw and be prepared to leave the base to catch or knock down the ball in such a situation. If have to jump for a ball, should try to land with your feet at shoulder width and feet parallel to the ground and turned slightly outward (less likely to roll an ankle this way if come down on runners foot). Advanced play- on

18 reading a high throw, could put throwing foot toes on edge of base furthest from thrower (so heel is in foul territory) and reach up for high throw; gives best chance on getting at out on high throw. After catching the ball in the glove and squeezing it, the first baseman should come off the bag in a position to throw if there are runners on other bases. Baserunning Taking a Lead- Get signs while standing on base. When taking a lead, a good rule of thumb is to slowly shuffle 2-1/2 steps off the base without crossing the feet. Don t bring feet all the way together when getting leads (stay athletic). Get lead in center part of baseline if at 1st, get in straight line from 2nd to 3rd if at 2nd (unless 2 outs, then get slightly to outside baseline), and get lead in foul territory at 3rd base. At this point the runner should be in an athletic position; the knees are slightly bent with the feet about shoulder-width apart. A runner taking a lead never should rest the hands on the knees, because the first move he or she would have to make would be to remove the hands. Runner s eyes should be on pitcher once he leaves the base (after getting sign). Hold batting gloves in hands to help protect them from getting mashed if diving back to base (optional). If diving back to base, then aim for front outside corner of base and look away from the baseball (should only dive back to the base if ball beats you to the bag and you are trying to avoid a tag). An even better way to get back to base is returning with the 2 step stand up method (take first big step back with right foot, then left foot steps on base while standing up; turn face away from pitcher). Get as much of a primary lead as you can without getting picked off; at 3rd base, get less of a primary lead (and get if foul territory so if hit ball ball then you are not out). Get a good secondary lead (means momentum should be going to the next base as the ball crosses home plate- take shuffle steps with right foot open towards next base and be ready to make crossover to go towards next base on batted ball or passed ball); know the catcher s arm so you know how much of a secondary lead you can get. Stop when catcher catches ball and be ready to get back. If miss a sign, ask for time and/or coach to repeat the sign. If right hander lifts his front leg without moving back foot, then it should be safe to either steal or get secondary lead. If stealing- The most efficient way to move laterally is by using a crossover step while staying low; runner pivots the lead leg (should already have lead toe pointing towards next base a little to help with the pivot) while at the same time crossing the trail leg over the lead leg and toward the base. Sliding; bent-leg slide is the most common and effective method. Start the slide 10 to 12 feet from the bag. Lean torso back at about a 45 degree angle. Slide straight to the bag. Extend one leg toward the bag and bend the other leg under the extended knee. Slide on your rear end (and left side of upper left leg), not your side. Tuck your chin to your chest. Bend the extended leg as it reaches the base to give and prevent injury. Keep your hands up. Drive the heel of the right foot into the base and swing arms/core forward to perform the pop-up slide. The pop-up slide is the best slide because it minimizes injuries, gets base runners to the base the fastest, prevents over-sliding the base, enables base runners to

19 quickly react to thrown balls that get away, and helps hinder defensive players from making plays at other bases. Teach players to run hard and try to lift their leg up slightly as they approach the bag to avoid jamming the ankle or knee. The safest way to learn how to slide is on wet grass. Going Halfway- The definition of halfway is very simple and depends on each individual runner. Going halfway simply means that the runner moves as far off of the base as he or she can and still get back to the bag safely if the ball is caught. The reason players go halfway is to be in a position to advance to the next base or to advance two bases if a ball ends up being a hit or is dropped or misplayed. Explain the meaning of going halfway. When a fly ball is hit that is too shallow to tag up on or in situations when tagging up is too much of a risk or not an option at all, the baserunners should go halfway. This simply means that the runners should move only as far off the base as he or she can go and still get back to the base safely if the ball is caught. The main reason for doing this is so that the baserunners can make sure that if the ball does drop, they will be able to advance to the next base without being forced or tagged out. General Baserunning tips- Baserunners must be alert and aggressive. They must be aware of the count and the number of outs, and they must think about what they will do once the ball is hit to various locations. They should always know where the ball is and be able to pick up signals from base coaches. When introducing your players to the fundamentals of baserunning, you must teach them proper running technique, the fundamentals of running to first, the fundamentals of rounding bases, the proper sliding technique, and the concept of tagging up. Form running- keep head up, lean forward, run on balls of feet, lift knees high, pump arms front to back; opposite arm with opposite knee, relax upper body. Running out ground ball- run hard on contact, don t watch ball too long, step on front of base, keep eyes on base, don t lunge, run hard all the way past the base and listen for coach and/or look for wild throw, break down as quick as can after running through 1st base (so ready to go to 2nd on wild throw), don t make a movement or attempt towards 2nd unless you have a chance (you can be tagged out if you do); probably best to turn back towards 1st base coach when going back to base so umpire isn t confused and thinks you are attempting to go to 2nd base, don t slide unless you are avoiding a tag play on an off-target throw that pulls the 1st baseman from the bag. Making a turn- To advance or try to advance two bases, base runners immediately move fifteen feet outside of the base line (do this once think may get a double) and run in a straight line until they are fifteen feet from the base. At that location, base runners powerfully plant off their right foot and run at a forty-five degree angle to the base. When they reach the base, they again powerfully plant their right foot into the inside of the base. Lastly, they run in a straight line directly at the next base. To advance or try to advance three bases, base runners immediately move five feet outside of the first bases line and run in a straight line until they are five feet from the base. At that location, base runners powerfully plant their right foot and run at a forty-five degree angle to the base. When they reach the base, they powerfully plant their right foot into the inside of the base and immediately move fifteen feet outside of the base line and run in a straight line until they are fifteen feet from the base.

20 At that location, base runners powerfully plant off their right foot and run at a forty-five degree angle to the base. When they reach the base, they again powerfully plant their right foot into the inside of the base. Lastly, they run in a straight line directly at the next base. To advance or try to advance four bases, base runners immediately move five feet outside of the first bases line and run in a straight line until they are five feet from the base. At that location, base runners powerfully plant their right foot and run at a forty-five degree angle to the base. When they reach the base, they powerfully plant their right foot into the inside of the base and immediately move five feet outside of the base line and run in a straight line until they are five feet from the base. At that location, base runners powerfully plant their right foot and run at a forty-five degree angle to the base. When they reach the base, they powerfully plant their right foot into the inside of the base and immediately move fifteen feet outside of the base line and run in a straight line until they are fifteen feet from the base. At that location, base runners powerfully plant off their right foot and run at a forty-five degree angle to the base. When they reach the base, they again powerfully plant their right foot into the inside of the base. Lastly, they run in a straight line directly at the next base. With regard to base running: The key to getting an extra base is for base runners to run in an absolutely straight line between the next to last and the last bases. To do this, base runners have to start the turn before the last base fifteen feet behind the base line (towards the right of the baseline) and fifteen feet short of the next to last base. When base runners turn bases before the last base (like for a triple or home run), they do not have to run straight down the base line to the next base. Therefore, they can start their turn five feet behind the base line and five feet short of the base. For example: To advance three bases, base runners should start their first turn five feet behind and five feet short of first base and their second turn fifteen feet behind and fifteen feet short of the second base. As a result of the bigger second turn radius, base runners are able to run in straight lines for the entire 90 feet to the last base. The last turn is the biggest. To dramatically change the direction of the center of mass of their body's momentum, base runners must powerfully plant their right foot against the inside of the well-anchored base. Runners need to try to determine if they are going to a double, triple, or home run as soon as they can, lean in like riding a bicycle as rounding bases, don t break stride (touch base with either foot; although it is IDEAL to powerfully plant the right foot against the inside of the base), use bag to propel you toward next base, pick up the ball with your eyes as soon as you make the turn, run until the defense forces you to stop (don t be over aggressive if have situation where you can easily steal 2nd base). We will just teach the 5 foot method for the Northside teams. General baserunning rules- always know the situation (outs, other runners on base, count, where outfielders are positioned), when in doubt then slide, don t cross feet as taking lead, tag up on all foul balls, freeze on all line drives (unless stealing on the pitch; just keep going if line drive is hit in the infield, try to get back if hit to outfield and has a chance to be caught, go halfway when appropriate, know where ball is and listen for instructions from base coaches, pick up 3rd base coach when rounding 2nd and ball is in right field, take lead and secondary lead from

21 3rd base in foul ground and return to the base in fair territory, tag on all fly balls and line drives to outfield when on 3rd (less than 2 outs), and freeze on line drives to the infield (since couldn t tag and score, but may be able to score if not tagging if ball falls safely). Find where the outfielders are while standing on the base (helps you get jumps). Pick up 3rd base coach if rounding 2nd or 3rd base. Avoid being tagged with the ball if possible (can go 3 feet to either side of baseline you established). Delayed steal similar to a straight steal, except the runner waits until the ball crosses home plate to break for the next base. The goal is to get the defense to relax and think the runner is not going and then break toward the next base. Often when the runner doesn t try to steal with the release of the pitch, the defense assumes the runner is not stealing and does not communicate to the catcher that a steal is being attempted. The middle infielders, caught flatfooted, may not be able to get to the base in time to receive a throw. Thus, the catcher either holds the ball because no one is there or throws the ball into centerfield because no one is covering second base. A good time to try a delayed steal is when your opponent s middle infielders don t move toward second base after each pitch. Hit and run when a runner takes off on the pitch as if stealing second and the batter does everything in his or her power to make contact with the ball. This helps eliminate the possibility of grounding into a double play and allows a team to more easily move runners to scoring position. Don t use this strategy if the opposing pitcher is wild (thus making it difficult for the batter to make contact) or if the hitter is not skilled enough to make frequent contact. The batter should swing to protect the runner unless pitch is not close to being a strike (like bounces or is way out or in, or high). Pitching Two seam fastball for pitchers (generates more movement)- held with the seams at the point where the seams are closest together instead of across the seams. Once again the ball should be held lightly in the fingers. The fingers should be a comfortable width apart, either on top of the seams or inside the seams. The most important consideration is to find the grip that allows the pitcher to generate the most movement and still throw strikes consistently. When a righthander throws a two-seamer to a right-handed batter it should run inside. A

22 left-hander s two-seamer should cut away from a right-handed hitter. Picking runner off- the key for the lefty is to make the leg kick when delivering the ball home appear to be as similar as possible to the leg kick used when throwing to first. Have this move. Can also work on other various moves to mix things up. Pitcher covering 1st base- Any time a ball is hit on the ground (or in the air, for that matter) to the right side of the infield, the pitcher should get into the habit of moving toward first base in case the first baseman has to field the ball and can t get back to the base in time to record the out. When this happens the pitcher should sprint to a point about 10 to 12 feet up the first-base line toward home plate. From there the pitcher should slow down and run parallel to the baseline, presenting a target at chest level. The first baseman should get the ball to the pitcher as early as possible, using an underhand flip when appropriate, so that the pitcher can catch the ball and then look down for the base. The pitcher should try to touch the inside edge of the base and then turn toward the infield to keep an eye on any other baserunners and avoid a collision with the player running to first. If the pitcher gets to the base before the first baseman has delivered the ball, he or she should stop and set up like a first baseman to receive the throw. General Pitching Tips- Cover 1 st base on ball hit to right side. Field your position. Vary looks to the plate to keep runners close. Learn different pick off moves. Pick off to keep runners close. Sprint to home on any past ball with runner on third- angle body to receive throw from catcher in front of plate (make sure knee is angled so going up the foul line- don t want to get hit by runner on side of knee). Talk to SS on double play situations. There is such a thing as an OK walk (will not give in to certain hitters in certain situations- will make them hit our pitch). Use all pitches (develop a change-up) and will throw all pitches for strikes- key to pitching is throwing what the hitter doesn t expect. It is OK to shake off catcher s sign (you know what you throw best). # 1 focus is throwing the pitch you want where you want it on every play.