BASEBALL DRILLS & SKILLS

BASEBALL DRILLS & SKILLS HITTING / BUNTING Working on footwork, timing, weight back, hands inside the baseball swing technique, bat speed & follow-through Batting Tee Work o Hitting baseballs into nets..or into field (depending on space) o Move tee forward & inside to simulate proper contact point on inside pitches. o Move tee back & outside to simulate proper contact point on outside pitches o Bottom Hand Only Drill o Kickball between Knees.to develop weight back / stay back habit Frisbee drills: To simulate hands not rolling over until well after contact Soft toss into net.or field (depending on space) Hitting plastic balls thrown from short distance by a pitcher on his knee o Use larger whiffle balls first.then advance to smaller, plastic golf balls o Use Skinny Sticks to increase degree of difficulty Live batting practice depending on field space Bunting o 3 rd and 1 st Technique o Cone Drill o SAC vs. Bunt for a Hit Concept o Drag Bunting OUTFIELD / CATCHING / THROWING o Working on movement to the ball, ball judgment, two hands, power-throwing, etc. o Turn & Run: Football Drill o Find the Fence Drill o Fungo Work: Turn & Run Catch it Coming In.No backpedalling o Crow-hop Throws: Left to Home / Right to Third.with Cut-off Man. Aim for the Hands o Play-at-a Base vs. Play it Safe Fielding Techniques o Relay o Divide players into teams of 6 or 9 o Each team has a group of outfielders, relay men and catchers o Coach hits ball to outfielder. Outfielder makes throw to relay man and then sprints to get in line to be next catcher. Relay man receives throw from outfielder, throws the ball

to catcher and then sprints to get in line to be next outfielder. Catcher makes catch, tags plate, places ball in bucket and then sprints to get in line to be next relay man. Constantly running, fielding and throwing. o Make it a competition: 1 st team to get X amount of balls in the bucket. Divide players into groups of 3 and TIME them on following drill. Place ball on ground 10 yards behind the outfielders. Yell GO outfielder sprints to retrieve ball, makes throw to relay man who then throws the ball to the catcher. Same drill as above; but after catcher receives the ball at the plate, have them throw the ball back to relay man and then back to outfielder and repeat this two more times. Time the teams on all three segments; stressing that good, consistent throws & catches often beats powerful, errant throws. INFIELD o Working on fielding position, footwork, glove / hand position, 2-hand fielding techniques o Ground Balls o Fielding Disks/Pads Roll balls to fielders; stressing proper mechanics Hit balls to fielders Competition: Knock-Out Drill Field it cleanly: Back of the line and go again. Ball hits the ground after a bobble take a knee Crown the Knock-Out Champ for the Day o Rapid Fire Ground Ball with Gloves Right Side Coach Hits to 3 rd.3 rd Throws to 2nd.2 nd fakes throw to 1 st 2 nd tosses ball in bucket behind 2 nd base Hits to 2 nd baseman throws to player on 2 nd base.players tosses ball in bucket Left Side Coach Hits to Shortstop.Shortstop throws to 1 st.1 st tosses ball in bucket. Hits to 1 st 1 st tags the bag tosses ball in bucket o Flair : o Divide players into 2 groups. o Group 1: Divide between Short and Left o Group 2: Divide between 2 nd and Right o Hit / throw weak fly ball between infield & outfield. Infielder turns and runs until outfielder calls you off.then peels off Outfielder moves on the ball.calling off infielder if he can get to it o Relay o Standard Relays Relay man holds his hands up high, yells the base we re throwing to (eg. Two! Two! Two!) and lines himself up halfway between the ball and the base As the ball approaches, he adjusts his body to the flight of the ball so that his throwing shoulder is toward the ball and his glove shoulder is pointing the base he s throwing to. The relay man is now ready to receive the ball and throw it to the desired base in one fluid motion Shortstop serves as relay man for left side of the field 2 nd baseman serves as relay man for right side of the field

3 rd baseman serves as relay man to home on ball to straight left (SS peels around to cover 3 rd ) 1 st baseman serves as relay man to home on all other balls in the gap, to the fence or straight center or straight right. Pitcher backs up whatever base the ball is going to o Tandem Relays: For Balls Hit to the Fence / In the Gap on Larger Fields Ball hit to Left-center Shortstop follows the ball to be the primary relay man 2 nd baseman peels in about 5 yards behind the shortstop to be ready to field an overthrow or a short-hop that the SS lets go so 2 nd baseman can field cleanly on the bounce. 1 st baseman follows the runner to cover 2 nd. Ball hit to Right-center 2 nd baseman follows the ball to be the primary relay man Shortstop peels in about 5 yards behind the 2 nd baseman to be ready to field an overthrow or a short-hop that the 2 nd baseman lets go so shortstop can field more cleanly on the bounce. 1 st baseman follows the runner to cover 2 nd. If the play develops into a Throw to Home, 1 st baseman abandons his role of following the runner to cover 2 nd and assumes his primary role of serving as relay man just beyond pitcher s mound. o Turning Double Plays o Shortstop covering 2 nd on balls hit to 2 nd baseman or 1st Get to the base fast Brush the back corner of the base with right foot and get out of the base path to make the throw. o 2 nd Baseman covering 2 nd on balls hit to Shortstop, 3 rd or Pitcher Get to the base fast Left foot on the base and wait for throw Ball from 3 rd : Step towards 3 rd with right foot to receive ball, hop off base & make the throw to 1 st..getting out of base path to avoid runner Deep ball to Shortstop: Step towards 3 rd with right foot to receive ball, hop off base & make the throw to 1 st..getting out of the base path to avoid runner Shallow ball to Shortstop that is close to 2 nd base: Step back towards outfield with right foot to receive ball, hop back off the base & make the throw to 1 st..getting out of the base path to avoid runner o Types of Tosses to 2 nd Base on Double Plays: Depends on distance fielder is from base Underhand Shovel Pass The Backhand Flip Pivot & Throw o Covering bases on Throw-Downs from Catcher o Straddle the base o Let the ball come to you o Catch and Drop: Catch the ball and drop the glove in the path of the base runner sliding in vs. tagging the runner in the chest and giving the runner the opportunity to get under the tag. o Run-Downs: Pickle Drill o Always attempt to run the player back to the base he came from o When a pitcher / fielder first traps a runner in a run-down, run directly in front of the runner to force him to first head back to the base he came from.

o Player with ball holds the ball up in the air in full view of the receiver o Close the Gap: Fielders continue to shorten the run-down by converging / squeezing the run-down to the half of the baseline you are attempting to force the runner back to. o Minimize the number of throws; more throws & catches.more opportunities for error o Always have secondary fielders backing up each fielder at both end of the run-down in the event the runner gets by the primary fielder in the rund-down o Around the Horn: Bucket Drill o Divide into teams of 5 players (Catcher, 1 st, 2 nd, 3 rd, SS and 3 rd ) with extra player taking a knee behind each of the 5 spots. o Coach hits to 3 rd.3 rd throws to 1 st 1 st throws to Catcher.Catcher throws back to 3 rd..3 rd throws to 2 nd.2 nd throws to 1 st.1 st tosses ball in bucket o Coach hits to Shortstop (SS).SS throws to 1 st.1 st throws to Catcher.Catcher throws back to SS covering 2 nd SS throws to 1st..1 st places ball in bucket o Coach hits to 2nd.2 nd throws to 1 st.1 st throws to Catcher.Catcher throws back to 2nd covering 2 nd 2 nd throws to 1st.1st places ball in bucket o Coach hits to 1st.1st throws to Catcher.Catcher throws back to 1st 1st places ball in bucket o Make it a competition..most balls in the bucket at 1 st wins! (When there is a bad overthrow or missed ball coach just hits to next player on the field. Dropped balls can be picked up to continue the drill) o Around the Horn: Cooperstown Drill (Time the Drill from beginning to end) o Pitcher throws to Catcher and clock starts when catcher tags home plate o Catcher throws to 3 rd. 3 rd tags base and throws to 2 nd. 2 nd tags base and throws to 1 st. 1 st tags base and throws back to Catcher o Catcher tags home plate and throws to SS who is also positioned at 2 nd. o SS tags 2 nd and throws to Rightfield o Rightfield throws back to 2 nd baseman who tags 2 nd and throws to Centerfield o Centerfield throws to 3 rd who tags 3 rd and throws to Leftfield o Leftfield throws to Catcher at home.when Catcher tags home plate, clock stops. SPEED & QUICKNESS / WARM-UP DRILLS / BASERUNNING Dynamic stretching o Light jog as a Team o Lunge & Twist o High Knees o Butt Kicks o Grapevine Ladder o Straight Ahead One foot per box.then explode to finish line o Straight Ahead.Two feet per box.then explode to finish line o Sideways. One foot per box.then explode to finish line o Sideways. Two feet per box.then explode to finish line o Straight Ahead Two-In / One-Out.Left to Right Static Stretching: Circle-Up o Basic stretching of arms / shoulders / legs Sprints o Start from a Sideways / Lead-off Position o 50% o 75% o 100% Full-Speed Races

Move on Pitcher s Simulated First Movement from Stretch Position Throwing: Warm-Up Routine o Elbow Isolation Toss from a Knee o Twist at the Hip & Throw from a Knee o Turn, Step & Throw from Standing Position o Long Toss: Crow-hop and Throw o Balls on the Chalk Drill: Synchronized Throwing & Catching drill that increases focus Baserunning o Home to 1 st ( Dig Dig Dig ) / Home to 2 nd ( Make Your Turn ) o Situational Baserunning Force play: Race to the Base Read the Ball/Play Runner on 2 nd.ground ball hit left side couple of steps off & read it Runner on 2 nd.ground ball hit right side.bolt to 3 rd.no hesitation Gappers / Flairs: Read & React o Lead-offs / Stealing: with live pitchers / catchers / baseman Good lead Good jump Good Speed Good Slide o Tag-Ups on Fly balls