Chapter 2-Infielding


Essential Technique
As with all athletic technique, the concept of eliminating excess movement is essential in fielding ground balls. On a fundamental level, fielding a ground ball is relatively simple - all you have to do is put your glove on the ground and let the ball roll in. But alas, there are other components, like different size hops, different speed grounders, and of course, the throw to first base which must be made. So, good footwork is at the core of being a good fielder and perfect ground ball technique is perfect for a reason – it is the highest percentage way of performing the entire task.

1) Ready Position
The only absolute is to be ready to go after a ball as soon as possible after the ball is hit. To do this, it’s imperative to have some movement when the ball crosses the plate. Tennis players have the best idea, moving their feet in place, barely leaving the ground, but with kinetic energy coiled and ready to go. Too many infielders jump to a stop when the pitch crosses the plate, only to have to start again. That technique reduces range and the ability to charge the ball.

2) Charging the Ball
It is important to run after balls with your arms at your side, with cross-over steps, not shuffle steps (Photo 1). Charge it as much as possible, in a controlled sprint. Charging the ball is the best way to eliminate bad hops. Incorporated in every charge is rounding off. If the ball is a step towards your left, you don’t have to round-off, but on balls at you, or even a little to your right, belly-out to the right and come at the ball with momentum moving towards first.

3) Break Down Quickly
The breakdown is the last two-steps – a right, then a left. The left foot should be slightly in front of your right foot. Your legs should be spread wide, and the knees should be bent, not just the waist, to get as low as possible. You should form a triangle with your two legs and your glove. Your glove has to be on the ground and far in front, as far as possible in the center of your body. The pocket should be completely open, facing straight up to the sky, almost to the point of your wrist being twisted back. That puts your glove in a position for the ball to naturally roll right in.

4) Field According to the Hop
If the ball is rolling flat on the ground, simply put your glove down on the ground, let the ball roll in to the palm of the glove, then slap the ball directly from the top with the off hand (ball slap). Remember to catch the ball in the palm, not the web. If it’s bouncing at all, you have to play it according to the three types of hops:

Long Hop
The long hop is when the ball is coming down. It is the easiest ground ball to field. Reach out, ball slap, and funnel the ball into your belly button (Photo 2).

Short Hop
The short hop is when you catch the ball just after it bounces off the ground. It is also relatively simple, yet, requires a different technique. Instead of funneling the ball in, you “snatch” forward with the glove (Photo 3). That will allow you to make sure the short hop kicks right into your glove. If you funnel the ball like on a long hop, it increases the chance that it might turn from an easy short hop, to a dreaded in-between hop.…

In-Between Hop
The in-between hop is when the ball is coming up when you field it. It is the ground ball that every infielder tries to avoid and not surprisingly accounts for most fielding errors. To eliminate the in-between hop, charge the ball and turn it into a short hop. Rely on good technique by charging hard, breaking down quickly (in control), reaching out to form a fielding triangle, and snatching forward to keep the short hop from becoming an in-between hop. If the runner is slow and the ball is hit hard, you can sometimes afford to take a quick bunny hop backwards to allow the in-between hop to reach its apex, come down, and become a long hop. In addition, the fielder needs to remind himself to stay down on grounders and come up, not start up and come down. It’s easy to react by lifting the glove up, but impossible to react by reaching down with the glove. Think “Ground-Up.” Also, if the head is forward in the triangle, you can react much better, as well as react to the bad hops.
After correct technique is cemented, the way to become proficient at reading the hop and always getting the long or short hop, is to get a feel and rhythm for it. That can only happen with much practice.

5) Throwing to First
Now that the ball is fielded, it’s time to throw. Since the left foot is already slightly ahead of the right, you are already prepared to be in a good position to throw. Actually, because your body wants momentum towards first, you should field the ball to the left-center of your body. When the ball reaches the glove, more body weight should be on the left foot. To throw, do a simple crow hop: Step behind with your right foot, then forward with your left foot to plant and throw. It is essential that the body is balanced and aligned to first. The left shoulder and left elbow should be pointed to first when the stride foot lands and make sure to follow-through after every throw (see correct throwing technique in pitching chapter).
Note that a softer throw (with a quick release) is better than a maximum effort throw with a longer release. A softer throw has more accuracy than a full-out throw, but has to be released sooner to compensate. Also, a quick release allows the first baseman more time to adjust and make a tag, or jump and come down on an errant throw.

Other Types of Ground Balls

Balls to Left
On balls to the left, incorporate regular technique (sprint hard, arms at side, cross-over strides), but when fielding the ball, it is essential to bend the left knee. That is, when breaking down, in order to get the glove on the ground (“Ground-Up”), you have to really bend the left leg (Photo 4). It’s hard because it is a counter movement to running to the left, but it is essential for staying down and fielding the ball. From there, you can either crow-hop and square up to first, or do a 360-degree turn and square up and throw to first.

Balls to Right
On every ball, you’re doing some form of rounding off, it’s just that sometimes you have to exaggerate it. You should try to get in front of every ball to your right, in order to be in a good position to throw to first. So, fight to round everything off, and then follow the regular technique. If you have to backhand it, or are an accomplished fielder, there are three techniques:

Short Backhand
On balls not far to your right, run to the ball, plant your feet in the normal position, and simply field the ball backhand just in front of the right foot. This is for balls you can’t round off and field with the palm-up. It also allows you to plant your feet earlier and make a good balanced throw.

Long Backhand
The long backhand is for when you have to reach far for the ball. The footwork technique is a simple left-right-left and throw, but requires good balance to perform. Run to the right to the ball, and when you’re ready to field it, cross over with the left leg and plant it hard, as well as bend it. Reach toward the outfield with the glove and pull forward to catch the ball (Photo 5). Then, plant with the right foot, step with the left, and throw to first. The mistakes most make are not bending down at the waist, and not pulling the glove forward. That is, most people funnel the ball towards the outfield which makes it hard to read the hop, as well as gets the body out of position to throw. Instead, pull the glove towards first and over the ball with the palm down. This snatching technique will smother the ball and keep it in your glove, as well as take away bad hops, as well as give the body momentum to make the throw to first.

Jump Backhand
The jump backhand is for a ball in the hole where you’re running so fast you can’t stop and plant after fielding the ball. Basically, after sprinting, field the ball on the run and use one of three techniques.

1) If you catch it with your right foot down, step with your left, step with your right, and pivot and throw while falling away.
2) If you catch it with your right foot down, step with your left, and jump in the air and throw at the same time. This is much harder, but quicker.
3) If you catch it with your left foot down, step with your right, then your left, then with your right, pivot and throw while falling away. This is hard for throwing to first for a shortstop, but effective for throws to second, or a second baseman throwing to first.

Balls in Front
On balls in front, many people panic and rush to field the ball on the run. Remember, good technique is good technique for a reason. If you charge hard, the quickest play possible is if you break down and throw without a crow hop. But if the ground ball is just too shallow and you don’t even have time to break down, then you should field it on the run. This also applies to balls to the right where you round it off and you still have to charge it. The technique is to run full speed at the ball, reach down to field the ball on the left side (with a “snatch”) with your left foot forward (Photo 6). Then you have two options: throw sidearm on the run, or crow-hop and throw upright.

Notes:
1) Good technique is good technique for a reason.
2) Think “ground-up”.
3) On short hops, snatch forward, don’t funnel.
4) Charge the ball, surround the ball.
5) Bend over the left leg on balls both to the right and the left.
6) Sprint after the ball with your glove at your side.


Notes Per Position:

Shortstop – The shortstop has the least time to make the play, so he has to buy time wherever he can. That is, he must always get better at charging the ball, even to the point of fielding the ball on the side (with a “snatch”).

Third Base – The third baseman has a little more time, and shouldn’t panic on a bobbled ball. Yet, it is a misnomer that a third baseman doesn’t have to charge the ball. It’s just that the first step of a charge is that much more important. It’s essential to have good balance on the throwing footwork, because the throw is a good distance. Also, too many third basemen panic on slow rollers and field them on the run, when they can break down and simply throw with no crow-hop.

Second Base – The second baseman has time and while he must charge in order to get a good hop, also has the opportunity to sit and get a long hop often times.

First Base – The first baseman must also charge in order to get the good hop, and must go after as many balls as possible. Most errors at first come from not keeping the feet moving. In addition, first basemen need good footwork receiving throws, focusing on not committing with the stride until the ball is thrown and it’s known where the ball is going.

OPPOSING THEORIES:

There aren’t really many disagreements on proper ground ball technique, although some people stress different things. For example, it seems clear that foot movement when the pitch crosses the plate is essential, while others ascribe to a right/left jab step and come to a stop. Also, there’s some debate over how to charge. Some say the charge should be smooth and in control so you can have rhythm through the ball. It does make sense that you should charge hard and in control, which is not much different, but the big difference is that when great athletes charge hard, they make it look smooth, creating a misconception that they are not charging hard. In fact, they are. Also, many times the “snatch” technique on short hops is deemed incorrect, when in fact, it is one of the great untold elements of technique in great fielders. This also applies to balls on the backhand.

Steal Coverage
The conundrum of steal coverage is how to get to the bag on time, but not give up an open space where the batter can hit the ball. Essentially, instead of sprinting straight for the bag when the runner breaks, the fielder should sprint towards the hitter, and then, when the ball crosses the plate, take a jump stop, then sprint for the base. This allows the fielder to get much closer to the bag, while not giving up any holes to the hitter. This is a highly successful technique. It especially applies to defending hit-and-runs, but it is a safe, easy steal coverage technique all the time.

Tags
When making tags on steals, allow the throw to reach the base (if possible), then put the glove on the corner of the base where the runner has to slide into. Don’t reach out for the ball and reach back to tag. If you don’t have 100% success at the ball not popping out, use two hands, but remember to protect the bare hand with the glove.

Catching Throws in the Dirt
Most of the time, this applies to first baseman, but it happens at every base. Poor technique and indifference on this play is greatly debilitating. Essentially, throws in the dirt are no different than ground balls, and should be treated with the same serious manner. After all, a ground ball not fielded cleanly is an error, but a throw not fielded cleanly is an error on the thrower. This causes apathy towards improving this skill.
In short, throws in the dirt should follow ground ball technique perfectly, with little difference. At first base (and on all force plays), it gets a little trickier because you have to hold the bag, yet the only difference is the feet aren’t squared up. Instead, the glove hand foot is forward, and the other is back. You should use two hands if possible, the “snatch” technique (same as for short-hops), and work ground-up (Photo 7A). If the ball has to be fielded to the right of the right foot for a right-hander (left of left foot for a lefthander), then you have to go to the backhand, remember to work ground-up, and use the “snatch” technique (Photo 7B).

OPPOSING THEORIES:
Many believe balls in the dirt to first basemen should all be fielded backhanded, but that doesn’t make sense. Correct ground ball technique is correct for a reason. The palm faces the sky, a ball slap is used, and the “snatch” technique is performed to inhibit in-between hops. Certainly, there is a point of no return where you have to switch to the backhand, but everything should be done to try to field it with the palm up. One tip is to twist the glove hand palm a little bit more open than usual. Supposedly with this technique, you can’t stretch as far, and supposedly two hands inhibits the stretch, but if you really try it, you will see those are misconceptions and should be used on all but the most extreme poor throws (if it’s that poor of a throw, it’s not a short hop anymore anyway).

Back-up Angles
Backing up bases on stolen base attempts is so important, but often done incorrectly. For example, at second base, the fielder not covering must wait for the pitch to cross the plate, then sprint to back-up. The fielder then must picture an imaginary line from home plate to second, then run to a point on that line far out in the outfield. Most infielders run right behind the base, but the problem is, there’s not enough time to get there, and you are too close to the fielder to adjust quickly to a poor throw, bad hop, or contact with the runner.

Double Plays


PIVOTS

Second Base Pivots
Essentially, there are four pivots, yet, all require the same left-catch-right-left progression which is: Step with the left, then catch the ball (Photo 8A), then step with the right (Photo 8B), then step with the left to throw (Photo 8C).

1) On the Bag, or Straddle (Feed directly at bag)
Place left foot one step towards first, catch the ball, plant right foot on base, step with left foot and throw. (You can do the same and simply straddle the bag.)

2) Step Behind (Feed to the right of bag)
Place left foot on base, catch the ball, plant right foot to the left field side of the base, step with the left foot and throw. The right foot must be turned inward on the plant to get momentum to throw to first.

3) Come Across (Slow or late feed, usually from third baseman)
Place left foot on base, catch the ball, reach forward with the right foot over the bag to the inside of the base line, step with left and throw. Right foot must be turned inward on plant to get momentum to throw to first.

4) Step Back (Early feed or to deceive the runner)
Place left foot on base, catch the ball, step back towards right field, step with left and throw.

Shortstop Pivots

1) Outside Pivot (from second baseman) Place left foot to left of base, catch ball, drag right foot around back of base, step with left and throw.

2) Inside Pivot (from first baseman, pitcher or catcher)
Place left foot on base, catch ball, push hard onto right foot on inside of baseline, step with left and throw on inside of baseline.

3) Fake to First, throw to Third
Place left foot to left of base, catch ball, drag right foot around back of base, step with left, fake a throw to first, do a 270-degree outside spin, step with right, step with left and throw to third.

Third Base Pivot

1) Step on Bag, Throw to First
Place right foot on bag, make sure you’re balanced, step with left and throw to first.

First Base Pivot

1) Step on Bag, Throw to Second
For a left-hander, place left foot on bag, step with right and throw on inside of baseline to second. For a right-hander, turn counter-clockwise, place right foot on bag, step with left and throw on inside of baseline to second.

Notes:

1) Keep feet moving like a tennis player before starting pivot.
2) Don’t commit to a pivot until you know where the throw is going.
3) Give the fielder a good target with hands up.
4) When giving a target, fingers of glove should face forward, not up. That’s because if feed is low, it’s only a quarter-turn, instead of a half-turn, thus, you won’t get handcuffed.

OPPOSING THEORIES:

There isn’t much debate about shortstop pivots, but at second base, there is always confusion. Let it be said, that the quickest, simplest, highest percentage way to turn a double play is the “On the Bag/Straddle” technique. It eliminates excess footwork, and allows the greatest chance at making a good throw to first.
However, there is paranoia about getting out of the way of the runner, even though in amateur baseball (college, high school, etc.), you are protected by the rules. The runner can’t roll, can’t slide past the base, and has to stay down. Therefore, as long as you get a little hop with your left foot, you will be able to get in the air and land on the runner. If the throw to second is really late, then you probably do have to do the “Come Across”, and if the throw is wide, then you have to adjust accordingly. Still, for the least confusion, and the most productive double plays, you should master one technique, the average double play with the assumption of a pretty good feed to the bag.

FEEDS

Second Base Feeds

1) Underhand Flip (Ball to right)
Open glove and give a firm underhand flip.

2) Short Toss (Ball right at you)
Bring throwing hand up while bringing left knee down (to the ground or close to it), face second base, give firm overhand feed (Photo 9).

3) Jump Turn (Ball slightly to left)
Jump turn 180-degrees (inward to the right) and give a firm sidearm feed.
4) Reverse Pivot (Ball far to left)
Field ball off left foot, spin left to the outside, throw overhand.

Shortstop Feeds

1) Underhand Flip (Ball to left)
Open glove and give a firm underhand flip.

2) Short Toss (Ball right at you)
Take a short drop step with the left foot, tuck glove in chest, throw firmly sidearm.

3) Backhand Feed (Ball to right)
Throw sidearm with no crow-hop while fading away.

Third Base Feeds

1) Short Toss (Ball right at you)
Short drop step with left foot, throw firmly overhand.

2) Throw on the Run (Balls to left)
Crow-hop (left-right), throw sidearm, or, throw sidearm on the run.

First Base Feeds

1) Right-hander
Make an inside jump turn to the right, throw on inside. or outside of baseline (depending on where the ball was fielded). Shoulders must square up.

2) Left-hander
Take drop step with the right foot, throw on inside or outside of baseline (depending on where the ball was fielded).

OPPOSING THEORIES:

There is some disagreement on the way a second baseman makes a feed on a ball hit right at him. The “drop the left knee/throwing hand up” technique is the most effective because it is efficient and eliminates a lot of variables that happen when you are just rotating your hips and throwing sidearm. That is, the throw is more accurate and firm.
Also, there is debate over which way a right-handed first baseman should turn in throwing to second. If he is holding the runner, he ends up on the inside of the baseline. He should then turn left-to-right, or an inside jump pivot, because it places him in a good balanced position to throw, as well as far inside the line so he won’t hit the runner. An outside pivot not only brings him precariously in line with the runner’s path, but also makes him disoriented when he turns 270-degrees and has to pick up the target.
Finally, there is some debate over whether a third baseman should throw sidearm or overhand to second. On balls right at him, overhand throws are recommended because it is more accurate - a big problem on this play – although higher skilled third baseman can throw sidearm (or three-quarters). On slow rollers, the third baseman has to throw sidearm.

Relays

Relays from the Outfield

On relays, the infielder must have efficient body movements. First, he must give a good target and yell which base for the outfielder to throw to (Photo 10A). When the ball is released, he turns and lines up his shoulders with the target (Photo 10B). Next, he runs under the ball, like a wide receiver in football, catches the ball with two hands, and throws. All the while, the infielder must be checking, or else be aware of, where the runners are.

Notes:
1) A good target is essential to help the outfielder.
2) A quick visual head-check of the runners is very possible if it is practiced.
3) It is essential to turn sideways, lining up with the target, while awaiting for the throw to arrive.
4) Run sideways and settle under the throw. If it’s a short relay throw, don’t run with the throw, instead, go to the ball, plant and throw.
5) The infielder should position himself according to the outfielder’s arm strength that specific day.
6) The fielder must use his own initiative. If the throw doesn’t reach the cut-off man in the air, he should relay it. Or, if it is off-line, that is grounds for an automatic relay as well.

Double Relay/Tandem Relay

On a double or triple, the shortstop always goes in front (unless the ball is down the right-field line), and the second baseman waits behind him, close enough so if the throw goes over the shortstop’s head, he can catch it in the air. If the throw short-hops the shortstop, he lets it go for the second baseman to take.

Verbal Calls

Relay calls are important, but not essential, because the fielder, by virtue of his visual check, should know where the play is going to be. There’s too much error (crowd noise, late calls, incorrect calls) in relying on someone else to decide the play. Here are the calls:
“Relay” – Fielder relays the throw to base he’s lined up with
“Let it go” – Fielder lets it go
“Cut 2” – Fielder cuts it and throws to second base

OPPOSING THEORIES:

Many people place absolute power on the person making the relay call to tell the others where to throw. This is a mistake because of all the potential human error involved. Instead, the relay man should take some responsibility, and act autonomously as often as possible, by giving head checks, knowing the speed of the runners, and being generally aware of where the throw should be going. For example, if the catcher is yelling to throw home but the outfielder’s throw is slow and short, the shortstop should suddenly realize there is no play at home, but he might get the guy at third.
Also, sometimes the second baseman in the double relay/tandem relay is placed twenty yards behind the shortstop or more. This leaves too much room between the shortstop and the second baseman, because it is imperative that the ball doesn’t bounce. Additionally, there is not enough emphasis on lining up the shoulders with the target before the ball is caught and once the initial throw is made. That is the biggest time saver, one that has nothing to do with physical talent.

Team Elements

Positioning

Positioning the infield is vastly underrated in importance. If practiced diligently, pitch-by-pitch, it not only makes the infield smaller, makes the infielder appear to have more range, and creates more outs, but it keeps the fielders more focused on the game.
The single goal is to try and anticipate where the batter will hit ground balls, not line drives or fly balls. To do this, the primary clues come from knowing the hitter’s tendencies, then factoring in the speed of the pitch.

Knowing the Hitters

Basically, hitters pull ground balls and hit fly balls the opposite way. Line drives are a little trickier as they are hit similarly to ground balls, but aren’t pulled as much.

Factoring in the Speed of the Pitch

Basically, hitters pull off-speed pitches (curveballs and changeups) more than fastballs. For example, an average pull hitter will hit curveballs to third base, fastballs to shortstop. But relative to the type of pitcher, a hitter can be a pull, up-the-middle, or opposite field hitter. For example, against a pitcher throwing 95 MPH, a college pull hitter will probably not be a pull hitter. But against an 80 MPH pitcher, the hitter will pull the ball. Also, an opposite field hitter on fastballs will still most probably pull curveballs.
To know the speed of the pitch, the middle infielders should look in and watch the catcher’s signs for every pitch of the game. If the pitch is a change-up, he should alert the third baseman (with a right-handed hitter) or the first baseman (with a left-handed hitter) so he can make an adjustment to the pull side. Location of the pitch is also important, as hitters usually hit outside pitches opposite, and pull inside pitches. The fielder should move accordingly, primarily if it’s an outside pitch, and when the pitch crosses the plate, the fielder should be slightly leaning towards the location of the pitch in anticipation that a batted ball will go that way.

As a Unit

In positioning, all the fielders need to move as one unit. They should pretty much be equidistant from each other. So if it’s a right-handed pull hitter, the third baseman should shade left, the shortstop should shade the hole, the second baseman should shade up the middle, and the first baseman should be off the line. For an opposite field right-hander, the third baseman should be shading the hole, the shortstop shading the middle, the second baseman shading the hole, and the first baseman towards the line (Graph. 1).
On top of those factors, the infielder should play as deep as possible as long as he can adequately make the throw to first. In addition, the speed of the runner and the speed of the field (dirt and grass) must be factored in to know whether to play shallower or deeper.
Double play depth is a simple adjustment. The goal is to make sure you field the ball sooner, as well as get to the bag quicker. For the third baseman, he simply moves in to the baseline. If it’s a strong pull hitter or the infield is fast, he can move back a step or two. The shortstop and second basemen should figure where they would play the hitter, then merely move in directly towards home plate halfway towards the infield grass. The first baseman is holding the runner so he’s already in, but with runners on first and second, he plays a few steps behind the runner.

OPPOSING THEORIES:

There is a great misconception on double play depth for middle infielders. Common knowledge dictates the shortstop and second baseman move two steps in and two steps over. But while that gets the fielder closer to the bag, it completely contradicts where you are anticipating the hitter will hit the ball. The same distance to the base will be acquired simply by moving halfway in. Additionally, you won’t lose any left-right range, and you will be shallow enough to field the ball in time to turn the double play. So many double plays aren’t even started because the shortstop can’t even field the ball in the hole, never mind turn two.
Another common over-compensation in positioning is with two strikes, especially with an 0-2 count. Yes, the batter will be a little later with two strikes, so the fielders should all be leaning that way, but it doesn’t warrant a drastic movement in positioning, especially from the bench coach, considering batters get two strikes far too often to panic every time it happens.

Extra Elements

1) With a runner on second, the shortstop must remind the third baseman to cover the bag on a ball in the hole.
2) On doubles, the first baseman must 1) watch the runner step on first, and 2) run right behind the runner all the way to second base as a trailer.
3) When throwing home, infielders must remember to square up and point their shoulder and elbow at home in order to make a good throw.
4) The shortstop and second baseman must use close mouth (I’ve got it) and open mouth (You’ve got it) for pre-pitch determination of coverage on steals.
5) The shortstop or second baseman (whoever’s covering) must sprint to the base after every pitch with a runner on first to protect against the delayed steal. With runners on other bases, the shortstop backs up the pitcher.
6) The shortstop and second baseman follows the flight of the pitch all the way in. Third and first baseman only watch the hitting zone.
7) With the infield in and no outs, the runner at third will probably not be going, so the infielders should gain ground back as many steps as possible without giving it away. The common numerical guide is:
1 = back
2 = double play depth;
3 = ¾ in (this situation)
4 = Infield in

Practice Drills

There are a million practice drills for infielders, but here are some with specific focus, starting with a short 5-10 minute workout (with interchangeable parts) which can be used daily, and is loosely referred to as the Daily Dozen.

Daily Dozen

1) Ball through Legs
Spread legs, glove on ground behind and between legs, transfer ball from hand in front of body, through legs into the glove. Make sure the ball is placed in the palm of the mitt. Then reach around the leg and take it out of the glove and do it again, as fast as possible. Make sure you get the correct grip of the ball every time. Next, switch legs, with glove in front of body, and reach around from the back with hand and put the ball in the glove, etc.

2) Short-hops through Legs
The same thing from both sides, but with short hops instead of simply placing ball in glove.

3) Ball around Back
Stand up straight, transfer the ball out of your glove in front, bring both arms around to the back, put the ball in the glove, bring arms in front, take ball out again, etc. Do as fast as possible.

4) Short Hop Drills (Pair off with a partner)
A. Short hops to middle of body - work on two-hand snatch technique
B. Short hops to left side - work on bending over left leg, use both one hand and two hands.
C. Short hops to backhand - Cross over with left leg, catch short hop backhands – work on bending left leg, staying down, and pulling the glove forward and over the ball (snatching).
D. Any Direction - Field short hops to any direction.

5) Rolled Ground Balls (with same partner)
Fielders roll balls to each other, practicing in a slow controlled manner how to approach a ground ball, first in front, then to left, then to backhand. The last three or four should be done at game speed.

6) Pickups
It is important to use this variation, because it most closely replicates fielding ground balls. Use one ball, no glove. Have the feeder stand close (Five feet away). The feeder rolls a ball to the fielder’s left, the fielder sprints with crossover steps, breaks down, reaches out with glove hand to the sky, ball slaps with the off hand, funnels ball in, and tosses underhand back to feeder. Then, he immediately starts sprinting back the other way, whereupon the feeder rolls another ground ball. It is important that the fielder leave first, and the feeder lead him with the rolled ball. This is a great drill for sprinting and breaking down quick, especially when you’re tired. A good workout is 15-20 pickups in a row.

7) Four Corners
Players line up in a square, anywhere from 30-60 feet apart. The fielders throw to each other around the square, working on footwork and getting the ball out of the glove. Players should get their feet moving, do their footwork before they catch the ball, do inside pivots like shortstops, and get rid of the ball quickly and accurately. After a few reps, you can switch directions. Other variations include throwing ground balls on every other throw, or throwing ground balls and fielding barehanded.

Double Play Drills

Practice all the various feeds and pivots.

1) Coach rolls grounders, fielders go slowly through the various feeds.

2) For shortstops and second basemen: Coach hits 6-4-3 double play, then shortstop goes to end of second basemen line, second baseman goes to end of shortstop line. Do the same for a 4-6-3.

3) For shortstops and second basemen: Coach hits 6-4-3 double play, while the first second baseman runs in front of the shortstop, replicating a distracting runner, while the other second baseman turns the double play. Then, the first second baseman goes to end of shortstop line. Do the same for a 4-6-3.

4) Roll a plastic trash barrel or basketball into second base for pivot man to practice “feeling” the runner.

Team Fungo Drills

Square Drill

Infielders at each position. Four fungo hitters, one for each base. Four types of grounders: 1) Straight on, 2) to left, 3) to right, 4) backhand.

Throws Drill
Infielders at each position. Two fungo hitters. Coach 1 at home plate hits a 5-3, while Coach 2 hits a 4-6. After a few reps, continue on to the next portion. Here is the whole progression:


Coach 1 Coach 2
5-3 4-6
6-3 5-4
4-3 5-6 (Bunt)/ 6-5 (in hole)
3-5 6-4

Game Speed
Throws to first and double plays for each fielder done game speed with a stop watch. The goal is 4.3 seconds or lower.

Other Infield Drills

Hops Against a Wall
A feeder throws balls off a wall, and the fielder, standing back 10 yards, plays the hop with good technique.

Controlled vs. 100% Ground Balls
Field grounders in a controlled fashion five times, then go game speed five times to instill good habits, and demonstrate the necessary speed to perform the correct technique.

Pepper
Good for practicing flips to a partner.

Bad Throw Drill
Fielders purposely throw in dirt to practice fielding bad throws. This can be done on double play drills too. Combine it with teaching good tagging technique.

Relays
Relay lines, or an infielder shagging for the outfielders to practice relays.

Popup Drills – Equilibrium.
Hit a pop-up and have the fielder do a 360-degree turn (or two) while the ball is in the air, practicing regaining balance and equilibrium.

Specialty Plays
Throws to home, 6-4-2 double plays, Relay lines

Throwing Technique Drills
With a partner, this gets every throw ever performed in a game into an 8-10 minute warm-up.

1) Underhand – firm underhand feed to partner.
2) Backhand flip – turn sideways 90-degrees to glove side and make a backhand flip, fingers on side of ball.
3) Rundown – run in place, then step with right foot (like throwing darts).
4) Sidearm – throw sidearm to your partner.
5) Jump Turn – pretend to field a ball to left, jump-turn 180-degrees clockwise, throw.
6) Reverse Pivot –Pretend to field ball to left, turn 270-degrees counter-clockwise, throw.
7) Backhand - pretend to field a backhand, then plant and throw.
8) Throwing on Run – take a running step and throw sidearm on run.
9) Bobbled Ball – drop ball on ground, quickly pick up, balance and throw.
10) Ball off Barrier – drop ball behind you, pick up ball, quick turn and throw.
11) Dive Play – start on knees, ball in glove, dive left or right, push up to stand, throw.
12) Kneeling position – get on knees and make a throw.
13) Sitting position – sit on ground and make a throw.
14) Relay Throw – back to target, hands up, turn sideways, replicate relay catch, throw.
15) Quick hands – play catch, transferring ball as quickly as possible.
16) Long Throw – long toss.

1. Problem: Bad throws to first
Remedy:
Get in good fielding position
Point shoulder/elbow
Short arm path
Good balanced throwing position
Good follow-through
Drills:
Throwing technique drills
Fungoes
Simulated games
Game speed drills

2. Problem: Getting the in-between hop
Remedy:
Charge hard with glove at chest
Have rhythm
Break down late
Reach out for ball
Snatch technique
Gain experience
Drills:
Short hop drills
Fungo drills
Balls off bat in batting practice

3. Problem: Lack of range
Remedy:
Have better positioning
Follow flight of pitch correctly
Good ready position – like a tennis player
Sprint with glove at side, not in front
Bend left leg when reaching to the side for a ball
Drills:
Pickups
Fungoes
Balls off bat in batting practice

4. Problem: Ball popping out of glove
Remedy:
Snatch technique with two hands
Ball slap
Catch ball in palm
Eliminate excess movement
Drills:
Short hop drills
Correct ball slap technique
Pickups

5. Problem: Poor relays
Remedy:
Turn sideways when throw is in the air
Run under ball like a wide-receiver
Don’t rely exclusively on other’s calls
Eliminate excess movement
Drills:
Relay line drills
Shagging for outfielders
Simulated Games

6. Problem: Bad throws to home on ground balls
Remedy:
Not squaring up with shoulders lined up at the target
Drills:
Throwing technique drills

7. Problem: Not successful on bobbled ball
Remedy:
Don’t panic
Don’t rush
Pick up ball with all five fingers before you look away
Eliminate excess movement
Drills:
Throwing technique drills
All infield drills

8. Problem: Bad positioning
Remedy:
Pay attention to hitter’s tendencies
Incorporate pitcher’s speed
Look at the catcher’s signs
Knowing the speed of the runner
Know the speed of the field
Drills:
Practice anticipating where your own teammates hit it during batting practice
Be aware of what batter is up at all times
Remember what he’s done that game or other games

9. Problem: Missing thrown balls in the dirt
Remedy:
Always use correct ground ball technique
Use two hands, even on throws
Eliminate excess movement
Don’t go to backhand unless necessary
Drills: Bad throw drill
Short hop drills
General fielding technique drills

10. Problem: Bad throws on double play pivots by second baseman
Remedy:
Follow the left-catch-right-left pivot technique
Follow through towards first and get your left foot in air to fall on runner
Don’t be fearful of the runner
Choose the simplest pivot possible and practice that technique
Drills:
Double play technique drills
Have a trash barrel or basketball rolled into your foot
Have a coach run at you while turning the pivot

11. Problem: Not getting the lead runner on bunts
Remedy:
Charge aggressively
Always think about getting the lead runner first
Don’t rely too much on catcher’s calls
Drills:
Team bunt drills

12. Problem: Not getting to the bag for steals on time
Remedy:
Charge hard towards home plate, then break hard to the base
Start from a shallower position
Drills:
Imagine a steal during batting practice
First-and-third drills

13. Problem: Not turning enough double plays
Remedy:
Position better – play regular position, just move halfway in towards the hitter
Know the speed of the field and the runner
Transfer ball from glove to hand quickly and fluidly
Drills:
Simulated games
Fungoes timed with a stop watch

14. Problem: Double clutching on throws to first
Remedy:
Smoothly combine fielding and throwing footwork
Round off balls correctly
Transfer ball from glove to hand quickly and fluidly
Drills:
All ground ball drills
Fungoes timed with a stop watch

15. Problem: How do I get a feel for and have rhythm as an
infielder?
Remedy:
Practice perfect technique always
Know when you didn’t use good technique
Know all the situations that you can possibly learn
Try to do the technique fast and hard, but also as smoothly as
possible
Be aggressive on ground balls
Get experience eliminating fielding the in-between hop
Eliminate excess movement
Drills:
Simulated games
Fungoes timed with a stop watch
Controlled vs. 100% drill
Do things game speed