Handbook for Coaches

in association with

GG Get Up & Go Baseball

GetUp&Go
Baseball

JRG IAN TS . O RG
 Table of Contents
Important Dates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Dear Coach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Mission Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Junior Giants Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Tips For Effective Girls Recruitment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Confidence (Weeks 1 & 5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Junior Giants Four Bases of Character

Leadership (Weeks 2 & 6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Teamwork (Weeks 3 & 7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Integrity (Weeks 4 & 8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Junior Giants Double-Goal Coach Job Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
General Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Giants Community Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Get Up & Go Baseball
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Chapter 1 Coaching Philosophy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Chapter 2 Throwing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

The Glove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

Chapter 3 Receiving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Chapter 4 Infield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Playing First Base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70
Chapter 5 Outfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Chapter 6 Hitting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82
Batting Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105
Chapter 7 Bunting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
Chapter 8 Catching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
Chapter 9 Baserunning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122
Chapter 10 Coaching the Bases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .128
Chapter 11 Sliding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129
International Standard Book Number 0-9718202-0-1
Chapter 12 Cut Offs and Relays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .132
Youth League Diamond (60 foot bases) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134
Chapter 13 Pop Fly Responsibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144

Practice Plans (Ages 7 through 12) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150

Revised 2008 Chapter 14 Practice Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146

Specialized Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160

T-Ball Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163
Copyright 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2008 by Get Up & Go Baseball, PO Box 3844, Walnut Creek,
CA 94598. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or
by any means, or stored in a data base or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of Get Up & Go Baseball LLC.

Pre-Game Routine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .167

Chapter 15 Game Coaching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .166

Jump Rope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .171

Chapter 16 Warming Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168

Pepper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .172

JRG IAN TS . O RG JRG IAN TS . O RG

 2008 IMPORTANT DATES LOG ONTO JRGIANTS.ORG TO BECOME AN
OFFICIAL JUNIOR GIANTS COACH!
• SATURDAY, JUNE 21ST Coaches Clinic at AT&T Park
Sign up and be the first to hear about upcoming Junior
• SATURDAY, JUNE 28TH Coaches Clinic at Van Buskirk Community Center in Stockton
G iants events, learn fun and educational coaching tips,
at 10:00 am
and get the inside scoop on the latest G iants news.
(fo r mo re info rmatio n please co ntact Jennifer Liu at 415-972-1594
You will also be entered for a chance to win great
o r jliu@sfgiants.co m)
G iants prizes!
• SATURDAY, JUNE 28TH Coaches Clinic at Chukchansi Park in Fresno at 10:00 am
(fo r mo re info rmatio n please co ntact Jennifer Liu at 415-972-1594 Coaches Handbook
o r jliu@sfgiants.co m) DEAR COACH,
• FRIDAY, JULY 25TH Junior Giants Scholar applications are due Mission Statement
• SATURDAY, AUGUST 2ND Junior Giants Festival hosted by San Francisco Recreation and We believe a successful coach can teach players how
Park Department to play the game and develop a player’s self-esteem The G iants C o mmunity Fund uses
(fo r mo re info rmatio n please co ntact Ellen Per ieff at 415-831-6303 and confidence by helping them succeed at the sport. baseball as a fo rum to enco urage yo ung
o r ellen.per ieff@sfgov.o rg) peo ple and families to live healthy,
• TUESDAY, AUGUST 5TH Strike Out Violence Art/Poem/Prose Contest Deadline Whether you are new to coaching or have been pro ductive lives.The Fund suppo r ts
• WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6TH Round the Bases scorecards are due (turn in to C o mmissio ner) coaching for several years, we believe learning how to Junio r G iants summer leagues in
• FRIDAY, AUGUST 8TH Junior Giants Willie Mac Award applications are due instruct will enhance your abilities. Everyone’s level of C alifo rnia, Nevada, and O rego n and
• SATURDAY, AUGUST 9TH Education Night (Junio r G iants Scho lar s attend) baseball knowledge is different. But what we have in co llabo rates w ith the San Francisco
• SATURDAY, AUGUST 16TH Homerun Readers Day at AT&T Park common is a desire to help our players, and gaining G iants to provide assistance to targeted
• SUNDAY, AUGUST 24TH Junior Giants Day presented by Bank of America at AT&T Park knowledge can only help. co mmunity initiatives in educatio n,
• SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6TH Junior Giants Coaches Recognition Day at AT&T Park health, and vio lence preventio n.
It is a coach’s responsibility to create an atmosphere that
is positive and enjoyable. Encourage players to be Since its inception, the Fund has donated
supportive of each other by congratulating teammates more than $9 million to community
when they perform well, hustle, or give good efforts. effor ts.The Fund, a 501(c)(3) non-profit,
JUNIOR GIANTS SCHOLARS Attitude and morale can be improved by giving every is managed by a 30-member Board of
For the seventh year, the Giants Community Fund is proud to offer player an opportunity to contribute to the team. Directors and sustained by contributions
the Junior Giants Scholars program for students entering the eighth from individuals, businesses, and
grade.This unique scholarship program selects scholars before foundations through a number of special
entering eighth grade and awards their scholarship upon successful par tnerships and fundraising events.
completion of high school and acceptance to a college or a training
program. Commissioners will have applications. Please encourage THE GIANTS COMMUNITY
those entering eighth grade to apply! Applications are due no later FUND THANKS
than Friday, July 25th! All winners will be recognized during a pre-game
ceremony on Saturday, August 9th.
JUNIOR GIANTS WILLIE MAC AWARD We are grateful to Bank of America
Named in honor of San Francisco Giants Hall of Famer Willie for stepping to the plate as Presenting
McCovey, this award is the Junior Giants version of the annual Sponsor of the Junior Giants program.
award given to a Giants player by his teammates.The Junior Bank of America’s partnership allows
Giants Willie Mac Award will go to one outstanding Junior Giants the Junior Giants program to continue
player and coach from each league who best exemplifies team to reach underserved youth across
spirit and leadership. Please submit nominations to your RON WOTUS
Giants Bench Coach three states.We look forward to our
Commissioner by Friday, August 8th! partnership for years to come!

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 JUNIOR GIANTS PROGRAMS VIOLENCE PREVENTION All entries should include: Full name, address,
phone number, age group, league name, and
STRIKE OUT VIOLENCE
The Giants Community Fund is continuing to offer Junior Giants programs in the areas of Health, SPEAKER’S EVENTS parent/guardian’s name and email address.
Education, and Violence Prevention that will enhance the overall Junior Giants program. As coaches, The Giants Community Fund is organizing a Submit your entry: Send your entry to our
you are the voice to deliver the information to your players about these exciting opportunities! traveling speakers group to talk about violence offices by Tuesday, August 5th, 2008. Return
prevention issues in select communities in 2008. entries to:
Join motivational speaker Michael Pritchard at Carolyn Della Maggiore
HEALTH Coaches and parents need to check off the one of our speaker’s programs that address Junior Giants Strike Out Violence Contest
player’s scorecard included in the Player/Parent issues such as bullying and gang prevention. It is 24 Willie Mays Plaza
BENGIE MOLINA HEALTHY TIPS POSTER an informative, fun day for Junior Giants players San Francisco, CA 94107
Handbook. Award categories are achieved
Located inside the Player/Parent Handbook, based on number of minutes read by each and families. Everyone will receive a special gift Questions? Contact Carolyn Della Maggiore at
this year’s pullout health poster features Giants player. If the entire team makes it to the for attending. 415-972-1853 or cdellamaggiore@sfgiants.com.
catcher Bengie Molina conveying his healthy Homerun level, they will be invited to play on
eating and exercise tips to the field at AT&T Park on Saturday,
all Junior Giants! The poster Saturday, June 7th - East Fresno
August 16th.
also includes a chart for Saturday, June 28th - Modesto
players to track their own Saturday, July 12th - Red Bluff
healthy eating and exercise JUNIOR GIANTS COLLEGE
DREAMS PROGRAM Saturday, July 19th - Stockton
habits.This poster is an easy
way to educate players on We are pleased to introduce a valuable new
how to live a healthy lifestyle benefit to the Junior Giants world: the Junior “JUNIOR GIANTS IMAGINE PEACE”
and connect them with one Giants College Dreams Program.We believe CONTEST
of the Giants’ standout that education is key to the success of young We know our Junior Giants are as talented off
players. Every Junior Giant people as they grow to become the the field as they are on. Encourage your players
will be reminded on a daily stakeholders and leaders of our society.The to submit a poem, song, or piece of art that Er ik Lo pez - Mo nterey C o unty PA L
basis to eat right and Junior Giants College Dreams Program emphasizes what their community would look
exercise regularly…just like presents the opportunity for Junior Giants who like if it were violence free.Winning pieces will
the pros do! satisfactorily complete a specified high school be acknowledged on Strike Out Violence Day
curriculum to be admitted to a Cal State (September 7th). Many of the pieces submitted
Where Violence Ends

University. And for those who cannot afford

by: Candi Brincat

EDUCATION will also be displayed around the ballpark, in the

Junior Giants Player, Age 12

college, school representatives will work with 2009 handbooks, and on our website.
The Junior Giants Round the Bases Reading
You think a gang is cool

them to find appropriate financial aid.

but you are just a fool.

Program is an incentive program based on Submit your work for a chance to be

recognized! Note: Entries will not be returned.
You know with violence
individual and team-
there is always eerie silence.

based goals. Junior Special thanks to San Francisco State University It isn't right.

Giants players and for spearheading this project to enable Junior

So don't fight.
Contest age groups and categories:
teams are encouraged Giants to follow the right steps in order to be
Talk it out.

to read books and admitted to one of 23 colleges in the California 5–10 years old: Create a drawing, painting, or
Don't shout.

earn Giants-branded State University System. More information is other artwork with your violence prevention
Dry those tears

rewards based on forthcoming and will be available soon through message. Artwork cannot be larger than 11x17.
and talk about your fears.

minutes read. the website: jrgiants.org. 11–18 years old: Create artwork, a short essay,
Now you are friends

a poem, or a song with your violence prevention

right here is where it ends.

message. Entry should be no longer than two

pages, double-spaced.

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 TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE
GIRLS RECRUITMENT JUNIOR GIANTS
1. Go to where the girls are! A poster at your Rec Center won’t bring girls in if they aren’t there yet.
FOUR BASES OF CHARACTER
2. Use active recruitment strategies – find the girls, meet them, and talk to them.
3. Use girls to recruit other girls.
4. Foster school partnerships. Introduce yourself to the principal, guidance counselor, PE teacher,
daycare supervisor, etc. See who is willing to work with you to promote on-site outreach.They will Junior Giants coaches are expected to be DOUBLE-GOAL coaches who —
be able to help you set up class presentations, will know when the PTA meets, can help you set up
1. prepare their players to perform to their maximum potential, and
short outreach demonstrations, etc.
2. most importantly, teach life lessons.
5. Have a demonstration where the girls can see and sample the program. For example, run a fun set
of baseball drills at recess. Invite the girls to participate and play.Then give them flyers about your
program and get their phone numbers. Junior Giants coaches realize these two goals go hand in hand.

6. Follow-up. Sometimes a girl will need multiple invitations. Don’t let up. During our two-month season, coaches will focus on the “Junior Giants Four Bases of
7. Recruit female coaches and have them participate in recruitment. Remember the power of girls Character.” Each week of the season, all Junior Giants coaches will focus on the same base.
having female role models.
WEEK 1: CONFIDENCE
8. Connect with families right from the start. Parents are more likely to allow or encourage WEEK 2: LEADERSHIP
their daughter’s participation if they know and trust you. If you are not the one who has family WEEK 3: TEAMWORK
contact, encourage your coaches to connect with families before the season begins or at WEEK 4: INTEGRITY
the very beginning of the season.
For the second half of the season, pick a new activity or two for each Base of Character.
Perhaps some of the activities from the first half of the season will carry over into the second
half, and that’s great! Make sure to challenge yourself to try a few new activities each week in
addition to those that are already working well.

WEEK 5: CONFIDENCE
WEEK 6: LEADERSHIP
WEEK 7: TEAMWORK
WEEK 8: INTEGRITY

Young athletes can learn so many important life

lessons through baseball. This handbook gives you
quick and effective activities you can do with your
team to focus on confidence, integrity, teamwork,
and leadership. When you are sitting down to plan
your next practice, go beyond drills that teach your
players how to hit, field ground balls, and throw.
Work in some of the following character-building
activities as well!

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 CONFIDENCE: WEEKS 1 & 5
As coaches, we have a great opportunity to ELM TREE Before your first game, set an effort goal for As the coach, you have to be on your toes in
increase our players’ self-confidence (belief in Take 10 minutes to introduce the ELM Tree to your teamsuch as — each batter will run all case any of the players get left out. You should
their own abilities). As our players’ confidence your players, and make sure they realize that the way through first base on every hit. be the last person to speak, and you can give
increases, their level of anxiety goes down, and you care most about their EFFORT. Tell them specific positives for any player that was
they are willing to work harder and stick to that if they always give 100% during practice With this effort goal in place, every player can missed.
tasks longer. Use the following activities with and games, you will be proud of them. have success. Whether or not he is safe at first
your team to increase their confidence. is secondary to whether or not he ran all the You will find that the players love the Winners
The ELM Tree asks your players to focus on: way through the base. Players will learn they Circle. After the game they will run to the spot
MISTAKE RITUAL — can control whether or not they achieve these where you usually have your Winners Circle,
“DON’T SWEATIT” • Effort • Learning • Mistakes being OK
effort goals, and this will give them confidence. and they will already know exactly what they
The fear of making mistakes can have a massive By having your players focus on the ELM Tree, want to say. Besides increasing your players’
negative impact on our players’ confidence. As you will give them complete control over their Other effort goals include: confidence, the Winners Circle will also start
coaches, we need to give our players a tool to own success. Rather than simply thinking about • backing up bases when a throw might to get your players thinking like coaches!
help them bounce back from mistakes. One how many times they get on base, players will be coming,
such tool is the “mistake ritual.” A mistake focus on their learning and improvement.
ritual symbolizes to the entire team(players • taking strong swings at the plate,
and coaches) that the mistake is over, and it is The ELM Tree fosters this sort of thinking: • working to get your body in front
time to move on. “Don’t Sweat It” is an of ground balls, and
“How hard amI trying? How much of myself
excellent mistake ritual. When a player makes a amI giving? • getting under fly balls.
mistake, teammates tell their teammate “Don’t I may not be able to control whether I am
Sweat It.”A mistake is something we don’t better than someone else, but I can control As the coach, remember to reward your
want, so we don’t sweat it! A coach can use the whether I continue to learn and improve.” The players when they achieve these effort goals. It’s
“Don’t Sweat It” motion as well, as players ELM Tree bolsters your players’ self-confidence easy to remember to compliment a player
often look to the coach after making a mistake. and, as a by-product, improves performance. when he is safe at first. It is equally, if not more,
It’s over. Now, on to the next play! important to reward the fact that he ran hard
EFFORT GOALS through first, even if he was out.
Using a mistake ritual will help you create an
Players have confidence when they feel they
environment where your players are not afraid
have control. One way to give our players WINNERS CIRCLE
to try new things because they will not be
control is to set effort goals (rather than After your first game, bring the teamtogether
afraid of making mistakes. Freeing our players
outcome goals) with them. An effort goal in a circle. Move around the circle fromplayer
from the fear of making mistakes will increase
differs froman outcome goal in this crucial way to player having each person say something
both their skills and their enjoyment of the
— players can usually achieve effort goals if specific and positive that one of his or her
game.
they give 100%. Outcome goals (such as batting teammates did in the game.Your players’
.350) cannot necessarily be achieved, even confidence will rise when they realize their
At your first practice, introduce the mistake
when a player gives 100%. teammates saw things they did well in the game.
ritual of “Don’t Sweat It,” or work with your
players to create your own mistake ritual!

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 LEADERSHIP: WEEKS 2 & 6
As the coach, you want to make sure that Make sure the base coaches know that their Remind themto “Don’t Sweat” mistakes if they Going around the circle from player to player
every player on your team has a chance to play teammates rely on themwhen they are running make them. If we want kids to learn to lead, will ensure that every player has a voice (not
leadership roles. When a player leads the team, the bases. Being a base coach is an extremely we have to be willing to accept their mistakes. just your most vocal players).
he/she guides the team and influences its important leadership role for the team, and
direction and focus. Try these activities with some of the players might shy away from AROUND THE HORN Save your comments for the end! This is not
your team. playing this role. In these cases, encourage After every game (start with the first one!), easy, but letting the players talk first will give
players to start out as base coaches with an have your players sit down in a circle to talk you a chance to hear your players’ thoughts,
ROTATE PLAYERS LEADING WARM-UP adult coach at their side. about the game. Go around the circle and have and they will not just repeat back to you what
Always have two players leading warm-up, each player comment on the game. What do you already said.
whether at practice or a game (maybe they are Recognize that players are going to make they think your teamdid well? What was
leading with a coach). Rotate the two players mistakes as base coaches, but they will never ROTATE THE CAPTAIN POSITION
getting to lead warm-up on a weekly basis. learn to do it unless they get the chance to try it. the most exciting part of the game? What might Each week name two new captains. When you
Make sure the rest of the team is following they want to work on before the next game? name the captains, talk with them about their
their lead through the running, stretching, and duties, which should include wishing the
warm-up activities. captains on the other team good luck before
the game and introducing themselves to the
At the start of the season, the players leading umpires. If you don’t have official umpires, your
warm-up may need some ideas from you about captains can introduce themselves to the other
what they should have the team do, but as the team’s coach.Your captains should also always
season progresses, they will need less input. thank the umpires at the conclusion of the
Encourage the players leading warm-up to be game (even if the umpires are the coaches).
creative!
Your captains will be the leaders of your Team
BASE COACHES Tasks (see page 10). They will also start the
When your teamis up to bat, have one player line for shaking hands with the other team after
stand with the third base coach and one stand games and will encourage their teammates to
with the first base coach (have themwear circle up after games for Winners Circles and
helmets). The adult coaches should talk with Around the Horn. Bottomline, you want your
the players about what their job is as a base captains to know they set the example for the
coach and develop them to the point where rest of the teamin their words and actions.
they can be a base coach on their own.
Depending on the age of the players, you might
be able to let the players base coach on their
own from the beginning (after giving them some
tips on how to do it).

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JRG IAN TS . O RG JRG IAN TS . O RG
 TEAMWORK: WEEKS 3 & 7
Help your players see that what they can TEAM TASKS During the game, give the bench ideas of what After they have all made it on safely, have them
achieve if they work together as a team is much Think of tasks your whole team can work to write down on the Positive Chart.At the hold their positions on the islands for 10
greater than what they can achieve as a group of on at once. One teamtask might be preparing start of the season, they will really need your seconds, and then tell them to step back into
individuals. Exercising teamwork means the field for the game. Another team task help to get all of the blanks filled, but as the the “water.” Take away one or two sheets of
constantly asking yourself how your actions can might be collecting all of the equipment after season progresses, they will rely on you less and paper, and again give them 20 seconds to get on
best benefit the team, rather than just yourself. practice or after a game. Ask your players to less.After the game, or at your next practice, an island. Repeat this again and again. As there
The following activities can help to focus your think of some creative team tasks they can do share the comments from the Positive Chart. are fewer and fewer islands, your players will
players on the idea of teamwork. together. have to become more and more creative to not
[For more detailed information on Positive touch the water. Perhaps they have one foot on
FILLING THE EMOTIONAL TANK When your teamstarts a teamtask, make sure C har ting, check out the following: www. one island and one foot on another island. They
Talk with your team about how every player your players realize that no one can move on positivecoach/toolbox/positive_char ting.html] might have six people all balancing on one
has an “Emotional (Gas) Tank.” When a player to a new activity until the entire teamtask is island by joining hands in the middle.They might
tells a teammate what he is doing well, his done. This means that if one player finishes his EVERYONE ON AN ISLAND even think of picking up the islands and putting
teammate’s tank fills. When teammates criticize part of the task quickly, he finds a teammate to Bring 10 big sheets of paper to practice (can be them closer together.
each other, tanks get drained. Tell your players, help. Eventually, the entire team will be working pieces of news-paper). Put the 10 sheets of
“To be a good teammate, you want to to complete the last part of the task together. paper out on the ground (in a fairly small Finally, see if your team can find a creative way
constantly fill your teammates’ tanks and never area—maybe part of the infield). Tell your to all be standing on one island with no one
drain them.” POSITIVE CHARTING players they have 20 seconds to get on an touching the water. Can they hold this position
“island,” and make sure they know it is OK to for 10 seconds?
At each game, have a list of all of your players’
Do an exercise with your teamwhere you names with space next to each name to write share islands. (Because there are only 10 sheets
pretend to make a mistake (perhaps throwing comments (this will likely be a piece of paper of paper, they will have to share.) It should be
the ball over the first baseman’s head). Ask on a clipboard). This list will become your fairly easy for them to fit on the 10 islands.
themto drain your tank. See if they can come Positive Chart.
up with ways to drain your tank without saying
anything (shaking their heads, frowning, or During the game, have your players on the
kicking the ground). Then pretend to make bench watch for specific things their team-
another mistake and have thempractice filling mates are doing well. Whenever they see a
your tank. They will find this much more positive, they will write a brief description of
difficult! Be ready to give them some ideas of the positive in the space next to their
how to fill their teammates’ tanks after teammate’s name. By the end of the game, each
mistakes are made. player should have two or three positives
written next to his name, for example:
Then, in your next drill at practice, have
them focus on being tank fillers. The tank filling Mike — 1) great throw to first in 2nd inning, 2)
should be as much a goal of this drill as the reminded Juan “Don’t Sweat It,” 3) backed up
baseball skills they are practicing. At the end of first base in the 5th inning.
the drill, bring the team together and have
them share ways they filled each other’s tanks.

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JRG IAN TS . O RG JRG IAN TS . O RG
 INTEGRITY: WEEKS 4 & 8
Baseball provides a great setting to teach TEACHABLE MOMENTS Assign different players the responsibility of Keep a list of these professional coaches and
athletes about integrity (being morally Seize examples of particularly good or hanging the sign (they will need tape) and taking players, and have your team bring in articles and
upstanding and honest with one’s self and particularly poor sportsmanship to discuss with care of it between games. pictures of these people. These stories and
others). If we do not actively teach the concept your team. These examples can come from pictures may come from the newspaper,
of integrity to our players, they will likely miss Major League games that your players have PROFESSIONAL EXAMPLES magazines, or team programs. For a few minutes
out on this lesson. Use the following activities seen on television. Take 10 minutes of practice At the end of practice (or a game), give your before or after practice, have your players pass
to help your players see where the topic of to describe something involving good or bad players a “homework” assignment to find around and share the articles and pictures. As the
integrity arises in sports. sportsmanship that happened in a Major League professional players or coaches (fromany sport) coach, you can decide if you want to make a
game, and discuss it with your players. Ask how who Honor the Game. At the next practice, have collection of these items. If your team really
RESPECT FOR ROOTS they would have acted in the same situation. your players explain to their teammates what enjoys this activity, you might even bring a big
Take 10 minutes with your team before these professional players and coaches specifically piece of poster board and a gluestick to practice,
practice to introduce the concept of “Honoring You can also seize teachable moments from do to Honor the Game. so they can make a collage of all of these players
the Game” by respecting ROOTS: your own games. Sometimes players will come and coaches who Honor the Game.
off the field upset by something the other team
Rules said. This provides you with an ideal teachable
Refuse to bend the rules to win moment. Take your player aside, and let her
know that you do not agree with the other
Opponents team’s conduct. Make sure your player realizes
A worthy opponent brings out our best that on your team, you don’t insult other
Officials players (no matter what they may do or say).
Respect them even when we disagree
* C autio n—There may be times w hen yo u
Teammates want to seize teachable mo ments w hen o ne o f
Never do anything that embarrasses our team yo ur player s is no t Ho no r ing the G ame. In
these cases, use the technique o f co rrecting in
Self pr ivate. Rather than embarrassing a player in
Uphold our standards regardless of what fro nt o f the w ho le team, take him aside and let
others do him know how yo u do things o n yo ur team.

You can have your players guess what ROOTS MAKE A BANNER
stands for by asking, “What do we have to Bring an old white sheet or a big piece of
respect in the game of baseball that starts with butcher paper and paint or markers to
the letter T?” Once they know T stands for practice. Have the players make an “Honor the
Teammates, have them think of ways they can Game” banner that you will display at every
honor their teammates. game. The banner might read “We Honor the
Game Here,” or, “We Respect ROOTS!” This
At the end of practice, ask your teamwhat banner will serve as a constant reminder to
ROOTS stands for, and don’t worry if your players, coaches, and fans that you Honor the
players don’t remember it at first. Keep asking Game.
them this question at each practice and game
until they remember!

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JRG IAN TS . O RG JRG IAN TS . O RG
 JUNIOR GIANTS DOUBLE-GOAL
COACH JOB DESCRIPTION
3. Fill your players’ Emotional Tanks. 4. Have conversations during team meetings
You are the most important person in our organization. You determine the kind of experience our • Use encouragement and positive with your players every practice and every game.
athletes will have this season. We are committed to the principles of Positive Coaching. reinforcement as your primary method • Review Honoring the Game, the ELM Tree,
We expect our coaches to be “Double-Goal Coaches” who want to prepare their players to of coaching. and the Emotional Tank in practice
perform to their maximum potential and, most importantly, teach life lessons.The following is what throughout the season.
• Strive to achieve the 5:1 “Magic Ratio” of
we expect from you during the coming season. five positive reinforcements to each • Remind players about these three
criticism/correction. concepts before and after every game.
1. Model and teach your players to 2. Help players redefine what it means to be a • Build “fun activities” into your practices, so • Ask questions and encourage players
Honor the Game. Teach the elements of “Winner” in terms of effort, not just the players will enjoy baseball. to speak and contribute during team
ROOTS* — Respect for: Rules, Opponents, scoreboard: meetings.
• Teach players to fill each other’s Emotional
Officials,Teammates, and Self. • Teach players about the ELM Tree Tanks so they can play their best. • Let players speak first after a game.
• Appoint a parent to be “Culture Keeper” concept (Effort, Learning, and bouncing • Learn to give criticism in ways that players
*

for the team. back from Mistakes). will be able to hear: Give constructive Thank you for all your time and effort!
• Review Honoring the Game regularly in • Develop a “Mistake Ritual” to help players criticism in private, “Ask Permission,” use
practice. quickly rebound from mistakes. the “CriticismSandwich,” etc. * See page 18 for a detailed description of these
• Seize teachable moments to talk with • Reward effort, not just good outcomes. • Use the Winners Circle after games to terms.
players about Honoring the Game. • Encourage players to set “Effort Goals”that are reinforce the positive things players did. Coach Job Description created by Positive
tied to how hard they try. Coaching Alliance. www.positivecoach.org

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JRG IAN TS . O RG JRG IAN TS . O RG
 GENERAL RULES
1. Age groups are 5-7 year olds, 8-10 Specific Rules for Tee-Ball Rules for 8-13 Year Olds: Specific Rules for 8-10 Year Olds:
year olds, 11-13 year olds, and 14-18 (5-7 Year Olds): 1. All games are seven innings or 90 minutes, 1. The 8-10 year old age group will field
year olds. Players should be within 1. Games are five innings or 90 minutes, whichever comes first. 11 players at a time, with one extra
their age group as of July 1st. whichever comes first. 2. There are only five pitches per batter. outfielder, and one extra infielder to be
2. All team rosters are due to the 2. Bases will be 50 feet apart. Note: A pitch is defined as a ball that a played at second base.
commissioner’s office by a date to be 3. Batters must hit the ball fair. There will be child has a legitimate chance of hitting. 2. Bases will be 60 feet apart.
determined by the local commissioner, no no balls, strikes, or bunting. 3. After the 5th pitch, if the batter has not put 3. The pitching machine will be placed
exceptions.Without a roster, you will not 4. The 5-7 year old age group will field the ball in play, the batter is out. 46 feet from home plate.
play. Team names will be on a first-come, 12 players at a time. Four outfielders 4. Any bad pitch made by the pitching machine 4. Note: The speed of the pitch will be
first-served basis. Team uniforms and colors and extra infielders are to be stationed may be disallowed only by the umpire. adjusted so as to allow each child the best
will be chosen by the league commissioner. between first and second base position, and 5. If a bad pitch is made, the umpire will call possible chance of putting the ball in play.
3. Before each game, the coach will give a between shortstop and second base. “no pitch” and play will stop. 5. No stealing is allowed.
team roster to the other coach/manager, 5. All players must participate in the field in 6. Any batted ball that hits the pitching
which will include all players to participate Specific Rules for 11-13 Year Olds:
each game. Each player must play two machine, generator, or umpire will be ruled
in that day’s game. consecutive innings with no more than 1. The 11-13 year olds will field 10 players,
a single.
4. After every game, captains will thank three innings in any one position. with the extra player to be played in the
7. Returning the ball to the fielding pitcher
the umpires. outfield.
6. The fielding pitcher must wear a batting will end the play.
5. After every game, teams will line up and helmet and be within 3 feet of the pitching 2. Bases will be 75 feet apart.
8. A foul tip that goes 6 feet over the catcher’s
shake hands. mound. 3. The pitching machine will be placed
head and is caught by the catcher is to be
6. Only the team’s coach/manager and 7. Once the fielding pitcher receives the ball 50 feet from home plate.
called an out, unless it is the 3rd strike,
the team’s captain may discuss an from his/her teammates, near the pitching where no height limit is needed. 4. Note: The speed of the pitch will be
umpire’s call. mound, the ball is dead and play will stop. adjusted so as to allow each child the best
9. Infield fly rule is to be enforced at all times.
7. Any fighting or unruly conduct will possible chance of putting the ball in play.
10. If a runner leaves too early, a team warning
result in either the player’s ejection or, 5. Three strikes is an out in the 11-13
will be issued and the runner will be sent back.
if necessary, a team’s disqualification. year old division.
11. If a runner leaves early and the batter gets
Any such decisions are made solely by 6. After the 3rd strike or 5th pitch, if the
a hit, the runner is out. The next time any
the umpire. catcher drops the ball, the batter will still
runner who was previously warned leaves
8. All players will bat in one continuous be out and the catcher does not have to
early, he/she will be automatically out.
batting order; this includes those not throw to first base. However, any base
12. Any slides performed in an effort to take
playing in the field. runners may still attempt to steal.
out the fielder or any attempt to interfere
9. Teams will not be allowed to bat through 7. Stealing is permitted only after the catcher
with the fielder (putting hands up or
the batting order more than once in any makes contact with the ball.
running into the fielder) will result in
given inning. an out. 8. There will be no stealing on a “no pitch”
10. Substitutions can only be made at the call. Any action that occurs on a “no pitch”
13. If a runner is the first part of a double play
end of an inning, unless a player has will not count.
and interferes with the fielder, the umpire
been injured. shall call the second half of the double play Specific Rules for 14-18 Year Olds:
11. All batters and runners will wear a batting attempt out as a consequence of the Current Official High School Baseball Rules will
helmet at all times. If a batter is caught runner’s interference. be used for this age group. The National
without a helmet, a team warning will be Federation of State High School Associations
given. Any infraction after that, the runner Rule Books will be supplied to the coaches.
or batter will be out. The on-deck batter
must also wear a helmet.
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JRG IAN TS . O RG JRG IAN TS . O RG
 DEFINITION OF TERMS
FROM COACH JOB DESCRIPTION
ROOTS - Positive Coaches teach their players to Freeing players from the fear of making mistakes
Honor the Game by getting to the ROOTS of will increase both their skills and enjoyment of the
positive play. game.
Rules —Refuse to bend the rules to win
Opponents — A worthy opponent brings
Effort Goals - Effort goals differ from outcome GIANTS COMMUNITY FUND STAFF
goals in this crucial way—players can usually
out our best Executive Director:
achieve effort goals if they give 100%. Outcome
Officials —Respect them even when we disagree Sue Petersen
goals (such as batting .350) cannot necessarily be
Teammates —Never do anything that achieved, even when a player gives 100%. Players Associate Director:
embarrasses our team quickly learn they can control whether or not they Paul Giuliacci
Self —Uphold our standards regardless of what achieve effort goals, and this will give them Senior Development & Projects Coordinator:
others do confidence. Carolyn Della Maggiore
Culture Keeper - A Culture Keeper helps shape the Ask Permission - When coaches have some Junior Giants Coordinators:
culture of a youth sports team. Culture is simply specific feedback they want to give a player, the Cassandra Adams
“the way we do things here.” A Positive Youth strategy of asking permission often works well. For Jennifer Liu
Sports Culture involves not only the coaches and example, a coach might ask, “Paul, are you up for Community Fund Assistant:
athletes, but also the athletes’ parents. That’s where talking with me a little bit about catching fly balls?” Blaine Mauldin
the Culture Keeper comes in—the Culture Keeper’s If Paul’s Emotional Tank is near empty, he may reply
Education & Development Assistant:
job is to spread the word about Positive Coaching with a “No.” In this case, the coach should respect
Valerie Saito
to parents on the sidelines.The Culture Keeper his answer and save the advice for later, which
makes the player curious. Hopefully, the next time
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
needs to:
the coach asks, Paul will say “Yes” to the coach.This
1. get to know the other parents at the beginning coaching technique makes sure athletes are ready
of the season, to hear coaches’ advice when it is given. Chair: Craig Alexander Andy Gordon Liz Steyer Advisory Board
2. understand the concepts of Honoring the John Gumas Mario Alioto Ricardo Hernandez Kenny Wardell
CriticismSandwich - As coaches, we always have a Members:
Game and ROOTS, Vice Chair: Larry Baer Frank Jordan Laurie Wotus
lot of feedback we want to give to our athletes.The Peter Magowan, Chair
3. know how to fill Emotional Tanks and how to Kathleen Dowling Julia Bromley Vernon Michael Kirton Rich Zirkel
Criticism Sandwich ensures that we keep our Ruth Brinker
focus on players’ effort, and McDonough Sue Burns Duane Kuiper
players’ Emotional Tanks full by starting with a Allan G. Byer Isabelle Lemon Special Renel Brooks-Moon
4. be ready to talk with other parents on the Secretary:
specific positive, followed by our correction, Jack Bair Br. George Cherrie Denise McCarthy Orlando Cepeda
sidelines about Honoring the Game. Participants:
followed by another specific positive. For example, Dick Cohn John Noguchi Fred Lau
Treasurer: Rick Enos
“That throw you made to the cut-off was perfect! John Yee Michael Crockett Tom Nolan Willie Mays
Mistake Ritual - The fear of making mistakes can Ron Exley
(Positive) Now, when you’re in the outfield, I want Juliet Don Lindbergh Porter, Jr. Willie McCovey
have a massive negative impact on players’ Keith Scheeler
you to try to stay focused on the game. (Criticism) Steven W. Etter Judi Ratto Michael Pritchard
confidence. Coaches need to give players a tool to John Feeley Sunny Schwartz Staci Slaughter
And I really liked the way you hustled to back up Mimi Silbert
help them bounce back from mistakes. One such
tool is the “mistake ritual.” A mistake ritual first base when the throw was coming. (Positive)”
symbolizes to the entire team (players and coaches) Winners Circle - A Winners Circle is started by GIANTS COMMUNITY FUND
that the mistake is over, and it is time to move on. players sitting together in a circle after a game. 24 Willie Mays Plaza, San Francisco, CA 94107
One such ritual is called “Don’t Sweat It.” Focus is shifted around the circle from player to Phone: 1-877-JR-GIANT Fax: 415-947-2644
player having each person say something SPECIFIC E-mail: communityfund@sfgiants.com Website: JRGIANTS.ORG
Using a mistake ritual helps create an environment
where players are not afraid to try new things and POSITIVE that one of his or her teammates did
T he G iants C o mmunity Fund w o uld especially like to thank G umas A dver tising fo r their creative effo r ts in pro ducing this handbo o k!
because they are not afraid of making mistakes. in the game. A ll pho to s co ur tesy o f the San Francisco G iants.

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JRG IAN TS . O RG JRG IAN TS . O RG
 Drills & Instruction for Coaching Youth Baseball

Introduction
Managers, coaches and players, Get Up & Go Baseball would like to welcome you to our instructional program.
Preseason and in-season training has become an integral part of youth baseball, and we are honored to help you
provide that experience for your players. Since the late 1980s, our staff has worked closely with numerous
youth leagues to make the game of baseball an enjoyable and educational experience.
In addition to more than 50 years of combined professional experience, we bring to our program a deep love
of the game and a keen desire to improve the experience for all youth participants. Our goal is to educate and
refresh your knowledge of the game. Our philosophy is to motivate and build players’ self-esteem and character
while developing their skills in a positive environment.
This manual is designed to guide you at practice and enhance your knowledge. It is also intended to give
you a simplified and fun way to teach. The manual is organized to be user-friendly. Each specific subject
includes an introduction, basic fundamentals, drills and games. The fundamentals are the foundation for skill
development, while the drills are designed to reinforce those fundamentals, and are the life-blood of any practice
routine. Games are included to help you teach in an effective and motivational manner.
Being aware of the proper fundamentals is a key component of the process. However, we believe learning
how to instruct and how to communicate with the player is a critical asset. We have given you our expertise on
how you can effectively communicate and instruct the baseball skills necessary for player development. Our
goal is to help give you all the tools necessary to help you coach and teach the game of baseball in an
encouraging way so all players can enjoy their baseball experience to the fullest. We believe this is the true
essence and spirit of baseball. Thank you for participating in our program.
Get Up & Go Baseball Staff

A Brief Background of Get Up & Go Baseball

Get Up & Go Baseball has been providing player and
coaching clinics since the late 1980s. After providing
clinics just for Erik Johnson’s hometown Little League,
San Ramon Valley, Get Up & Go is now conducting
coaching clinics throughout Northern California. Not
only has our staff all played Major League Baseball,
they have taught the game at almost every level. Ron
Wotus is an experienced Major League coach. Erik
Johnson is a professional Youth League coach, if you
will. And Joe Millette is a former college coach.
Through many years of research from player clinics,
coaching clinics and private instruction with youth
players and coaches, Get Up & Go has blended their
professional experience with Youth League experience and has created a program that is designed specifically to
teach those who are involved with players between the ages of 6 through 16 We believe we provide a unique
instructional program and hope you enjoy your experience with Get Up & Go Baseball.
To purchase Drills and Instruction for Coaching Success, call (925) 296-0628 or order on line at
www.getupandgobaseball.com.

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 Drills & Instruction for Coaching Youth Baseball

Authors
ERIK JOHNSON
Erik is one of the original founders of Get Up & Go Baseball and has been an active member of
the organization since the late 1980s. Erik grew up in Northern California and played Little League
baseball in the San Ramon Valley area where his teams qualified for the Little League and Senior
League World Series. His teams reached the championship game both times. Erik attended De La
Salle High School in Concord where he lettered in basketball and baseball. He received an athletic
scholarship to UC Santa Barbara and was named to All Pacific Coast Athletic Association baseball
team his last three seasons and a preseason All-American his junior and senior years. Erik was an
18th-round pick of the San Francisco Giants in 1987 and played professionally for 10 years,
including two seasons with the Giants in 1993-94. In 1995, Erik played in the Triple-A All-Star
Game and started at shortstop. Erik was inducted into the UC Santa Barbara Intercollegiate
Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998, into the Tri-Valley Hall Of Fame in 2002 and into the De La Salle
High School Hall of Fame in 2007. He is currently the President and Director of Baseball Instruction for EJ Sports, LLC. He
also the general manager for all of the traveling teams in EJ SPORTS. The Pacific Coast Stars, Titans and the Warriors. His teams
play internationally and domestically. Erik resides in the San Francisco Bay Area.

JOE MILLETTE
Joe is one of the original founders of Get Up & Go Baseball and has been an active member of
the organization since the late 1980s. Joe grew up in Lafayette, Calif., and he played in Lafayette
Little League and continued through Pony, Colt and American Legion. He attended Acalanes High
School where he played baseball, basketball, soccer and football. Joe attended Diablo Valley
College where he was an all-conference player and part of the most successful baseball team in
school history. He received an athletic scholarship to St. Mary’s College of California, where he
finished his collegiate career. Joe was elected captain as a senior and received the Bill Fischer
Award for overall commitment and dedication to St. Mary’s baseball. He graduated with a degree
in Business Administration. After college, Joe signed a free-agent contract with the Philadelphia
Phillies in 1988 and played professionally for 10 years. He played shortstop in the major leagues
in 1992-93 with the ’93 team losing to the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series. Joe played with
four other organizations — the Florida Marlins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Seattle Mariners and Chicago Cubs. He retired in 1998 after
shoulder surgery. In 1998-2000, Joe served as an assistant baseball coach at his alma mater. Joe resides in the San Francisco
Bay area with his wife Jennifer, daughter Lauren and sons Jack and Will.

RON WOTUS
Ron has been a member of Get Up & Go Baseball since the late 1980s. Beginning in 1979, Ron
played professionally for 11 years, spending parts of the 1983-85 seasons as an infielder with the
Pittsburgh Pirates. After retiring, he became a manager in the San Francisco Giants minor-league
system. In seven years, Ron’s teams finished 555-411 for a .575 winning percentage. During the
1991-92 seasons, Ron managed at Single-A San Jose, and his 1991 club posted a 92-44 record,
the best in all of professional baseball. He was voted California League Manager of the Year and
Baseball America’s Class-A Manager of the Year. From 1993-95, Ron managed at Double-A
Shreveport and led the team to three consecutive playoff berths. The 1995 team won the Texas
League championship with an 88-47 record, the best in all of minor-league baseball. In 1996-97,
Ron managed the Triple-A Phoenix club, and the team won back-to-back Pacific Coast League
Southern Division titles. The 1997 team finished 88-55, the best record in Triple-A baseball, and
Ron was voted Best Manager Prospect by his peers. In 1998, Ron was the San Franc

23
 Chapter 1: Coaching Philosophy

COACHING PHILOSOPHY
Enjoying your experience with your players, as well as the players enjoying
their experience with you, should be your first goal in coaching. Along with
a good rapport, the ultimate goal is to see the players improve their skills in
the game and to have their desire to play continue to grow. As a coach, it is a great joy to
watch your players perform successfully on the field as
they grow in confidence, character and self-esteem.
When players are failing on the field — striking out, Expert Advice on
dropping the baseball and throwing it wildly — you
would agree it is much more difficult for them to enjoy
Coaching Different
that experience and to develop confidence and self- Individuals
esteem.
The best coaches adapt
Our goal in this section is to help you understand that
a quality coach can teach players how to play the game
their style to all the
and to develop character, confidence and self-esteem. different individuals,
In our eyes, helping a player perform while mentoring rather than expecting
young men and women is what coaching is all about. But players to adjust to the
it is not an easy task. It takes a commitment on your coach. The goal doesn’t
behalf to put the player first. It takes an understanding change with what the coach
that every player is different and in a different place
wants to accomplish;
when it comes to strength, athletic ability, aptitude and
desire to improve as a baseball player. If a player has all what’s different is how he
of these, they have a good chance to develop into a handles each player to
quality player. But not all players are that committed to accomplish that goal.
the sport, or they are lacking in strength or ability at a Some players need only
particular time and place. Remember, all can be
guidance and support while
developed over time even athletic ability. Although a
certain amount is god given the rest can be develop others need direction and
through hard work and dedication. discipline.

What Is Coaching?
Youth coach? Teacher, mentor, character-builder? What do you want to be? When you take on the position of
coaching, whether you realize it or not, whether you want it or not, you will leave an impression on your players.
We pose this question because coaching is much more than running the team and its play on the field. It is much
more than wins and losses. You will have an opportunity to teach, influence and mentor your players on the
diamond, and more importantly, as young men or women. You have a chance, usually reserved for parents,
family members and schoolteachers to leave a positive impact on the life of your players. In the big scheme of
life, what is important for you to pass along and how would you like to be viewed by your players and their
parents? Remember, whether it is a youth coach, high school coach, college coach or professional coach, this
game is about the players not the coach.

24
 Drills & Instruction for Coaching Youth Baseball Chapter 1: Coaching Philosophy

Three-Time Manager of the Year Dusty Baker on BASEBALL FUNDAMENTALS WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN PERFORMANCE
Getting the Most Out of Your Players: In essence, proper body positions are proper fundamentals. Getting players into better positions for hitting
“You have to care about the player. Be honest, firm but fair. throwing and fielding gives players a better chance for success. But getting them to do so is not always as easy
Players are looking for love and discipline, but love is discipline. ” as it sounds. Once we identify a flaw and decide on how to best communicate our instruction, it is up to the
player to make the adjustment.
Coaches cannot control a player’s athletic ability and hand-eye coordination. A player’s aptitude and desire
to improve will also enter into the equation, but improving a player’s fundamental position can make a big
THE DIFFICULTY OF THE GAME HAS STOPPED MOST OF US FROM ADVANCING.
impact on that player’s potential for success. Let’s use a golf analogy to clarify this point. On the course, a
At some point, the speed at which this game is played has temporarily prevented or has stopped most of us from playing partner notices a fundamental flaw in your swing and gives you a tip. The playing partner is trying to
advancing to the next level of baseball. All three of us authors have been fortunate to play this game at the correct your body alignment and/or body position before or during your swing. But once you have been given
highest level, the major leagues. But there were hurdles along the way. Whether it was going to the big diamond the instruction, it’s up to you to apply the information. It’s up to you, your aptitude and your athletic ability and
at the age of 13. Or to high school, where the competition was more dedicated than you to make the team. hand-eye coordination to perform and constantly repeat these positions. A coach can’t control the outcome, but
Possibly it was college, where the athletes were just plain stronger and better than you. And for some the ladder he can certainly help tremendously in the process. This is why it is very important what information we choose
of levels in the minor leagues was too difficult to ascend. The point is, some players can be in that place where to give the player, how we present it and, most important, how we carry it through.
the speed of the game where they are asked to hit, field and compete is more than they can handle at that point
During this “coaching” process, simple and consistent suggestions
in time. You need to remember that when the competition is more skilled, faster or stronger than you, it can be
will be easier for the player to understand and apply. Even with that
a humbling experience for the good player—and discouraging for the average player. So putting the player first
and understanding where they are at will help you teach, mentor and build a relationship that will hopefully build
being said, it will take more than just words to help your players make Expert Advice on
confidence and self-esteem in your players.
adjustments and eventually carry those changes into the games. Some
adjustments will take longer than others. Stay patient, consistent and
Helping Players
Now, with an understanding of how important the human element in teaching is, we are ready to tackle the
question of how can we help our players improve on the field the most?
supportive, and over time your teaching will pay off. Make Adjustments
Remember, these young men and women are still developing It is very important what
physically and mentally. The human element of coaching should
HOW CAN WE HELP? always be in the forefront of everything you do with your player. The information we choose to
Whether you are a dad, a first-year coach or a veteran coach, learning how to apply your knowledge will enhance fact is, helping them get into better body positions (fundamentally give a player, how we
your abilities to teach. Everyone’s level of baseball knowledge is different. But what we have in common is a sound positions) to perform each skill will improve their performance. present it and, most
desire to help our kids and players. Gaining more knowledge will only help. It will take a lot of repetition, support and positive reinforcement
along the way.
important, how we carry the
As coaches and parents, we try to educate ourselves on the proper fundamentals of hitting, throwing and
fielding. In fact, the better a coach understands the fundamentals, the better a coach can be. We emphasis can
instruction through.
be. Understanding the fundamentals is an important ingredient of being a coach. But it is just one ingredient. UTILIZING DRILLS
We believe if you can’t communicate knowledge to your players, that knowledge is wasted. So how Drills are the lifeline of developing baseball fundamentals and are used throughout a player’s career. When
knowledge is communicated to the player is an important factor in becoming a successful coach. teaching the drills in this book, the coach should conduct the drill or sell his point with enthusiasm and
Two things always take place when coaching the fundamentals is effective. First, the players fully understand conviction. The organization and attitude of the coach sets the stage for the instruction. When explaining the
what the coach is saying or demonstrating. Second, the players are able to apply their new knowledge into their drills and instructing your players, show patience. A misunderstood drill is very difficult to perform. Be sure
game. The first part, getting players to understand the point you are making, is the easier of the two but still to emphasize the importance and purpose of the drill so players are aware of that purpose. As a coach you must
should not be taken for granted. The second part, helping the players apply their new knowledge into their believe in what you are teaching and get your players to believe in it as well. If the drill’s explanation is poor
game can be a challenge, and this ultimately is the deciding factor if we have helped the player become better or not set up properly, it will add to the confusion, and will become a waste of time. As drills are learned and
or not. repeated at practice, the drill should become more efficient and effective.

For instance, a coach tells a player he is throwing side-armed and instructs him to throw overhand. Or a
coach tells a player he isn’t getting low enough on ground balls. Even after telling players the correct way to
throw or field, they continue to do it incorrectly. Why? We just told them what to do. It all comes back to how
we communicate our knowledge to the player. Can we get them to make the adjustment necessary to make the
correction or change?

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 Drills & Instruction for Coaching Youth Baseball Chapter 1: Coaching Philosophy

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION Remember this: If we were to explain and demonstrate how to field a ground ball and then put that player
Below is a teaching progression designed to pass along knowledge on the field and started hitting ground balls at game speed to the player, how often is that player going to
get into the proper fielding position? Not very often. Unless that player has already mastered the fielding
of the proper fundamentals so that players will understand instruction.
And, most importantly, it will give them the best chance to eventually
Expert Advice on position in the past.
perform these fundamentals in game action. Explaining the Here are two reasons why: First, the player has not been in the correct position often enough to expect
muscle memory to put them into the new position consistently. Instead, they most often will field the ball
1. Explain the Proper Fundamentals of the Area You Are Proper Fundamentals with their old habits (old muscle memory). Second, it’s much more difficult to change muscle memory at
Teaching. game speed. It is very difficult to think about proper positioning when concentration has to be on reacting
Don’t assume players know the correct way to throw, catch, hit Don’t assume players know
to and catching or hitting a moving ball.
or field. Take some time to explain the key fundamentals. the correct way to throw,
Psychologists say we only retain about 15 percent of what we 4. Put Players Into Controlled Reaction Drills.
catch, hit or field. Take
hear, and we are talking to young people who have a limited This is where coaches should spend the most time. Coaches will end up rolling numerous balls to players
attention span. So keep words precise, direct and to a minimum. some time to explain the and setting up tees and soft-toss for hitting.
Also understand that people interpret things differently. If you key fundamentals. But, In these drills, players are reacting to the moving ball, but at a distance and speed where they can perform
explain how to throw a baseball to 10 different people in the same keep words precise, direct the fundamental correctly. In this environment the game is slowed down just enough for the player to get a
group, you possibly could have 10 different interpretations. Take feel for what they are doing right or wrong. It also is easier for the coach to see and to suggest a correction
the time to explain it but keep the words to a minimum. Utilize
and to a minimum. More
if needed. Remember the old saying: Practice makes perfect. It should be: Perfect practice makes perfect.
Step 2 as a staple when coaching a particular fundamental. importantly, physically If players are practicing poor fundamental positions that will be the position they take into the games. They
2. Physically Demonstrate the Proper Fundamentals of the demonstrate the will never develop the correct muscle memory. For example, if hitters only work on live batting practice and
Area You Are Teaching. fundamental positions. they are stepping in the bucket and swinging with an uppercut, that’s exactly what they’ll do in the game.
This visual demonstration speaks much louder than words. Now They will not be able to hit correctly. Our point is, we want players to build the muscle memory that is
players can physically see the proper position as you explain it. You don’t have to wonder if they were fundamentally correct for fielding, hitting or throwing – all the skills needed on the baseball field. This is
listening to you or if their interpretation was different. After verbal instructions and a physical why controlled reaction drills are so effective in developing and maintaining players’ skills.
demonstration, the next step is to put the player into the proper fundamentally sound position. The first key is putting them in drills where they perform the fundamentals properly. The second key is the
next step.
3. Put Players Into Non-Reaction Drills, Called Dry Drills.
Dry drills allow players to perform fundamentals correctly. The athlete is in a position to get a feeling for 5. Performing Skills Correctly with Many Repetitions is the Quickest Way to Develop Muscle Memory
the fundamental without the bat or ball. Physically help the players into these positions, because players for Success.
won’t always be able to copy the demonstration perfectly. Whether it’s the proper batting stance or a ground The more repetitions a player can get, the faster he will develop the muscle memory for that skill. Muscle
ball fielding position, help the player get into the position. memory is a result of teaching the muscles how to perform a specific activity and repeating that activity
Make adjustments as each player demonstrates the position back to you. This is a step that is too often until it can be done freely without methodical thought. This is the ultimate goal in developing correct
skipped. We tell players how to do something correctly and we demonstrate how to do it, but then we expect fundamental positions to hit, field and throw. Players can then compete during a game without clouding
them to do it correctly and they have never or only briefly experienced what it’s like to be in the proper concentration by thinking about how to perform the skill.
position. If a player cannot not feel the position, it is much more difficult to repeat the position. How can Remember there are productive repetitions and unproductive repetitions. This is why the quality of the
we expect them to perform that position not only in a dry drill but also at game speed? repetitions is of the utmost importance. We perform these repetitions for proper mechanics, so we want
Dry drills allow players to feel the correct body position. They build muscle memory from performing the them done correctly. For instance, if a batter who is developing his swing mechanics gets 20 swings against
fundamental correctly. The more they do it correctly, the more natural the habit will become. After players pitches from the mound or 50 swings from soft-toss, which will make his swing mechanics better faster?
can perform the correct fundamentals in the dry drill, they are ready to progress to the next stage. But not The more fundamentally sound swing is easier to repeat and coach in soft-toss because the drill is slowed
before they can repeat the dry drills consistently. down enough for the player to have success and focus on mechanics. The player isn’t worrying about
velocity or pitch location as much. Instead, they should be concentrating on the proper fundamentals for a
good swing. And they will get 30 more reps in, over the same amount of time.
Use time efficiently and use controlled reaction drills where players can get in many repetitions of a
fundamentally sound baseball skill.

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6. Game-Speed Practice. 8. Be Creative. Make Drills and Practice Enjoyable.

Even with all the benefits of dry drills and controlled reaction Drills are the lifeblood of any practice. When drills are done correctly, most of them will invigorate,
drills, it is still necessary to put players in a game atmosphere. Expert Advice on challenge and encourage. Drills provide an environment that prepares the players and the team for
They need to experience the game of baseball at the speed they
will be playing. This is true even if players are not yet proficient
Teaching Progression competition. There are many examples of drills and games in the book. It is important to keep the game and
practice enjoyable. Some drills will be loads of fun, while some drills have great benefits and should be done
at all the fundamental positions and drills. As a coach you will Use dry drills to build regardless of how fun they are.
need to hit pop-flies, hit ground balls from home plate, throw live Along with selecting the proper drills, time is an important factor. Generally speaking short, snappy drills
batting practice and have players pitch live batting practice. Run
correct muscle memory and
with quality repetition are more effective than lengthy drawn-out drill sessions.
scrimmages in which players run bases and have decisions to to help change bad habits
Be creative. If a drill is not going the way it is supposed to, find a way to make it a competition between
make on their own. and body positions.
groups of players. When making a drill a competition against groups of players, the coach, or one self, a
Judging the speed and reading the hops on a batted ball, timing Progress to controlled player’s concentration and motivation increases. We are all competitive in nature and a coach should tap into
a live pitch, recognizing a ball from a strike – players need to be reaction drills for continued this energy to motivate players.
exposed to all these skills. You will find out that your best players
will need to practice more at game speed to be challenged. execution of sound 9. Do Not Over-Coach During Games.
mechanics and lots of The game should be a time when the players’ minds are clear to focus on the competition. Don’t fill players’
7. Mix Game-Speed Practices With Dry and Controlled heads with too many fundamental positions that will take their concentration from the game. Practice is the
Reaction Drills. repetition. Finally, practice
time to work on fundamentals. Limit instruction during the game and encourage players and be supportive
Understanding what your players can perform and what their at game speed so players when things don’t work out.
needs are will help you determine what drills will benefit them can experience the game at
the most. For the majority of players there is a balance. For Make notes during the game on the items individuals and the team as a whole need to improve upon.
instance, don’t spend an entire practice at game speed ignoring
the speed at which they Address these notes at the next practice. In the meantime, allow players a chance to compete confidently
the fundamentals. On the other hand, don’t spend an entire must compete. during the games. Let players know you believe in them, and be there for them when they fail.
practice doing drills where players can’t experience the game in
its proper setting. So, although there is a balance in teaching, COMMUNICATION AND COACHING TECHNIQUES
developing and perfecting a player’s skills, all players are different. You must evaluate and decide what 1. Positive Reinforcement Motivates and Builds Confidence.
drills and practice plans best fit the development of your players. One of the biggest parts of coaching is correcting faults. Players are constantly hearing what they are doing
You will find that once your players are fairly consistent on the fundamental positions, they will need less wrong. Baseball is an interesting sport in that if you fail 7 out of 10 times, you’re a success. You’re a .300
time performing dry drills. Controlled reaction drills, along with game-speed drills, will benefit them more. hitter. Instead of constantly pointing out failures, be supportive and positive to all players. Find something
Most of the time your better players will also fall into this category. they are doing right and point it out. A positive approach will build players’ confidence.
Early in the season it is safe to say you should spend more time on dry drills and controlled reaction drills It is nearly impossible to reach your potential in any arena unless you are confident in your abilities. Given
so players can understand and get a feel for the fundamentals you are striving to perfect. But as the season the choice of doing something we are comfortable with and can succeed at or trying something we aren’t
progresses and players’ skills improve, the majority of players should be able to repeat most of the key so proficient at, most of us choose to do things at which we are good. People are much more motivated to
positions in dry drills. If this is true they will then need to practice their skills at a faster speed, which could perform and succeed as opposed to perform and fail.
mean a challenging controlled reaction drill or working at game speed.
There will be some players who still need dry drill repetition for different skills, such as throwing, all year
long. Individual traits, strengths and weaknesses will need to be developed as well. It will still be very
effective to utilize dry drills even late in the season for your better players if you see they are getting away
from their good fundamental positions. Dry drills will still be best when a player has a difficult time making
an adjustment in a particular skill. Remember, if a player is failing at a skill slow it down to the point the
player can have some success and build the proper muscle memory for that skill. Over time the player will
develop and improve.

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 Drills & Instruction for Coaching Youth Baseball Chapter 1: Coaching Philosophy

2. Be Aware of When and How to Correct a Player’s Mistakes. If a coach sees what the player did wrong, he can help. If a coach doesn’t see anything incorrect, do not say
A coach almost always has good intentions when critiquing a player about an error or mistake. But choosing anything. Don’t guess. Remember to keep encouraging and supporting the player’s effort. Do not say
a time when the player is more receptive or feeling confident is important to getting the point across. anything until figuring out the problem.
Coaches should consider how players feel immediately after making an error or mistake, then coming into For example, if a player swings and misses, pulling his head during the swing, there’s a good chance that’s
the dugout after the last out. Chances are, they don’t feel their best at that moment. It’s magnified when the the problem. Approach the player and give him a specific tip that will help him avoid swinging and missing
coach decides to critique the player about the error or mistake and singles him out in front of the team. At for that reason. He might still swing and miss, but the swing fundamentals will be improved.
this point, the player is not in the state of mind to learn what he did wrong.
If you are having a difficult time seeing why a player is not being successful, try focusing on a particular
A better time will present itself when the coach can discuss the error with the player and help with his area. For example: If you are watching a player hit, there are different areas you can focus on. You could
fielding. Make a mental note of the play, and wait for that better time. Most players will be more receptive watch the feet or one particular foot. You could focus on the swing path by watching what is happening with
and remember the suggestion if it’s done after they have done something well. That’s when they are feeling just the arms during the swing. Or you could focus on the head throughout the swing. Sometimes watching
better about themselves and are less defensive. the whole picture will work, but often we need to focus on a particular area for a number of swings.
Just as important as when to approach a player is how to approach him. A coach who begins by criticizing, Having said that, watching the feet during throwing, fielding, hitting and pitching is always a good place
then telling the player what to do differently has little chance of getting through. Be positive. Players already to start if you cannot recognize a flaw from the whole picture. Balance is a key ingredient in everything we
feel insecure about a bad play. Tell them something positive they can feel good about. Once the player is in do on a baseball field. The feet and legs are crucial for balance. Feet and legs are the foundation for all our
a more positive frame of mind, then discuss the mistake. A good way to do this is to find out the player’s movement on the field. Once the bottom half is working correctly, often it will correct flaws in the upper
perspective on the play first, then chime in with the suggestion. Maybe the player already knows what he body.
did wrong and just needs encouragement. End the discussion with a final dose of confidence: Tell the
player, “It’s OK. It happens, you’ll get them next time.” 4. Do Not Speak Generally. Give Players Specifics.
As stated above, the player pulled his head during his swing and missed the ball. Some coaches would
simply say, “Concentrate.” Instead, a coach should give the player a specific tip he can focus on to make
Dusty Baker on Developing Confidence in Your Players: the correction, something functional he can attempt to do on the next swing. An example in this case would
“Spend time with your players. Spend equal time with your average and be, “Keep your head in the hitting zone.”
poor players as you do with your good players, and put them into a Here is another example: The second baseman misses a ground ball that rolled under his glove and between
position where they most likely will succeed. ” his legs. A coach could just say, “Stay low.” That’s true, but what should the player do to stay low? Referring
back to “Knowing what to look for,” what did the coach see in the fielding position that caused the second
baseman to miss the ball? Did he bend over at the waist, not bending his knees? Were his feet too narrow,
3. Knowing What to Look For. making it more difficult to bend at the knees and get low? Did he get into a good fielding position but just
Have you ever heard a coach yell out to a pitcher after throwing a ball, “Throw strikes!” Have you ever heard did not lower the glove enough when the ball approached?
a coach yell to a hitter after a swing and miss, “Hit the ball!”. What do these coaches think the player is Let’s say in this situation the coach saw the player bend with his waist instead of his knees. The coach
trying to do? Players are trying to throw strikes and trying to hit the ball. This approach does not help the should demonstrate what he thinks the player did. Bend over at the waist. Then demonstrate the proper
player perform. Instead, it increases anxiety, adds pressure and can destroy confidence. fielding technique, bending at the knees. Suggest that the next time a ball comes his way to make sure he
The key for the coach is to figure out why the pitcher is throwing balls or why the hitter is swinging and “bends at the knees to get low.” That is something specific and functional the player can apply the next
missing. To know why, coaches must see what the player is doing wrong. On the other hand, coaches should time a ball heads his way.
not get discouraged if they don’t know why. It’s not always easy to see. And it’s especially difficult to see
at game speed. But the longer a coach watches, the easier it is to see why something is going wrong.
While watching players practice and play in games, keep this is mind. If there are improper fundamentals
on the pitch or swing, there’s a high probability that is the problem or part of it. It may not always be, but
often it is.

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5. Always Try to Put You Players Into a Position to Succeed.

We are often asked if we would allow a player to play first base
if the player was not very good. Our first response to that question
Expert Advice on
is, “Is it safe for the player?” We need to think of safety first. on Helping Your
Secondly, is it really in that player’s best interest to play the
position if all they will do is fail and be embarrassed? Players Perform
Our philosophy on how to handle players is that we want to give Unfortunate match-ups
players a chance to play and develop. Whenever possible, we are going to occur, but
attempt to put players into a position to succeed – not fail. To
answer the question posed above, we may give the player a chance whenever possible put your
to play first during practice and continue to help him develop at players in a situation to
the position. But we would not play him in a game until we felt it succeed so they can build
was safe and the situation was right to give the player a chance.
The right situation may be when the team is losing and a mistake
confidence through
at first base would not be as detrimental to him and his success and develop
teammates. self-esteem.
You never want to put a player in a position to fail. For instance,
you would not send your worst hitter up against the other team’s best pitcher. You would not ask your
weakest pitcher to pitch the final inning of a tie game. You should not bring in your least experienced and
least confident pitcher when the other team’s best hitters are coming to the plate. You should not ask
a player who shows fear when hitting to bat against the opposing team’s hardest-throwing and wildest
pitcher.
There are going to be many situations that are out of our control and these unfortunate match-ups are going
to occur, usually because we want to give our players a fair shake with playing time. But, having said that,
be aware of these situations. Whenever possible put your players in a situation to succeed so they can build
confidence through success and develop self-esteem.

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 Chapter 2: Throwing

THROWING
Throwing is one of baseball’s most important skills. If a player cannot throw the
ball effectively, the player’s possible positions will be limited, as he gets older.
Especially at the youth level, many outs are given away by the player’s inability
to make an accurate throw. Learning to throw correctly should be an important
part of any practice routine. It should not just be an activity to get ready for practice.
Proper arm action is extremely important, but do not rely just on the arm when throwing.
The arms, legs and body should work together. Being in an athletic position with knees
flexed enables players to have balance and leverage. The feet align the body so that the
hips can be used most efficiently. After catching a ground ball or fly ball—or when making
any routine throw—squaring up to the target, gaining momentum toward the target and
keeping the eyes focused on the target are routine fundamentals.
While the legs and body are important, proper arm action is critical for a player to throw
the ball with velocity and accuracy. The arm action should be a continuous fluid motion,
starting from the break of hands to the finish of the throw. As players advance in age, there
are a couple of positions (catcher, some infield) where the arm action is slightly altered. The
arc coming out of the glove is usually shorter in length. Do not expect players to alter their
arm action at a young age. Teaching players a fundamentally sound arm action will be a
challenge in itself. As players mature and advance in age (13 and above) and strength, they
will be able to shorten the arc in their arm action for specific positions such as
catcher.
A solid overhand throw is the best arm angle to teach. Outfielders utilize this arm angle
because that is where the arm is in its strongest position. Outfielders have to make long,
accurate throws. Infielders should develop this arm angle for their routine throws, but they
will also need to learn how to throw the ball from different angles with accuracy and
velocity.
How much and how often players throw should be monitored at least mentally throughout
the season. Practice plans should be designed so the drills do not overtax the arm. But a
solid throwing routine, including dry drills, proper warm up, long tossing and accuracy
games are important issues that should be a regular part of your practices. All players need
to work on throwing drills and their mechanics as this can vastly improve a player’s strength
and accuracy.

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 Drills & Instruction for Coaching Youth Baseball Chapter 2: Throwing

GRIP THROWING FUNDAMENTALS

Hand size determines whether a player uses a two- or three-finger A. Grip the ball correctly and hold it in the glove centered
grip on the baseball. Controlling the ball is more important than a near the chest with the body in an athletic position. The
small hand trying to use a two-finger grip. Whether using two or player is compact and balanced. This is the “throwing
three fingers, always have the finger pads on a seam. If hand size position.” (picture 2-5)
allows the two-finger cross-seam grip, it is the most efficient for
B. Square to target after ball is received to achieve proper
the truest ball flight with greater speed and distance. All position
alignment. The back foot steps toward the target for
players should utilize this grip. (picture 2-1)
momentum and alignment as it is placed almost
perpendicular to target (right foot for right-handed 2-5: Throwing position 2-6: Block foot
GRIP FUNDAMENTALS 2-1: Cross-seam grips
throwers and left foot for left-handed throwers). This foot
A. Two-finger cross-seam grip is when the finger pads of the index and middle finger are across the horseshoe placement will bring the hips and shoulders square when the glove-hand foot steps directly toward target.
seam on the ball. Shoulders will be squared and in line with target. The player should remain in a balanced athletic position
B. The fingers are roughly one finger width apart. as the legs take the player into the throw. (picture 2-6)
C. The thumb is directly underneath the ball. B.1 There are numerous ways in which a fielder’s legs will get the player squared to the target when throwing.
It all depends on where the ball was received and which direction the ball must be thrown. Whether they
D. There should be a gap between the palm and the ball, if hand is
are using a block step when playing routine catch or shuffling their feet or crow hopping when throwing,
large enough. (picture 2-2)
the end result is the same. Get square up and gain momentum toward the target.
E. The grip is firm but not tight.
C. From the throwing position, the hands break to start the throw. Throwing hand breaks from glove in a
semicircle arc with the palm and thumb facing down (thumb to thigh) reaching back for extension and
GRIP DRILLS continuing up at its peak to the "L" position with fingers pointing to the sky. The palm is facing away from
1. Check Grip: Line up players. Physically check hand size to the body at this point. (pictures 2-7 & 2-8)
2-2
determine how many fingers each player should use to throw. D. The glove hand breaks thumb down with palm pointing
Recommended ages 6-12. open to target. Arm is slightly flexed and relaxed.
2. Cross-seam Grip: Toss the ball three feet into the air. Catch it with the throwing hand, rotate the ball to Shoulders are level and in line with target.
transfer the fingers to the proper seams for the grip quickly as possible. Encourage players to do this drill E. As the hands break, the lead leg steps directly toward the
at home during idle time or while watching television. target. Lead foot lands slightly closed and on the ball of
Recommended ages 8-12. foot for balance and control. Weight should remain on the
3. Cross-seam Grip Using Glove: Drill 2 can be done with the back leg. Once the foot lands and the arm is up at its peak
glove on. After tossing the ball into the air, bring the throwing in an “L” formation, with the body balanced and knees
hand into a thumb-near-thumb alignment using the glove as a flexed, you are in the “launch position.” 2-7: Hands breaking 2-8: Launch position
backstop. As the ball comes down, transfer the ball off the glove (picture 2-8)
and into the throwing hand. Rotate the ball to the cross-seam
grip as quickly as possible. This technique should be used all
the time while playing catch.
Recommended ages 10-16.
2-3 Erik Johnson on the Importance of Good Throwing Skills:
4. Wrist Extension: Pair up players 10 feet apart. Place them on
“One of the best things you can do for your players is to develop
one knee with the throwing arm in L-shape formation. Place a
glove under the throwing-arm elbow for support. Players hold
their arm action and throwing skills. If players use poor arm action for years,
the ball in a cross-seam grip. Players flip the ball to one another it becomes more difficult to change when they are older.
with their wrist, emphasizing the proper wrist action. The arm If they cannot throw efficiently, it makes it harder to play at the
action should be the same as shooting a basketball. This drill higher levels of baseball and in high school.”
keeps all players active. (pictures 2-3 & 2-4)
Recommended ages 10-16.

2-4

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 Drills & Instruction for Coaching Youth Baseball Chapter 2: Throwing

F. As the arm continues to accelerate forward, it maintains DRY DRILL ROUTINE FOR THROWING
the "L" position with the elbow at least shoulder height. 1. Arm Action “Break” Dry Drill: Place players in 3 straight lines. Coach stands 10 feet in
Back foot rotates from the inside of the big toe to the FAVO R ITE
front of players. Players square up and point lead shoulder at coach who is their imaginary
outside of the shoe. This opens hips to target as weight is target. Players begin in the “throwing position” (athletic position with hands together centered
transferred to the front side with the arm. Fingers remain near chest). On verbal command, break, players simulate throwing. Throwing hand breaks D R I LL
on top and behind the ball throughout acceleration forward down, with palm and thumb pointing down past the thigh reaching back and continues up into the "L"
to release out in front of the body. Glove hand rotates with position, where fingers point toward sky and palm is facing away from the body. Simultaneously, the lead
thumb up and is pulled back near the side or hips as arm extends out, thumb down pointing towards the target. Lead arm should remain flexed and not be fully
throwing arm comes forward. Head should remain level extended. Players stop arm action at launch position, as coach checks for proper "L" position and palm
with eyes focused on the target. (picture 2-9) 2-9: Acceleration forward 2-10: Release and facing away. (pictures 2-16 to 2-18)
follow through
G. Finish the throw by releasing the ball out in front of the body with the arm finishing Drill isolates the proper arm swing from out of the glove and up into the launch position.Also teaches
across the lead leg on the follow-through. All weight should continue to transfer forward with the arm as lead arm movement when throwing. This arm action is critical for proper throwing fundamentals.
the whole body and arm work together for velocity in the throw. The head and eyes remain level and focused Drill keeps all players active. Can perform numerous repetitions in a short period of time.
on target until release. (picture 2-10)
Recommend ages 6-16.
H. Note on the arm action. Once the hands initially break to throw, the arm action should be a continuous, fluid
motion accelerating arm speed to the release of the ball.

2-16: Throwing position 2-17: Break

2-11 2-12 2-13

2-18: Launch position

2-14 2-15

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 Drills & Instruction for Coaching Youth Baseball Chapter 2: Throwing

2. Arm Action “Throw” Dry Drill: This drill follows the arm action “Break” Dry Drill. Players FAVO R ITE
start in the launch position. (Athletic position, spread feet wider than shoulder width, shoulders
squared to target, head level, glove pointing at target with thumb down. Throwing arm in
D R I LL
strong "L" position.) On coach’s verbal command, throw, players simulate throwing from the
launch position. Players rotate their back foot from the inside of the big toe to the outside of the shoe as
their weight transfers from the back side to the front side. Simultaneously, the arm is accelerating forward,
extending out front and finishing on the outside of the front leg. The glove hand is rotating thumb up as the
elbow pulls in toward the lead hip. Players should maintain balance throughout this throw and at finish. The
drill isolates the rotation and throwing action along with weight transfer when throwing. Works on
the players’ balance skills and allows them to feel the importance of a strong foundation and proper
arm action for the throw. Drill keeps all players active.
Recommended ages 6-16.
2-19: Catch 2-20: Block 2-21: Break 2-22: Throw
3. Catch, Block, Break, Throw, Dry Drill: Place players in 3 straight lines. Coach stands 10 feet
FAVO R ITE
in front of players. Players need to spread out in the lines to leave room to move. Coach
THROWING ROUTINE WHICH FOLLOWS DRY DRILLS
positions himself in front where all players can see him. Players start off facing the coach in
the receiving position. Coach calls out commands as players perform the key positions of D R I LL 4. Coach Catch Drill: Block and Throw Drill. This drill is similar to the previous dry drill,
FAVO R ITE
throwing. There should be two seconds between each command. except now the ball is used. Distribute your players evenly according to the number of coaches
First verbal command is catch. Players punch their throwing-hand at your practice. Players should be lined up single file, 20 to 50 feet away from each coach
D R I LL
fist into the glove, which is in front of their chest. Next command depending on the player’s age. On coach’s verbal command, go, the firstplayer runs out to a
is block. Players step forward slightly with their throwing-hand Expert Advice on designated spot and assumes the receiving position. Coach throws a ball to the player. After ball is caught,
coach gives verbal command, block. Player steps with the throwing-hand foot almost perpendicular to the
foot, placing it almost perpendicular to the coach, who is their
imaginary target. Next command is break. Players break their
Throwing Dry Drills coach. Player holds that position until next command, which is throw, at which point the player throws the
hands to throw while stepping with the glove-hand foot directly After players get a feel for ball back to the coach. Player hustles back to the end of the line. Coach should check for proper foot
toward the coach. Players should stop the arm at the launch alignment after block. And on throw player should have proper squared up alignment when throwing. Once
all the key positions, from the drill has been performed a few times properly, take the drill a step further to make it more realistic
position, and end up in a balanced athletic position. The final
command is throw. Players simulate throwing the ball to the catching the ball to and to get players’ feet moving quickly as they do at game speed. Do everything the same to start, but
coach from the launch position. They rotate their back foot as throwing, the next now throw balls to player in all directions while the player throws ball back quickly as possible. The
they transfer the weight to the front side with the throwing arm player must still get squared to target and gain momentum while throwing. This is where a coach can
progression is to make the get in a lot of repetition while watching players to make sure they square to their target, get
coming forward in a strong “L” position and the glove-hand
arm pulling back by the hip. Coach should check to make sure dry drill more fluid by momentum toward their target and maintain good arm action when throwing.
players are performing positions properly. Drill covers all key progressing to these Recommended ages 7-16.
fundamental positions needed to throw the ball properly. commands: 5. Warm-Up Drill: When players pair off to throw, the coaches should reinforce foot blocking, FAVO R ITE
Utilize it routinely before players play catch. Drill keeps all which is extremely important to get the rest of the body in proper line to throw. Give one line
catch, block, throw.
players active. (pictures 2-19 to 2-22) of players the balls. On command, receiving position, all receiving players get into the
Recommended ages 7-12.
Lastly progress to catch receiving position. The next command is block and throw, and all the throwing players block
D R I LL

then throw. Make sure their throwing-hand foot properly, and throw the ball to their partners. Continue using the receiving position
players are squaring and block and throw commands for the first 5 to 10 throws, then follow into the Long Toss Drill on the next
toward their target and page. As players progress farther back they should utilize the crow hop to throw, as stated in the Long Toss
Drill. Whether you have done similar dry drills or not, this drill will set the tone for playing catch correctly.
gaining momentum toward When players pair up to play catch on their own, often they do not carry the proper footwork into
their target as they throw. their catch. This drill can be used daily to reinforce the proper foot movement and alignment when
throwing.
Recommended ages 8-14.

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 Drills & Instruction for Coaching Youth Baseball Chapter 2: Throwing

6. Long Toss: Pair players by ability and arm strength. Begin playing catch from a close distance, FAVO R ITE ADDITIONAL DRILLS FOR MOMENTUM TOWARD TARGET
15 to 30 feet depending on age. After five throws per player, instruct one line of players to
8. Shuffle for Momentum Drill: Pair up players in two lines 30 feet apart. Give balls to one line of players.
move back 5 to 10 feet. As the players get farther back, they should be utilizing a crow hop
D R I LL The players who will throw first are in an athletic position, squared toward partners with hands together
on their throws. Continue this process until players have reach their maximum throwing
centered near chest. On coach’s verbal command, shuffle, players shuffle their feet, exchanging their front
distance. All throws should have a slight arc, emphasizing proper throwing fundamentals and a good follow-
foot’s position with their back foot, throwing the ball to their partner. Coach should observe footwork
through. If fundamentals are not maintained, the distance is too far. After reaching maximum distance for
looking for straight direction toward target and balance throughout the throw. This shuffle is used when the
a few throws, players should move in and finish by throwing the ball hard on a line at a routine game
player receives the ball and is already lined up. Drill isolates proper footwork and teaches importance
distance. Moving back in for a few throws will give players a chance to find their release point for a distance
of getting some momentum when throwing. The drill is useful for younger players who are having
they will use a lot in a game. Remember every arm is different and not all players will move back to the
trouble blocking to throw or crow hopping to throw. This drill keeps all players active.
same distance. Early in pre-season do not let players go all the way back to their maximum. Gradually build
up to that distance over 4 to 5 practices. By using this process to warm up you will accomplish several Recommended ages 6-10.
goals. First, the arm is warm and ready for any throw in practice or a game. Second, it helps players 9. Crow-hop Drill: Pair up players in two lines as if to play catch. Give balls to one line of players. The players
work on throwing accuracy at long distances, which is seldom practiced. Most importantly, routinely who will throw first start off gripping the ball with two hands together centered near chest but are facing
using the arm to its maximum will develop strength and velocity. Long toss should be done before their partners as if in the receiving position. On coach’s verbal command, lift, all throwing players lift their
practices and games at least 3 days a week. throwing-leg foot off the ground, shifting weight to their glove-hand leg. The next command is crow hop,
Recommended ages 8-16. and players push forward off their foot toward the target and land on their throwing-hand foot almost
perpendicular to their target (blocking the foot). Once they land they continue with the momentum stepping
7. Quick Toss: After players have long tossed and moved back in to
towards their target with their glove-hand foot, throwing the ball to their partners. This drill teaches players
finish up their throwing they can play quick toss. At a close
distance players throw the ball back and forth to their partner. Expert Advice on how to transition into a crow hop when they throw. The drill is exaggerated some but will give the
players a feel for how to gain momentum and block the foot properly on a crow hop.
They are working on the glove to hand transfer. When performing
this drill all players should receive the ball with their glove in the
Teaching Throwing (pictures 2-23 to 2-25)
thumb-near-thumb position. They are trying to catch the ball and Recommended ages 8-16.
There are three keys to
throw the ball back to their partner as quickly as possible. Make
sure players are still squaring up to their partner on the throw. The
successful throwing:
feet must be shifted up and down quickly to release the ball 1. Keep teaching proper
quickly. This is a great drill to work on the exchange from
arm action to your
catching to throwing and to teach players how to use their feet
quickly and correctly. During the drill remind players to move players. They need
feet and get squared up on the throw back as they tend to get constant reinforcement
lazy with their feet. This drill should be utilized often by on the proper mechanics.
infielders, especially second basemen and shortstops.
Recommended ages 8-16. 2. Players need to get
squared towards
their target. 2-23: Lift throwing hand foot off ground 2-24: Push off leg and block throwing hand foot

3. Players need to maintain

proper foot movement
and momentum toward
their target.

2-25: Continue momentum and throw

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 Drills & Instruction for Coaching Youth Baseball Chapter 2: Throwing

ADDITIONAL DRILLS FOR PROPER ARM ACTION 12. Hat Drill: Start player in the throwing position squared up to the target. Wearing a hat, the coach positions
10. High-elbow Drill: Start player in the launch position. Coach stands facing the player and himself behind the player’s throwing arm. The coach’s head should be slightly above player’s shoulder
FAVO R ITE height. The coach positions himself where the player can perform his arm swing out of the glove and
points a rolled-up newspaper at the armpit height of the player’s throwing-arm shoulder, as
shown in picture. Player simulates his throwing action from the launch position attempting not continue up to the "L" position, flipping off the coach’s hat as the hand goes up. Have players perform this
to hit the newspaper. To do so, the player must maintain proper arm action keeping a high
D R I LL drill in slow motion so coach does not get hit in the face. This fun drill isolates the proper hand position
elbow. If the elbow drops during the throw the player will hit the paper. This drill is outstanding to give (palm facing away from the player) at the "L" launch position of throwing.
players a feel on how to maintain the arm in the strong “L” position during the throw. (pictures 2-26 Recommended ages 6-10.
to 2-28) 13. Slap Five Drill for Extension and Follow-through: Players start in launch position as in previous drill.
Recommended ages 7-16. Position coach 4 to 6 feet in front of the player. Coach places his hand palm up about waist level to the player.
From launch position, players simulate throwing motion, reaching out on follow-through to slap coach’s
hand. The player can also start from the throwing position and simulate the entire throwing motion. This
is a fun drill that isolates the importance of finishing the throw out in front of the body with a good
follow-through. (pictures 2-30 to 32)
Recommended ages 6-10.

2-26: Set up 2-27: Strong position 2-28: Weak position

11. Colored Ball Catch: To ensure that the ball is leaving the hand with the
correct rotation, a half-colored ball can be used. Color half of a ball as shown 2-30 2-31
in photo. Grip the ball so the seam of the colored split is between the gripping
fingers. When the ball is thrown correctly, it should rotate with the colored
hemisphere staying to its original side. The colors will appear solid on both
sides without any movement on a good throw. This drill can be done while
doing the wrist-extension drill or with regular catch. This is a great tool to
ensure proper rotation and release is taking place. (picture 2-29)
Recommended ages 10-16.

2-29: Colored ball

2-32

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 Drills & Instruction for Coaching Youth Baseball Chapter 2: Throwing

Ron Wotus on How to Make Practice Fun: 5. Four-Corner Game: Divide the team into as many four-
“When explaining the games to your players, the coach can really player teams as possible. Each group forms a square 30
enhance the game by how he or she builds up the competition. feet apart from each player. Give one player on each team
Be enthusiastic, and make it a big deal! a ball. The ball is thrown clockwise around the square.
The object of this game is to have the ball thrown around
Always attach a reward to the game and praise the winners.”
the square as many times as possible without dropping
the ball or making a bad throw. The team with the most
rotations around the square wins. Give the winning team
members a pack of baseball cards. This game works on
GAMES throwing and receiving skills, and involves proper
1. Point Game: Pair players 30 feet apart. Give balls to one line of players. On coach’s verbal command, footwork to be squared to their target. (picture 2-33)
throw, players throw the ball to their partner. The object of the game is to score 10 points. Face area is 2 Recommended ages 7-16. 2-33
points. Chest area from waist to neck is 1 point. Receiving player catches the ball and determines if any
points are scored. He then throws the ball back trying to score. The two playing catch are playing against 6. Four-Corner Speed Game: Follow same setup as four-corner game. The object of this game
FAVO R ITE
one another. Game continues until 10 points are scored. Play a series of best-of-three games. Winning is to see which team can get the most rotations around the square in one minute. If the ball is
players do not have to help pick up gear at end of practice. This game helps players focus and work thrown wildly, the receiving player must go get it and continue the game. Keep track of the
most rotations in one minute and see if your team can improve upon it throughout the season. GAME
on their throwing accuracy.
This game emphasizes the importance of a quick glove-to-hand transfer and quick
Recommended ages 10-16.
footwork. It also re-creates game anxiety by having a clock on them. It will teach them to stay under
2. Accuracy Game: Pair players 25 feet apart. Give balls to one line of players. On coach’s FAVO R ITE control and how to perform under duress.
verbal command, throw, players throw the ball to their partner. The receiving player acts like Recommended ages 8-16.
a first baseman, maintaining a pivot foot, only being allowed one step to catch a throw. If the
D R I LL 7. Reverse Four-Corner Game and Four-Corner Speed Game:
receiver has to move more than one step to catch a throw, that team is eliminated. They must
turn their hats around backwards and are unable to win the competition, but they continue to play the game After working the drills clockwise, have players throw the ball
counterclockwise. This will force the players to use different
for practice. After both players have made one throw, move back one line 5 feet. The coach continues this
process until one team is left. Game works on accuracy from short and long distances. Measure the footwork to square up for their next throw. And it will give the left- Expert Advice on
winning distance at each practice and see how much farther the distance increases during the year. handed throwers a chance to work in the other direction as well.
This direction is more difficult for the footwork of right-handed
Four-Corner Speed Game FAVO R ITE
Recommended ages 10-16.
throwers. There are two different ways a player can square up to his This game emphasizes the
3. Accuracy Throwing and Receiving Game: Follow the same rules as above, except the receiver is allowed target when the ball is being thrown counter-clockwise. The first importance of a quick
GAME
free movement to catch the ball. If the ball is not caught, that team is eliminated from the competition. If is by rotating 90 degrees via the glove side, turning outside. This
you are coaching 6 or 7 year olds, you can alter the game slightly in following manner for more enjoyment turn will take one’s eyes off the target briefly but helps gain some
glove-to-hand transfer and
for the players: The receiving players cannot let the throw get by them. It’s OK if the throw bounces as long momentum on the throw. The second is by turning in the opposite quick footwork. It also
as the ball is stopped and kept in front of them. This game works on both throwing and receiving skills. direction, turning to the inside, which keeps the eyes focused on re-creates game anxiety by
Recommended for ages 6-10. the target. Both ways to square up are correct, and where and how having a clock on them. It
4. Quick Toss Speed Game: Follow the Quick Toss drill. After players work on the drill a few the ball is caught should determine which turn is used. When
doing the drill in a counter-clockwise direction, teach players to will teach them to stay
minutes, it is time to make it a game. Each pair of throwers is a team. The coach puts a clock FAVO R ITE
on the players for 20 or 30 seconds. The longer you go the more difficult the game will turn and rotate based on how they catch the ball. If the ball takes under control and how to
become. The players count out themselves every time the ball is caught. Whichever team you to your glove side, turn that way. If the ball is thrown to the perform under duress.
D R I LL other side, turn inside to square up and throw. Players should
catches the most throws in time allotted wins. Play several times to give different players a
chance to win. This game will go fast and works on a quick glove-to-hand transfer for throwing. work on squaring up both ways so they can get used to the
footwork of both.
Recommended ages 9-16.
Recommended ages 8-16.

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 Drills & Instruction for Coaching Youth Baseball

47
 Chapter 3: Receiving

RECEIVING
Catching the baseball is one of the first skills we learn when beginning to
play baseball. Whether it’s at practice or in a game of catch with dad in the
yard, there are some areas we should be aware of to help our players
succeed at catching the ball. Having a glove that is the correct size and properly broken in
should be the first order of business. At practice, examine each player's glove to make sure
it fits properly and that they can control and squeeze it. Follow the instructions on pages 53
and 54 (“The Glove”) to ensure that your players are not hindered by their equipment.
Fear of the ball is common for many younger players ages (6 through 9). Indications of
fear include: backing up as the ball arrives or turning the head and the glove as the ball
approaches the glove. Using softer balls and tennis balls is beneficial when players are first
learning to catch and are scared of getting hit with a baseball. Players who show fear are
better off receiving the ball with a one-handed catch away from their face area. Utilize the
clock drill for helping these players build confidence in improving their catching skills. With
time and success through repetition, fear can be eliminated and players will eventually be
able to utilize the two-handed catch. At the younger ages, the two-handed catch is helpful
at times but not as important as it will be as the players get older and the game speeds up.
Getting players to just plain catch the ball and enjoy the experience at these younger ages
is what is most important.
Proper receiving technique is a skill that should not be overlooked for players who are
beyond fear of the ball. Proper fundamentals will not only enhance each player’s catching
ability but will allow an efficient transition to throwing. We advocate two-handed catching
for both younger and older players who can handle it. While players advance in catching
skill as they age, the speed of the game also increases, making the two-handed catch much
more valuable.
Another area, which will help your players immensely, is training them to be ready to move
there feet to catch the baseball. Players receiving a throw should always expect a bad throw
and be ready to move their feet to get into a good receiving position. Doing so will allow
them to catch the ball and transition into the throw more efficiently. During your throwing
routine, and when they play catch on their own, encourage your players to try to receive
throws near the center of their body by moving their feet to get in front of the ball. If the
throw is too wide and they have to catch it outside their body the one-handed catch is
recommended.

Ron Wotus on Protecting your Players:

“Know which players on your team have a difficult time catching the baseball.
Spend some extra time with them before or after practice,
and never pair them up with players who throw and catch more confidently.”

48
 Drills & Instruction for Coaching Youth Baseball Chapter 3: Receiving

readying the grip and exchange to throwing. (pictures 3-3 to 3-

FUNDAMENTALS
6)
F. Use one-handed catches on throws outside the body.
Expert Advice on
A. Start in an athletic position, with the knees flexed and weight on the balls of the feet. The body is balanced (picture 3-7) Catching a Baseball
and ready to react right or left or forward and backward. (picture 3-1) Once a one-handed catch is made, the glove and throwing hand
A player should anticipate
the release of a thrown
ball. Their eyes should shift
to the release point of the
thrower just like a hitter
does when hitting off a
pitcher. This will allow the
player to pick up and judge
the throw sooner and help
in tracking the throw into
their mitt.
3-1: Athletic receiving position 3-2: Arm position

should meet centered near the chest to

3-7: One-handed catch grip the ball and transition into the throw.
B. Extend the arms out, slightly flexed in front of the chest. (picture 3-2)
C. Position the glove at vertical to 1 o’clock, using both hands by lining up the thumb of the throwing hand
near the thumb of the glove hand. The glove should be just below eye level, so players can see the ball enter
the glove. G. For throws below the waist, turn the glove over, fingers down and
D. Expect a bad throw by always being ready to move the feet in order to catch the ball with two hands near
the center of the body when possible. Expert Advice on
E. Receive the ball in the glove’s pocket. As soon as the ball hits the pocket, reach in with the throwing hand, Helping Young Players
Fear of the ball is common
for many 6 through 9 year
olds. Utilize the Clock Drill
and use softer balls at first
if needed to build there
confidence and catching
skills. Pass this drill and
3-3: Pocket catch 3-4: Secure ball 3-5: Find grip 3-6: Throwing position
your knowledge onto
their parents and
3-8: Low throw position
encourage them
to play catch at home.

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 Drills & Instruction for Coaching Youth Baseball Chapter 3: Receiving

line up both hands in a pinkie-near-pinkie alignment. When catching low throws players should bend at the Recommended ages 6-10. FAVO R ITE
knees and waist. (picture 3-8) 4. Quick Feet: Follow same set-up as Drill 2. Coaches throw balls slightly to players’ right, then
left. Concentrate on foot movement to catch the ball in front of the body, with two hands. D R I LL
DRILLS Recommended ages 7-12.
1. Receiving Position Dry Drill: Line up all players. On the verbal command, Target, players get into the 5. Reaction Drill: Follow same set-up as Drills 2 and 4. Coaches throw balls in all directions heights and
speeds. Encourage players to move their feet to try to get in front of throws and utilize a two-handed catch
when possible. Encourage the one-handed catches outside the body when they cannot get in front of the
throw. This is a great drill to use before a game.
Recommended ages 8-16.
6. Football Drill: Give each player a ball and line them up
single file 10 feet from the coach. When the coach yells,
Go! the first player jogs to the coach, tossing the ball to
the coach and continuing to run away. The coach turns and
throws the ball in a high arc, similar to a touchdown pass.
3-9: Target position 3-10: Low throw position The player runs under the ball, catches it and returns to the
end of the line. Continue with the next player. The distance
and difficulty of the throw depends on the age and ability 3-11: Football drill
receiving position. On verbal command “low throw” players get
into a pinkie-near-pinkie alignment. Check each player’s position.
Physically make adjustments where needed. (pictures 3-9 & 3-
Expert Advice on of the player. Build confidence by challenging them while
allowing them to have success. Players should work on catching with the glove hand extended
FAVO R ITE

10) Utilizing These Drills and the more difficult across-the-body catch. Instruct the players to run with their arms down
D R I LL
in a running position until they need to reach up to make the catch. Two-handed catches are
Recommended are ages 6-10. Drills 2 through 6. recommended if the player is under the ball and waiting. One-handed catches are encouraged
2. Glove Position for High and Low Throws: For more repetitions The coach’s distance from when the player is on the run. This drill has numerous benefits. It teaches players to keep arms down
per player, divide players into as many lines as there are coaches. in running form when chasing a fly ball. It also helps players learn to judge the ball and gives them
One at a time start a player in the receiving position. Coaches player and the speed and
throw balls above waist, then below waist. Concentrate on proper difficulty of the throw
glove position. This drill will provide lots of repetitions in a depends on the age and
short time.
ability of the player.
Recommended ages 6-12.
Remember to challenge the
3. Clock Drill: Start player in an athletic position with the glove
hand slightly raised and open to the coach. Throw balls to the player while still allowing
player at the ten, eleven, one, two and three areas of a clock. The him to have success and
player should reach out one handed and catch the throws. This perform the fundamental
drill will teach the player how to receive throws in all those areas.
correctly. Having success
This is a great drill to use with players who have fear of the
ball or are just learning to catch. will build confidence and
reinforce the proper
fundamental position.
Besides, it’s just plain more
fun to make the catch.

51 52
 Drills & Instruction for Coaching Youth Baseball Chapter 3: Receiving

a chance to work on one-handed running catches. This is a

high-activity drill with numerous repetitions in a short time.
(picture 3-11)
Expert Advice on
Recommended ages 6-16. Playing Games
GAMES
Remember the games are a
competition. This is the
THE GLOVE
Having a proper-sized, broken-in glove that is well taken care of will
1. Point Game for Quick Feet Drill: Divide players into 2 groups.
Follow Quick Feet Drill. Award 2 points if player catches the ball
time for players to focus on enhance the player’s performance when it comes to fielding and receiving the baseball.
in center of body with proper two-handed technique. Award 1 point the goal in mind. It is not
for getting in front of ball but no catch is made. Players do not the proper time for the
receive points for a catch made outside the body. Play to 20 points, coach to instruct or critique
or after each player goes five times, add up the score to determine GLOVE SIZE
a winner. Winners get 5 extra swings each in live batting on technique. Have fun
The glove should be small enough for the player to control and pliable enough for the player to squeeze. Try to
practice. with it, and enjoy the avoid purchasing a glove that is too big for the player now believing they will grow into it. It is likely a player
Recommended ages 7-12. competition. This is what will go through 3 to 4 gloves throughout their Youth League days.
2. Point Game for Glove Position High, Low Drill: Divide players the players will enjoy most!
into 3 groups. Follow Glove Position Drill. Award 10 points for a INFIELDERS GLOVES vs. OUTFIELDERS GLOVES
catch with proper two-handed technique. Award 5 points for glove in proper two-handed position but no Infielder gloves are generally smaller in size, with a shallower pocket for an easier glove-to-hand transfer.
catch is made. Players do not receive points for catching the ball with one hand or improper glove position. Outfielder gloves can be longer in length for added reach, with a deeper pocket that allows the ball to stick into
After each player goes 10 times, add up the scores for first, second and third places. Set up the glove easier. First basemen and catchers have mitts that are specific to their position.
FAVO R ITE
a rematch for next practice.
Recommended ages 7-10. BUYING A GLOVE
GAME
3. Reaction Game: This game is played as the players versus the coaches. Follow the Reaction When selecting a glove, avoid plastic. They are lightweight, but they are not pliable and the ball will not stick
Drill set-up. With 5 players in line, throw each player a ball, one at a time. The player must make the catch for in it, making it difficult to catch. There are inexpensive leather gloves available at most retail and second-hand
a point. Each player goes 5 times. If the players get a total of 22 points, the coach does 5 push-ups. If the stores.
players lose, they do 5 push-ups. This game is great for getting players moving their feet,
FAVO R ITE
and catching every type of ball possible.
BREAKING IN AND MAINTAINING A GLOVE
Recommended ages 8-16.
GAME After purchasing a new glove, start the breaking-in process immediately. Put a ball in the pocket, tie the glove
4. Football Drill Game: Set up the Football Drill. Have each player go out for a catch five times. closed with string or twine and place it under a mattress for a night or two. This will start to fold and shape the
Award 10 points for throws that are caught. Award five points if a player gets his glove on the ball even if glove.
the ball is not caught. Object of the game is to get more points than the coach has set for the winning
amount. Again, remember to make the number challenging but obtainable. If the players have all gone four Next, the critical process begins – oiling the glove. It’s important to use the right kind of oil. Liquid oils will
times, and cannot win even if all players catch their last throw, give them a bonus round by upping the moisturize the glove, but they soak into the leather and gradually increase the weight. This makes the glove more
points for a catch to 20. This is an excellent competitive drill to motivate, build confidence difficult to move and control. Mink oil in grease form will not increase the glove’s weight, and it is an excellent
FAVO R ITE moisturizer for the glove’s leather.
and allow players to be stars because the coach controls the throws. Tailor the throw to
the skill of the player and make it a fun activity. Oil the glove in key areas to shape the glove correctly. When applying oil, concentrate on lubricating the
GAME
Recommended ages 6-16. pocket and the hinged areas that need to bend when squeezing the glove shut. It is not necessary to oil the
whole glove routinely. Apply oil to other areas of the glove when the leather appears dry.
5. Four-corner Game: This game can be found in the throwing section under “Games.” It is an
FAVO R ITE
effective drill to work on both receiving and throwing skills. Moisturizing the pocket and hinged areas will make the glove more pliable, but that alone will not break it
Recommended ages 7-16. in. The glove will still need repetitive pounding in the pocket and flexing of the gloves hinged portions. This
GAME repetitive pounding can be done most effectively with your fist or a bat. Playing catch also helps break in the
6. Four-corner Speed Game: This game can be found in the throwing section under “Games.” It glove, but will take longer to get the glove game ready. Younger players (ages 6 through 10) especially need help
is an extremely effective drill to work on both receiving and throwing skills under stress, which simulates
game pressure.
Recommended ages 7-16.

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 Drills & Instruction for Coaching Youth Baseball

getting the glove ready, mainly because they do not throw hard
enough to make a good impact on the leather.
When the glove is pliable enough to squeeze easily, it is ready. Expert Advice on
To maintain the glove throughout the year, use saddle soap as Gloves
needed to remove dirt and grime. Once the glove is clean, use mink
oil when the leather appears dry and discolored. To help keep the Moisturizing the pocket
pocket and shape, put a ball in the pocket when the glove is not being and hinged areas will make
used. This will eliminate those gloves that look like pancakes—the the glove more pliable, but
ones with one big folded crease without a wide pocket that helps the
ball stick in the glove. that alone will not break it
Take the time to get gloves ready before the start of games so
in. The glove will still need
players can enjoy the benefits and effectiveness of a broken-in glove. repetitive pounding in the
pocket and flexing of the
glove’s hinged portions.

55
 Chapter 4: Infield

INFIELD
The infield positions are very active and critical to the success
of your team’s defense. This chapter will go over the keys to
becoming a successful infielder.
A good infielder plays with confidence, wants the ball to be hit to him and anticipates that
happening before every pitch. This confident attitude can be obtained through preparation,
hard work and correct repetition of fundamental skills. An alert infielder is trained to be
thinking about where to go and what to do with the ball prior to every pitch. No matter what
physical skills the player has, it is the coaches’ job to get the most out of that individual’s
ability. How you prepare, train and instill confidence in your players will go a long way in
maximizing their talents.
Teaching an infielder how to track a pitch into the hitting zone and how to get the best
jump possible on batted balls should be a staple of your development plan. A quick first
step on a hit ball can be improved by utilizing proper pre-pitch movement. No one can get
their best jump on a hit ball from a dead-stopped position.
Once you establish a balanced ready position through pre-pitch preparation the proper
movement to different balls is important. For greater range the fielder should think lateral
movement first then forward movement to the ball. When approaching a ground ball, when
possible, the infielder should have an angle to the ball that creates a line toward the target
to first base. On hard hit balls and some slow rollers this will not be possible. Weather it’s a
ball hit directly at you, to the glove side, or back hand, reading the hops and using proper
footwork is crucial to an infielder’s success. An aggressive attitude of attacking the ball
while under control and balanced is the correct mindset. Moving the feet to get a good hop
means the infielder is playing the ball instead of letting the ball play him. Active feet using
shorter choppy steps will help in accelerating or decelerating and will help allow the body
and hands to get into a good fielding position. Maintaining balance allows for better control
throughout the fielding process and into the throwing motion.
At your levels of competition, getting the infielders into a sound fielding position is going
to be a big plus. Common flaws with youth-league players include:
• Not getting the feet wide enough.
• Bending over at the waist instead of the knees to field the ball.
• Not getting the hands out in front.
• Fielding high-to-low instead of low-to-high.
The good news is that you can develop a sound fielding position. As always, focus on
developing proper fielding technique through dry drills and controlled reaction drills to
start. That way players can understand and feel the proper fielding position. Once this is
taking shape, then you can progress to work on different plays and skills your infielders are
going to need throughout their baseball careers.

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 Drills & Instruction for Coaching Youth Baseball Chapter 4: Infield

Infielders, like all other players, should use two hands when fielding a routine ball. Not FUNDAMENTALS
only will the player have a better chance to catch the ball, it will give the player a better A. Ready Position: Get into an athletic position with knees flexed and weight
transition into the throw. Ball transfer from the glove to the throwing hand will be smoother distributed evenly on the balls of the feet. The weight should remain inside the
and quicker. Also, a two-handed approach makes squaring up to the target more efficient. knees. The body should be balanced and ready to react in any direction. The hands
When an infielder does not have time to get in front of the ball on line-drives and balls are off the knees, and the eyes are focused on the hitting zone. This is the ready
position for players not advanced enough for pre-pitch movement (ages 6-9). It
that take your momentum away from the throwing target—fielding one-handed is
is also the position a player ends up in after pre-pitch movement steps are taken.
appropriate. A fielder should not try to use two hands when the ball cannot be fielded in
(picture 4-1)
front of the body. Whether making a backhand or ranging to the glove side, staying low and
watching the ball into the glove are keys to making a one-handed catch. B. Pre-pitch Movement: Relax until the pitcher starts his windup. To initiate pre- 4-1: Ready position
pitch movement, walk into the ready position with a small, right-left step, and a
Bending over at the waist at the last moment to field a ground ball is a common problem controlled hop step if right handed. And a left-right step and a controlled hop step if left-handed. The pre-
for young infielders. Charging the ball is important, but players must allow time to get pitch movement should be initiated during the windup and completed as the ball is entering the hitting zone.
under control and into the proper fielding position. This allows them a chance to handle all The feet must be on the ground with the weight on the balls of the feet and inside the knees, when the ball
hops tough or routine. enters the hitting zone. The only forward movement is the first two walking steps; the controlled hop step at
Barehanded and one-handed plays followed by an off-balance throw are difficult to the end is a vertical up and down. Continued movement forward will hinder lateral movement. Proper pre-
execute for any age player. Infielders should always know the runner’s speed and make the pitch movement, timed correctly, allows for the best reaction to a hit ball. (pictures 4-2 to 4-4 )
play with two hands and a quick shuffle of the feet when time permits. There will be times
when the ball is hit slowly or the speed of the runner will make the play “do or die.” This is
the time to attempt an off-balance, one-handed play. Infielders who are 11 years and above
should be shown the proper
footwork technique and practice making the play in order to execute it when needed.
Pre-pitch movement, footwork, glovework and throwing aren’t an infielder’s only
responsibilities, however. Communication on the field will enhance any team’s awareness
and readiness. The middle infielders, along with the catcher, are the glue to communication
on the field. The infielders are your link to the outfield and support to your pitchers.
Communicating on cutoffs and relays and holding runners close to second are
responsibilities that you will need to teach. Encourage infielders to communicate with each
other, the pitchers and with the outfielders to keep everyone alert and mentally in the
game. 4-2: Relaxed 4-3: Short step 4-4: Ready position

Major League Third Baseman Bill Mueller

Gold Glove First Baseman J.T. Snow on Infield Play: on Keys to Making a Good Throw:
“Expect every ball to be hit to you, so you are ready on every play.” “Get a good grip on the ball, then get your feet underneath
you so you are balanced. Eye your target and move your feet
towards your target on the throw.”

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C. Approaching the Ball: Read the hops and move the feet smoothly with rhythm
to get a good hop. Never straighten up completely when going after a ground ball.
Stay athletic, balanced and approach the ball under control with the weight on
the balls of the feet. Attempt to get in front of the ball and create a line toward the
target to first base whenever possible. The last two steps should be right-left for
right-handed throwers and left-right for left-handed throwers. The glove is
extended out early before the player sets up to field the ball. A quiet open glove
is lowered smoothly, opposed to flipping the glove down at the last moment (refer
to picture 4-7). The glove continues down to get below the ball as the ball
approaches. The ball is centered in the middle of the chest. 4-5: Fielding position
D. Fielding the Ball: Proper fielding position has the left foot slightly in front of the
right for right-handed throwers and vice-versa for left-handed throwers. The feet 4-7: Final approach 4-8: Fielding position 4-9: Secure ball
should be spread about two times shoulder width, balanced with weight inside
the knees. Knees are bent, rear down, flat back, head down, and hands extended
away from the body out past the bill of their cap. Maintain a slight flex in the
elbows. The hands should be relaxed and ready to react. Put the fingers of the
glove on the ground with palm open to the ball, the throwing hand next to the
glove as seen in the picture. When the ball has taken its last hop, you adjust the
position of the glove to the ball. Fielding low to high, push the hands softly
through the ball on a short hop or give softly back toward the body when fielding 4-6: Securing the ball
a ball at the down portion of the hop. A rolling ball can be fielded either way:
whichever comes naturally to the fielder. Fielding forward through a ball keeps the body in position toward
the target. (picture 4-5)
E. Securing the Ball: Keep the head down and watch the ball into the glove. The throwing hand reaches in
once the ball makes contact with the glove, to secure the ball and establishes a grip on a seam. For
advanced 10-year-old players and older, a cross-seam grip should be secured on routine plays and on other 4-10: Gain momentum and square up 4-11: Throw
plays whenever possible. (picture 4-6)
F. Throwing the Ball: Gather the ball after fielding it to the chest region. Look for the target and have the
feet begin to square to the target. For right-handers, the right foot steps in front of the left, gaining
momentum and direction toward the target. For left-handers it would be the opposite. Or the feet can
shuffle forward, replacing the front foot with the back, to achieve direction and momentum. In both Former Philadelphia Phillie Joe Millette on Infielders Footwork and Approach:
cases, the front shoulder points at the target as the feet move. Infielders should remain in an athletic “Proper footwork is crucial to an infielder’s success. Having an aggressive attitude while
position during this transition. Do not straighten up completely. Utilize the legs’ momentum to throw the still maintaining control and balance of your body is the correct approach.
ball. Hands break to throw when the back foot lands to square up to target. Refer to arm action in throwing This will allow you to adjust to a tricky hop and transition into making a strong throw.”
section. Note: Arm action does not change. A quicker snap-like throw will be used at times on different
plays and when time doesn’t permit normal arm action. (picture 4-7 to 4-11)

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READY POSITION DRILLS FIELDING POSITION DRY DRILLS

1. Ready Position Dry Drill: Line up all players. On verbal
command, ready, position players get into the ready position.
Expert Advice on 3. Triangle Dry Drill: Line up all players and draw a
triangle in front of each one. Size it to the proportion of
Check each player’s position. Look for a balanced athletic stance
with weight inside the knees and on the balls of feet. Hands are
Ready Positions the player, with the triangle’s base closest to them. The
base of the triangle should be roughly two times the
carried below the belt and aren’t touching the knees. Physically Remember, when the shoulder width. Have all players step forward and place
make corrections where needed. infield is playing in on the their feet on the base of their triangle. Then players
Recommended ages 6-10. extend their glove hand in front of their body almost to
grass, it is important for
full extension, keeping a slight flex in the elbow. Their
2. Pre-pitch Movement Dry Drill: Line up players arm-distance the infielders to start low fingertips should be pointed toward the ground. 4-12: Triangle position
apart and put a coach to act as the pitcher on the mound. Players
stand relaxed at their infield position. Pitcher or coach simulates
with their gloves out and Bending at the knees, players place the tip of their glove on the ground at the point of the triangle. The point
open and lower to the of the triangle should be out past the bill of the player’s cap.
windup, and when the pitcher reaches the release point, all players
should start their pre-pitch movement and be in the ready position ground. If they remain This drill helps get the young player into the proper fielding position by using the visual and reference
as the ball enters the hitting zone. One coach should monitor the points of the triangle. Players can remember the fielding position better because they remember the
higher with their gloves triangle position. (Picture 4-12)
players performing this drill. Make sure there is not too much
momentum going forward, because that will hinder lateral out of position, a hard Recommended ages 6-10.
movement. This drill will show players when to relax and when smash will be past them 4. Fielding Dry Drill: Line up all players. Players start relaxed. On verbal command, ready position, players
to be ready to react. The drill keeps all players active. before they can lower their get into their ready position. On verbal command, triangle position, players get into their fielding position.
Recommended ages 10-16. Check each player’s fielding position. Their feet should be spread about two times shoulder width, with the
gloves to the ball. Third
knees flexed and the rear down. The head is down and the glove should be positioned on the ground out front
basemen along with first past their cap. This drill checks proper fielding position. Watch for players bending at waist instead of
basemen coming off the properly spreading their feet farther apart and bending at knees to lower their hands, body and head.
bag should utilize this Recommended ages 8-16.
position routinely.

Bill Mueller on Getting a Good Jump on the Ball: Veteran Infielder Bill Mueller on Fielding Position:
“Always anticipate the ball coming to you. “Form a triangle with the feet being the base and the arms and hands
Imagine different scenarios that may occur and how to correctly handle those plays being the top of the triangle as you reach to receive the ground ball.
(ie, slow roller, bad hop, backhand play etc.)” Attempt to catch the ball in front of your body.”

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CONTROLLED REACTION DRILLS 8. Glove Side Drill: Set up the same as in the previous drill. The
These next four drills (5-8) are perfect for performing one right after the other as a solid routine to set only difference is that the player or coach throws a ball outside
the tone for your fielding practices. Do these before you move to hitting balls and other drills. the glove hand. Then the receiving player tosses it back the same
way. The correct way to catch the ball outside the body depends
Expert Advice on
5. Coach or Partner Rolls: For those 10 years and under, line up players and have coach roll FAVO R ITE how deep it is outside of you. If it is deep, you may give a little Fielding a Ball Hit Hard
balls. For advanced 10-year-olds and above, pair up and have players roll to each other. Put them
in two separate lines, 12 feet apart, and facing each other. Have adequate spacing between
D R I LL
more with the glove hand and body to reach the ball. If it is not
as deep, you may be able to catch it outside and in front of the
Right at You
groups. Give each pair of players a ball. The receiving player starts in fielding position with the lead leg with a forward action. These ball needs to be rolled faster It is much harder to read
glove on the ground and extended out past the bill of their cap. The player with the ball rolls it underhand or even throw as a big hop to make the ball outside the body. This
directly toward their partner’s glove. Then the receiving the speed and hops of a
drill works on the players’ hands and catching those balls one
player rolls it back the same way. As the drill progresses, can’t quite get in front of. On balls outside the glove-hand ball hit hard at you.
players should vary the ball speed. We recommend the side, carry the glove low and open to the ball. This drill Remember: do not come up
coach controls when players roll to each other by saying, provides a lot of repetitions in a short time and keeps all
roll. This drill can be taken a step further by working the and tense up. Try to soften
players active.
feet, arm action and proper grip into the throwing position. the body and relax the
Recommended ages 8-16.
This drill works on the players’ hands and fielding the hands, stay low to the ball
ball out in front of their eyes in a sound fielding 9. Crossover Step Drill: Place all players in a single-file line at
shortstop except for the first baseman. The coach positions and catch it first. You will
position. Provides a lot of repetitions in a short time
and keeps all players active. (picture 4-13) himself halfway between shortstop and home plate to maximize have time to gather and
4-13: Partner rolls and short hop drill repetitions. Fielders start in the ready position and the coach rolls
Recommended ages 8-16. throw after you have made
balls at medium speed to the player’s right. The player breaks for
6. Short-hop Drill: Set up the same as previous drill. The only difference is the player or coach attempts to the ball using the crossover step – the right foot pivots open, and the difficult catch.
give his partner a short hop. The goal is to toss the ball just short of where the player’s glove is set up in the the left foot crosses over in front of right foot. A slight angle
triangle position. Then the receiving player tosses it back the same way. The correct way to catch the short should be taken to have more time to gain ground on the ball.
hop is to reach and catch it before it becomes an in-between hop by pushing the hands softly through the Player field’s ball sets and throws to first. After all players go once, throw balls to the players’ left and
ball. We recommend the coach controls when players roll to each other. This drill works on the players’ watch for proper crossover step moving left. Then proceed to throwing balls to both side and watch the
hands and promotes a slight forward action with the glove hand to get those potentially difficult hops. reaction. Encourage players to be quick with their feet during this drill. Challenge the players with the
Provides a lot of repetitions in a short time and keeps all players active. throws, extending their range, but make most plays reachable. Drill works on crossover step and
Recommended ages 8-16. emphasizes quick feet when moving to a ground ball.
7. Backhand Drill: Set up the same as previous drill. On coach’s verbal Recommended ages 8-16.
command, roll, players roll ball to their partner. When first teaching 10. Partner Ground Balls: Pair up all players. Put them into two separate lines, 25 to 45 feet apart facing each
the backhand position, have players get pre-set in the backhand other. Give each pair of players a ball. Start the balls all in one line. The receiving players assume the ready
position before the ball is rolled. Check their body and glove position. Players throw the ball back and forth as follows: On coach’s verbal command, throw, players throw
positions and make adjustments where needed. Proper body position grounders at medium speed to their partners. The receiving players work on approaching and fielding the
is shown in picture. Coaches should emphasize that players need to ball correctly. Emphasize the smooth, controlled movement players should have when approaching and
bend their knees to get low to the ground on the backhand. Glove fielding a ground ball. Also concentrate on players fielding the ball in the center of the body. This drill can
hand is slightly in front of glove-side foot and rotated open to the be done to emphasize many different aspects of fielding. Coach can have players roll balls to the backhand
incoming ball. Once the players are set, roll five or so balls as they side to work on the backhand. Coach can have players roll balls back and forth not emphasizing any
stay set in that position. After players understand and feel the proper 4-14: Crossover backhand particular phase of fielding, but just for lots of repetitions of ground ball practice. Coach can pick focus
position, it’s time to start players from a ready position. With players needed for your players. This drill keeps all players active. Good drill to use before games to get players
in ready position, partners or coach rolls ball underhanded one step to their partner’s backhand side. ready to play.
Receiving players start in their ready position and use a crossover step to position themselves for the
Recommended ages 6-16.
backhand. The glove should cross over with their glove-hand foot. Drill works on proper body and glove
position on backhand play. The drill keeps all players active. Drill gives lots of repetitions on a play
that is common but is not often worked on. (picture 4-14)
Recommended ages 8-16.

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11. Triangle Rotation Drill: Position players at the three points of a triangle 25 to 60 feet apart, RELAY DRILLS
FAVO R ITE
depending on the age group. Point A of the triangle is the roller. Point B of the triangle is the 15. Relay Drill: Break the team into two groups with one group
fielder. (picture 4-15) Point C of the triangle is the first baseman. The player at Point A starts FAVO R ITE
D R I LL at third base and the other group at a relay distance away
the drill by rolling a ground ball to the fielder. After the player rolls the ball, he follows the acting as the relay men. The coach acts as an outfielder
roll and gets in line at the fielders position. The fielder fields the ground ball and throws it to beyond the relay man. One player at a time from the relay
D R I LL
the first baseman, then follows the throw and gets in line with the first baseman. The first baseman catches group pops out and gives a target with hands raised to the coach. The third
the ball and immediately throws it back to the roller, then follows his throw, going to the rollers position. baseman should be lining up the relay man with the outfielder and third
Wherever the player throws or rolls the ball, he runs and takes position at that point for his next turn. For base. The coach varies different types of throws to the relay man. Make
players 10 years and younger, don’t have the players follow their throw but rather stay put and get back in perfect throws to start then vary them – low, high, left, right and one-
the same line. After a couple of minutes have the whole hoppers. The key is for the relay person to move his feet and get his body
groups rotate. Put a base down at each point of the in position to catch the ball on the glove-hand side. For more advanced
triangle to keep the triangle from shrinking. First base players, the relay person should turn sideways and shuffle through as the
position should work on footwork receiving a throw. The ball is caught to gain momentum and quickly transfer the ball. The ball is
roller position should straddle the base and work on a then relayed to third base, where the player makes the tag. Then the ball is 4-16: Target position
quick tag when the ball is thrown to him, before he rolls thrown back to the relay person, and he relays it back to the coach. Two
it to the fielder. This drill can be done with a four players new players fill their spots, or have the same player stay for several throws
at each point with just one coach, but if there are two in a row. This drill is nice because the coach controls the throw and can
coaches, break the team into two triangles for more challenge the players. On a low throw the relay man cannot reach in time
repetitions. This high-activity drill works on fielding, to get momentum moving toward his next throw, the relay man should
throwing, first base footwork and tagging. It provides 4-15: Triangle rotation drill
back up and receive the throw on a big hop. This will give the relay man
lots of repetitions in a short time. more momentum on his throw to base. This drill teaches relay men how
Recommended ages 8-16. to position themselves and the importance of moving their feet to get
into position. (pictures 4-16 & 4-17)
GAME SPEED DRILLS
Recommended ages 8-16.
12. Live Fungo Drill: Put players at the shortstop position with no more than four players deep. FAVO R ITE 16. Relay Communication Drill: This drill is set up to simulate a relay play
Have a coach hit ground ball to the players and throw the ball to a first baseman. Start off
from the outfield to third base with focus on communication. Set a player
hitting routine, medium-speed balls straight to the players. The key is you want the players to
D R I LL or a group of players in center field, second base, shortstop and third base
have time to read the hops and get their body in position to catch the ball correctly. Make sure
positions. Hit or throw balls to the outfielder, who will throw it to the 4-17: Receiving the throw
when the players move to the ball they allow time to get under control and catch the ball in the Triangle
relay man. Infielders start in regular position and once ball is hit second
Position. Then progress to hitting ball to their right where they have to get around the ball to be in a position
baseman goes and cover second base. Shortstop lines himself up to third base with third baseman help. Third
to throw to first base. Move on to hitting balls to the player’s left, making sure they don’t overrun the ball.
baseman covers third and his verbal command to help line up the shortstop is right, left, or good. Once the
The last two types of ball for the better 10 year olds and above are the backhand play and slow roller. This
throw is made the third baseman’s verbal communication to the shortstop is go, go, if he doesn’t want it cut.
drill can be done from any position on the field. Avoid more than four players in one line; there will be much
If he wants the ball directed to a base, his communication is two, two (for second) or three, three (for third).
standing and waiting for their turn. The majority of the balls should be hit medium speed so the player can
If there is no play and he wants the ball cut and held, the command is cut, cut. Once each player has gone
get repetition on routine game-speed balls.
a few times, have them rotate to the next position. Outfielder goes to second, second to shortstop, shortstop
Recommended ages 7-16. to third and third to the outfield. This drill helps the players to communicate and to make a decision in
13. Concentrated Ground Balls: Put as many players at their positions as you have fungo hitters. FAVO R ITE
a game setting. Getting players to speak up and make a decision can be tough, but the more you do
All fungo hitters hit ground balls to their respective fielders. Fielders toss balls back into drills like this the better they will be at reading a situation and communicate what needs to be done.
coach or throw to coach’s catcher. The coach’s catcher should stand in front of the coach so Recommended ages 10-16.
D R I LL
that the coach has vision of him at all times. Never have them behind the coach where they
can get hit by the coach’s back swing. This drill is for fielding practice at game speed. Good drill when
you want a lot of ground balls in a short time and players arms are tired and do not need to throw.
Recommended ages 10-16.

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TAG DRILLS ADDITIONAL BACK HAND DRILLS

19. Backhand Reaction Play: This backhand is used on a sharply hit
17. Tag Drill: Start players at second base and shortstop positions and FAVO R ITE
ball when the defender has no time to backhand the ball with the
have player line up behind the second-base cone. The coach should
crossover step. This backhand is initiated by a slight drop step with
set up between second base and the pitchers mound. Have first D R I LL the throwing hand foot as the body and glove stays low. As the ball is
player in line break to cover second base on coach’s verbal
received, it is done so with a giving action towards the outfield.
command, go. Player hustles to second base and straddles the base and gets down
Players throw a one hop ball to backhand side and receive it as stated
low in a receiving position. Then on coach’s command, tag, player applies a tag
above. (picture 4-20)
in front of the bag where the incoming runner will slide. Either a two-handed or
one-handed tag is applied depending on age and ability. They then run over and Recommended ages 12-16.
4-20: Reaction backhand
line up at shortstop. Rotate all players through this dry drill sequence and make 20. Backhand Slide Through: This backhand is used when the infielder
adjustments on player’s positioning as needed. Then proceed to doing it live with 4-18: One-hand tag can’t get in front of the ball or when a fast runner is involved. The
a baseball. Coach should vary his throws to simulate all types of possible balls: infielder takes an angle to the ball and sets up for a backhand. The
from throws right on the money to short hops, high throws and balls that pull the player still has time to move up to the ball so he shuffles forward
receiver off the bag. On all these different throws, a tag still needs to be made in sideways through the backhand play. The glove starts low with the
the correct position. This drill can be made into a game by awarding five points thumb turned down to open up the glove. The slide forward starts
for getting in the correct receiving position and then another five points if they tag with the glove hand moving forward to catch the ball. The body slides
in the correct place. If all players get ten points each then the coach does five through a split second after the glove and continues into the throwing
push ups. This is a high-activity drill that teaches the correct tag position. process. (picture 4-21)
Don’t allow players to tag on top of the base and teach them to get down low Recommended ages 12-16.
and to keep their nose in there to make a good tag. (pictures 4-18 & 4-19) 4-21: Slide through backhand
Recommended ages 8-16. 4-19: Two-handed tag GAMES
18. Four-base Tag Drill: Position one player at each base, or in a square 45 to 90 1. Short-hop Game: Set up the short-hop drill with each coach taking five players. Players do not team up
feet apart depending on the age group. Players should straddle the base. The player at home FAVO R ITE but take turns playing with the coach. Coach throws 10 short hops to each player. The object of game is to
starts the drill by throwing the ball to third. As the player receives the ball, he makes a quick see which player can catch the most throws. To keep other players active in the group, have them pair up
tag with the back of the glove. After making the tag, the player quickly crow hops and throws and play until it is their turn. Another option for this game is as follows: Instead of best of 10, see what player
D R I LL
to second base. The procedure is repeated at each base in sequence until the ball has gone can catch the most throws in a row. Winning player or players lead stretch at next practice. If playing for
around the bases three times. The quickest tag is a one-handed tag, going directly down in front of the base. most catches in a row, keep track of the winning amount at that day.At next practice, see who can beat
A key to a quick tag is to let the ball travel to the fielder. Reaching out to catch the throw is not last practice's record.
recommended unless the throw is off line. The ball can travel faster than a player’s tag. Two-handed tags in Recommended ages 8-16.
a game are good when a player has plenty of time to put the tag down. This will help secure the ball so it
will not be kicked out of the glove. 2. Reaction Game: Set up the same as Game 1. The coach throws every type of ball possible – from all types
of ground balls to line drives and balls that require jumping catches – and the player reacts to make the play.
Recommended ages 10-16.
This is great drill for all infielders, especially corner players.
Recommended ages 8-16.
3. Partner Ground Ball Game: Set up Partner Ground Ball Drill, pairing up partners by ability. The coach
doesn’t have to control the game like the drill. The partners play against each other. The object of the game
is to see which partner misses a ground ball first. Here are the rules: Players must throw the ground balls
directly at their partner, and all throws must bounce at least two times. Players can throw ground balls as
Bill Mueller Reminds You:
hard as they want to make the game a challenge. Have players play a best-of-five series, or a best-of-seven
“A good catch and a good throw is an out!”
World Series. This will give them a chance to lose a game but still possibly win the series.
“A great catch and a bad throw is a double!”
Recommended ages 8-16.
“A great catch and a great throw – they’ll invite you back tomorrow!”

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4. Relay Game: Divide the team into three groups of four to six players each. Each group forms
a straight line with 25 to 50 feet of space between each player, depending on the age group.
FAVO R ITE
Playing First Base
Have players at the same points throughout each line. Give a ball to each player at the Developing a good first baseman is crucial to the success of a strong defensive team. Time should be spent on
GAME
beginning of each line. The object of the game is to throw the ball to each player in his line. specific first-base fundamentals before, during or after practice. Most players want to play first base—or their
Once the ball reaches the last player in the line, they return the ball back down the line until it reaches the parents want them to. But be aware that not all players have the ability to play this position. Remember to think
player who started the game. The players at the ends of the line rotate to the middle after each game. If a of safety first. If a player has trouble catching a ball and can’t get out of the way of a hard throw, then they
player is overthrown, the ball must be returned to that player before the ball can continue down the line. shouldn’t be playing first base. All infielders can benefit from learning how to receive a throw like a first
Every player in the line must handle the ball. The first group to throw the ball up and back three times is baseman does. They will use this footwork on force outs at their respective bases.
the winner. Winning players get to decide what drill or game to perform next. The game is designed to
work on the proper fundamentals of an infielder being a relay man. Each infielder should face the
FIRST BASE FUNDAMENTALS
player throwing to him with his arms raised high in the air, giving the thrower, the outfielder, a target.
As the ball is in flight, the infielder should move to the ball, positioning his body to receive the throw A. Setting Up on Base: Once the ball is hit, the first baseman should get to the base
on the glove-hand side. Once the ball is caught, the player crow hops directly toward his target, the as quickly as possible. There are two ways a first baseman can set up his feet.
next player in line. This game is great for teaching players the quickest way to relay a throw and keeps The easier position is to place the ball of the throwing-hand foot in contact with
all players active. the middle of the bag. The glove-hand foot is wider than shoulder width, and both
Recommended ages 8-16. knees are flexed. The first baseman faces the infielder making the play. It is
important the first baseman is in a balanced athletic position so he can adjust to
5. Concentrated Ground Ball Game: Set up drill as stated in drill section. Play the line of a bad throw. The second and more advanced foot position on receiving throws
FAVO R ITE
players versus the coach. Set a total number of catches that must be made consecutively for allows the first baseman more mobility around the bag, but there is more footwork
a player’s victory. If any player bobbles or misses a ball before reaching that total number, the involved. When the first baseman gets to the bag using this method, he straddles
coach wins. Be sure to put a reward for the winners or a task to be performe by the losers GAME
the bag with his heels in contact with the base. From there, the technique is the 4-22: Straddle set up
to add to the build-up and competition of the game. Example, if players lose they must same. (picture 4-22)
carry the coaches’ gear to the car.
B. Receiving the Throw: From the athletic position and facing the
Recommended ages 8-16.
infielder making the play, the first baseman waits to see the flight of
6. Create Your Own: Almost every drill can be made into a game. Be creative. After utilizing a drill for a the ball. After seeing the throw direction, he steps with the glove-
while, see if you can make it a competition or a game. The Triangle Rotation Drill and the Four-corner hand foot directly toward the throw. From the more advanced straddle
Tag Drill are perfect for making up your own game. position, the fielder has to adjust his throwing-hand foot in contact
with the base as he steps toward the throw. This technique allows for
movement on the base. On very wide throws, a first baseman can
shift his feet to one side of the bag and then stretch for the ball. This
is where mobility around the base is gained. It’s important on low 4-23: Step to ball
throws that the first baseman bends his back knee to maintain his foot
on the base. Once the ball is caught players, should pull their foot off the base to limit getting stepped on
and look for the next play if other men are on base. (picture 4-23)

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C. Holding Runners on Base: Whether right- or left-handed, the basic body position is about the same. The 4. Picking Low Throws: Coach starts 10 to 20 feet away from first base
right foot is parallel and against first base on the home plate side. The left foot is in line with pitcher. Knees with a bucket of balls. Player starts in the stretch position with glove out
are bent low and the target is given with the glove hand extended toward the pitcher. Left-handers have front and low with the knee flexed in an L position to maintain contact
their left foot more open in line with the first-base line. Once pitcher commits to home, first baseman with the base. The coach throws short hops and the player works on
shuffles off base and gets into ready position. (pictures 4-24 & 4-25) picking the throw and maintaining the bag. Have the player work on
backhanded short hops as well. After a few throws from this distance, the
coach should back up 40 to 60 feet away and the first baseman starts on
the base in his regular receiving position. Now working on stretching out
and picking the ball at the same time. The only time a first baseman 4-28: Picking low throws
shouldn’t step to the ball on a low throw is when the throw is very short
and the ball can’t be picked on a short hop. The player stays back to catch the big hop. (picture 4-28)
Recommended ages 10-16.
5. Just React: Combine all of the above and have the player just react to all the possible throws FAVO R ITE
a first baseman may receive. For older players, a coach may use a fungo and hit balls as if
thrown to a first baseman to save the arm and put more velocity on the ball.
D R I LL
4-24: Holding runners 4-25: Ready position Recommended ages 8-16.

FIRST BASE DRILLS GAMES

1. Receiving Throws: Start player at regular first baseman’s position. Coach sets up 40 to 60 feet away with
1. Picking Low Throws: After performing the drill for a while, end with a little competition. FAVO R ITE
a bucket of balls. On coach’s command, go, player breaks to the base, gets under control and sets up on the
From 40 to 60 feet, put three players at first base. The players are playing against each other.
bag correctly with either set up. The first baseman then faces toward coach’s location and waits to see where
Have players alternate taking throws. Players keep going in succession until they miss two
the ball is thrown. After reading the ball direction the first baseman steps to meet the throw with the glove- GAME
throws. When they miss two they are out. Keep going until a winner is crowned. Winning
hand foot, or shifts both feet if using the straddle technique. Once catch and out is made, pull foot off bag
player gets to decide what fielding game the team plays at the next practice.
and look for another play. Have another bucket placed near first to drop the balls into. The coach should
vary the location and height of throws. When working with younger players who have limited first-base Recommended ages 10-16.
experience, set up much closer—about 20 feet away.
Recommended ages 8-16.
2. Receiving Bad Throws: Set up the same as Drill 1, but the coach throws balls that can just barely by caught
maintaining the base and throws where the player must come off the base to catch. This teaches the first
baseman his stretching limit and that it’s acceptable to come off the base and save an errant throw.
Recommended ages 8-16.
3. Tagging Runners: Set up the same as Drill 1. Coach
throws balls that are up the line (toward home) that the
player must leave the base to catch. The first baseman
catches the ball in fair territory. Once making the
catch, keep the glove low in case the runner slides to
avoid a tag. The tag should be made lightly, letting the
runner’s momentum force the tag. A tag with a giving
action will help prevent injury by softening the
contact. A coach can simulate a runner to make this
more realistic. (pictures 4-26 & 4-27)
4-26: Start low 4-27: Give with runner
Recommended ages 10-16.

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 Chapter 5: Outfield

OUTFIELD
Outfielders should anticipate every pitch being hit to them and think about
where they should throw the ball before it is hit. All outfielders should be in the
ready position, utilizing pre-pitch movement as the ball approaches the hitting
zone. Pre-pitch movement will help players focus on the hitter, the game and
improve their jump on the ball. Players can relax between pitches but should
return to the ready position as the pitcher is ready to deliver the ball.
Encourage communication among outfielders. They should remind each other the number of
outs after each play to keep them alert. Runs can be saved by teaching outfielders how to
back up bases and their teammates correctly. Charging ground balls, fielding them properly
and getting them back to the infield quickly are valuable skills that also save runs.
The most obvious aspect of playing the outfield is catching fly balls.
Sometimes outfielders have a difficult time, because their judgment
skills are not fully developed. Judgment can be developed through
practice—repetition of thrown or batted balls. Take time to teach
the fundamentals below to enhance your team’s outfield play.

FUNDAMENTALS
A. Ready Position: It’s an athletic position, with the knees flexed and weight on the
balls of the feet. The body is balanced and ready to react. Hands are off the knees
5-1: Ready position
and eyes are focused on the hitting zone. (picture 5-1)
B. Pre-pitch Movement: Relax between pitches until the pitcher starts his wind-up. To initiate pre-pitch
movement, walk into the ready position with a small, controlled right-left step if right-handed or a left-right
step if left-handed. The pre-pitch movement should
be initiated during the wind-up and completed slightly
before the ball is in the hitting zone. This allows the
best reaction to a hit ball.
C. Initial Step: Balls hit to the right or left utilize a
crossover step. Balls hit directly overhead utilize a
drop-step. When a line drive is hit directly at the
outfielder, the player should drop-step to 90 degrees
with either foot getting in position to go forward or
backward. The player holds this initial step until
5-2: Drop step on ball hit 5-3: Drop step on ball hit
determining whether to charge or back up on the ball. over left shoulder over right shoulder
(pictures 5-2 & 5-3).

Defensive Star Calvin Murray on Getting a Good Jump on the Ball:

“In order to get a good jump on a batted ball you have to be in a good
athletic position when the ball is in the hitting area. Most importantly
you must believe every pitch will be hit to you.”

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D. Tracking a Hit Ball: With eyes focused on the hitting zone, anticipate a swing and the ball being hit. After H. Getting the Ball to the Infielder: Never hold the ball and not know what to do with it. Always anticipate
contact, run quickly to where you expect the ball will land buy keeping your eyes focused on the ball and the play before it happens. After fielding the ball, pick up the infield target as soon as possible. Square up
extending the arm up in time to make the catch. As players improve there judgment skills they should learn for proper alignment, and crow hop for momentum to make a strong throw to the proper base or cut-off man.
to run to a spot by taking there eyes off the ball during there tracking phase. This is done by reading the ball When throwing to a base, make a throw an infielder can handle. Know when to throw the ball all the way
at contact, then taking the eyes off the ball, running fast towards the location of the batted ball, and then in the air or when to make an accurate one-hop bounce to the base. When throwing to a relay or cut-off man,
picking up the ball again as you sense it is time to retract the ball and make the catch. This technique takes hit him chest high if possible. (pictures 5-8 to 5-10)
time to develop but is the fastest way to cover ground in the outfield. I. Outfielders Throw: When there is no immediate play, outfielders should get into the habit of setting their
E. Catching Fly Balls: Attempt to get under the baseball whenever possible feet and throwing the ball firmly to a base or cut off man. When attempting to throw out or stop a runner
with glove position at vertical to 1 o’clock. Use two hands by lining up the from advancing, the throw should always be made hard and on a line.
thumb of the throwing hand with the thumb of the glove hand. The ball is
best received slightly to the glove hands side of the face area. This is best for
vision, staying balanced through out the catch and transitioning into the
throw. If the player cannot get under the ball, one-handed catches are the
most efficient. Using two hands is awkward and can throw off a players
balance when attempting to catch the ball on the run. Players who are 10
years old and above should begin to learn to catch the ball with the proper
foot work needed to catch and throw to a base. For a quicker transition into
a throw the glove hand foot should be placed in front with knees flexed and
body balanced. This allows an easy transition into the crow hop to throw.
(picture 5-4) 5-4: Two-handed catch
F. Charging Ground Balls: Getting to the ball quickly is important, whether there are baserunners or not. It’s
important to learn how to judge the speed of the ball off the bat. When the ball is hit slow, immediately
charge hard. Regardless of the ball’s speed, when approaching it, slow down and get under control using
short, choppy steps to get into the proper fielding position. Slowing down to gain body control prepares the
fielder for bad hops and gives him a better chance to field the ball. The fielder will also be in a better throwing
position. Bending over at the waist at the last moment leads to poor body balance and gives the fielder little 5-8: Catch 5-9: Crow hop 5-10: Throw
chance to make adjustments on a bad hop.
G. Fielding Ground Balls: With no one on base, field the ball like an infielder or drop to one knee so ball
DRILLS
does not get past. If runners are on base, field the ball with two hands in order to return the ball quickly to
the infield. In this instance, do not drop to one knee. If baserunners are trying to advance, field the ball one- 1. Ready Position Dry Drill: Put players in a single-file line with space to move between them. On verbal
handed using glove-hand, glove-foot technique. The glove position is slightly in front and to the side of the command, ready, players get into the ready position. Check each player’s position. Look for a balanced
glove-side foot. Field forward and through the ball, coming up to the throwing position. stance with weight on the balls of the feet and hands carried high and off the knees. Physically help players
(pictures 5-5 to 5-7) get into proper position if needed.
Recommended ages 8-16.
2. Pre-pitch Movement Dry Drill: Place four players at each outfield position and a coach or player on the
mound. Players stand relaxed at their outfield position. Pitcher simulates wind-up. When the pitcher reaches
his release point, all players should have utilized the proper pre-pitch movement sequence as explained in
the fundamentals section. One coach should monitor the players performing this drill. This drill will
show players when to relax and when they need to be ready to react, and it keeps all players active.
Recommended ages 8-16.

5-5: No one on base 5-6: Man on base 5-7: Throwing out a runner

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Drills – Initial Steps 6. Reaction Drill Incorporating Drop and Cross Over Steps: Pair up players and place them in two separate
3. Drop-step Dry Drill: Line up all players 5 feet apart. Start lines 20 feet apart so that each player is facing his partner. Keep plenty of space between players in the same
them in the ready position. A coach stands 15 feet in front line so they can move freely. Give each player in one line a baseball. The coach stands behind the line of
of the players where all the players can see him. When the players without the baseballs. The receiving players start in the ready position. The coach controls the drill
coach points up and to his left (players’ right), players by pointing in which direction he wants the ball thrown. Point down and to the right for ground balls to the
drop-step with their right foot to 90 degrees simulating a right side. Point up and to the right for fly balls over the right shoulder. Do the same thing for the left side.
ball hit over their right side, and hold that position. When The coach monitors the receiving players and makes corrections when needed. After 5 to 10 repetitions,
the coach points up and to his right (players’ left), players make the receiving players the throwers. The coach switches sides and repeats. This drill is the next step
drop-step with their left foot to 90 degrees, simulating a after players have mastered the crossover step and drop-step drills. This drill can be utilized for all
ball hit over their left side, and hold that position. players, and it is a high-repetition drill that will keep all players active when coaching alone or with
5-11: Drop step dry drill
Establishing the drop-step to 90 degrees allows a player to limited help.
run in a straight line to any ball. A drop-step to 90 degrees Recommended ages 8-16.
does not have to occur on every ball hit to the side. The
drop-step depth will vary depending on the angle needed Drills – Fielding Ground Balls
to run directly to the ball. (pictures 5-11 & 5-12) This 7. Situation Ground Balls: Line up all outfielders in center field in a single file. Put the third baseman at his
drill teaches the correct first step for a more efficient position and the shortstop as the relay man lined up to third. Put second baseman at second base. With a
route and angle to the ball over their heads, and it keeps bucket of balls, the coach takes position between the mound and second base and yells out one of two
all players active. situations, No one on base or Man on first base. Hit ground balls at various speeds and directions – either
Recommended ages 8-16. right at or to the side of the center fielders. Outfielders work on charging ground balls hard from initial steps,
4. Drop-step Drill: Follow the same set-up as for the drop- slowing down and getting under control to field the ball in proper position. If coach yells, No one on base,
5-12: Drop step dry drill
step dry drill. One player at a time, the coach throws a ball the player fields the ball as an infielder or goes down to one knee, then quickly squares up to second base,
over the player’s right or left shoulder. The throw should have a high arc and be made catchable. After crow hops and makes a strong throw. If coach yells, Man on first base, the player charges hard, gets under
catching the ball, the player throws it back to the coach and hustles back to their position in line. The coach control and fields ball like an infielder. Then he quickly squares up to third, crow hops and makes a strong
continues down the line, monitoring for proper drop-step. If a player does not drop-step correctly, repeat throw chest high to the shortstop, who will cut it off if necessary. This drill covers the key skills needed
with that player. To take this drill a step further, throw balls straight over the player’s head. Here, the correct to field ground balls and throwing to the correct base or the relay man. It also allows the relay man
technique is to drop-step with the glove-hand foot so the ball can be caught without reaching across the body. to make decisions about relaying the ball to third base or cutting off the ball if proper communication
This drill teaches the correct first step to a ball over their heads and practices making running skills are used between the third baseman and shortstop. This drill also teaches players to make
catches. decisions based on the game situation.
Recommended ages 8-16. Recommended ages 8-16.
5a. Crossover Step Dry Drill: Players line up single-file and the coach stands 15 feet away, facing the first
player in line. The coach points to each player’s right and left, letting the player focus on proper technique.
Monitor the drill to ensure the first step is not with the near-side foot. The near-side foot should pivot open
and the far-side foot should cross over the near-side foot as the player runs for the ball. This drill teaches Olympic Team Member Calvin Murray on Outfielder’s Throws:
the correct first step to a ball hit to the side. “When making a throw to the infield make sure you know
Recommended ages 8-16. where you will be throwing the ball before the ball is hit.
5b. Crossover Step Drill: Follow the same set-up as for the crossover step dry drill. Give all players a ball. The When throwing to the infield or relay man your only job is to
first player in line throws the ball to the coach, who rolls the ball back to the player 15 to 20 feet to their throw the ball through the chest of the relay man.
right or left. The player breaks with proper crossover step and fields the ball. The player keeps the ball and Remember a shorter throw is better here because you still have a
hustles to the back of the line. This drill should be utilized for all players since all infielders use this chance, your infielder can pick the throw and still make a play.”
technique frequently. It is fast moving, and will give players many repetitions in a short period of
time. This drill keeps all players active.
Recommended ages 8-16.

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8. Backing Up Drill: Divide outfielders into two groups. Place one group in left-center field and the other in
right-center field. The coach takes position between the mound and second base. Hit ground balls at various Calvin Murray on Line Drives Right at You:
speeds into center field between the two outfield groups. Starting from the ready position, one outfielder
“The most important thing to do on a line drive is to get side ways so you can
from each group breaks for the ball. The outfielder who gets there first fields the ball with the other
go forward or backwards. Never commit until you know where the ball is going.
outfielder peeling off to back up the other outfielder once he realizes he cannot get to the ball first. Players
backing up should be 20 to 30 feet behind the player fielding the ball. This drill simulates game situations
If you have to stand still for a second or two that is fine.
and gives the players a chance to work on their judgment skills. It also teaches players not to get too You should remain sideways until you get a clear idea on where the ball is going.”
close to teammate when backing up a play.
Recommended ages 8-16.

Drills – Catching Fly Balls

GAMES
9. Live Fungo Drill: Simply place all the outfielders at an outfield position. Utilize one player
FAVO R ITE
as a relay man or have the players throw to a base. The coach hits all types of fly balls to the 1. Glove Position: Divide the team into two groups. Each group has a coach to toss balls and record the score
players. After catching the ball the outfielders finishes the play by throwing the ball into the of his team. The object of the game is to award points for players catching pop flies with the correct glove
base or relay man. There are many drills in this book that allow outfielders to get lots of D R I LL position (glove at 1 o’clock, two hands, thumb-to-thumb alignment). Award 10 points for a ball caught
repetition on catching fly balls. Most of these drills accomplish this by the coach throwing the ball, above the head with the correct glove position. Award five points for players getting glove in correct position
so players can work on their coordination of running and catching with out chasing poorly hit balls but did not make the catch. Award one point for balls caught one-handed or basket style. Have each player
all over the field. This drill should be done often as players need to see live balls hit off a bat so they in the group go five times. On the fifth round make it a bonus round. Award 15, 10 and five points
can develop skills for reading the swing and judging a hit ball. respectively. Add up the points to see which team won. Winners hit first at batting practice.
Recommended ages 8-16 Recommended ages 7-16.
10. Communication Drill: Divide players into two separate lines. Lines should be 30 to 60 feet apart, 2. Barrel Game: Place all players in left, center or right field. The coach takes position between the mound
depending on age level. Older players should be farther apart. The coach centers himself between the two and second base. The object of the game is to have the players throw the ball into the bucket on the fly or
lines, 30 to 60 feet in front of each. The coach then tosses high pop flies between and in front of the two on one or two hops. Award 100 points for balls thrown into the bucket. Award 50 points for balls hitting the
lines. Starting from the ready position, the first player from each line breaks for the pop-up. The player who bucket. The coach can throw fly balls or roll ground balls to simulate a game situation. Have all players make
gets there first calls for the ball loudly at least two times. The player can call, Ball, ball! or I got it, I got it! three throws at the bucket. The player plays against the coaches. The coach picks the number of points the
The other player backs off to allow for the catch. Note: If both players calling for the ball becomes a team must get in order to win the game. Make it a challenging but obtainable number for the team. Play
problem, designate one line the center fielder’s line and the other line the left fielder’s line. The center for five push-ups, or the losing group picks up the balls. Players love to beat the coaches.
fielder has priority over the left fielder, so if both players call for the ball, the center fielder stays with the Recommended ages 8-16.
catch. This drill teaches players how to take charge and call for a ball. It also simulates a game 3. Football Drill Game: The details of this drill can be read on page 52 in the Receiving chapter.
situation that is seldom taught at practice.
Recommended ages 8-16 RECREATING GAME FLY BALLS AND GROUND BALLS
11. Line Drive Drill: Players stand 100 feet away from the coach. The coach throws or hits line FAVO R ITE There is a balance in practicing. Remember the dry drills and the controlled reaction drills are excellent to work
drives directly at, in front of, or over the player’s head. Players should remember to drop-step and on technique and fundamentals and should be utilized often. Players also need some exposure to balls being
freeze until they determine whether to come in, stay put or go back. Vary different types of balls hit at game speed and game distance. Spend time hitting fly balls and ground balls identical to what they might
D R I LL
without the player knowing so he can react and make the correct decision. This drill assists see in game conditions. It’s just as important to place outfielders at their positions during live batting practice.
players to make reads on difficult balls. This is, perhaps, a more accurate indicator of the balls players at that age level will see during game
Recommended ages 9-16. conditions.

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 Drills & Instruction for Coaching Youth Baseball

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 Chapter 6: Hitting

HITTING
Everybody’s favorite activity in baseball is hitting. Players can’t wait to hit in
practice. You will hear more than once, “When are we going to hit?” The
highlight of the game usually revolves around an at-bat and often players are
judged by parents, coaches and themselves based on how they performed at the plate.
Many ingredients go into being a successful hitter. Some players are naturals, but most
are a work in progress. Hitting takes dedication, hard work, confidence, proper swing
mechanics, rhythm and timing.
Remember, hitting a pitched baseball is one of the hardest single feats to do in sports. It
can be a painstaking skill to develop. As stated in the coaching philosophy section, “More
success is obtained through praise than by criticism.” That really rings true when
developing hitters. If you can help the hitter create a good mental picture of themselves at
the plate, it will go long way in helping them hit successfully.
Be patient, understanding and instill confidence in each hitter. Be positive with your
hitters at all times. Negative thoughts can destroy a player’s psyche and confidence. It takes
years and years for players to fulfill their talents as hitters.
Proper swing fundamentals are something all hitters constantly strive to perfect. Once a
swing can be repeated without much thought, a player can maintain all concentration on
the pitched ball. Solid swing mechanics can be developed through a number of drills.
Practicing correctly – whether that means dry swings, tee work, short toss or live hitting – is
crucial. Quality repetitions are essential because muscle memory is being developed with
every swing. In order to help players perform the correct fundamental swing, you should
encourage them to hone their swing outside of team practices. Let them know what they
need to improve on and give players drills they can work on at home.
Teaching hitting will be easier with a good understanding of swing fundamentals. Good
swing fundamentals start and end with balance. Balance is a key to athletics and all skills
on the baseball field. A hitter should maintain balance in the swing from start to finish to be
most effective.

STANCE AND STRIDE POSITION

Players actually hit from their stride position, not their stance. The stride’s purpose is to create separation
between the upper body (including hands) from the lower body. This puts the hitter in the strongest position to
strike the ball. We call this completed stride position the “Launch Position.” Begin by getting your players into
a comfortable, balanced athletic stance. Starting a hitter in a sound stance can make his transition into the
launch position simpler and easier. This is why a proper stance is so important. Professional hitters have many
different styles and stances, but they all transition into strong launch position no matter how they begin their
stance. Professional players have the athleticism and unique ability to get to the launch position from stance
alignments that are not always simple. Encourage your players to develop a stance that will help them get the
most out of their ability.

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TIMING THE PITCH SWING THE BAT

Getting from the stance to the launch position—with rhythm and timed properly to the pitch—often is the Most good hitters have “aggressive patience,” which means they are aggressive in their hitting zone but are able
difference between a good hitter and average one. Hitting is rhythm and timing, and if you do not have rhythm to lay off pitches out of their zone. Aggressive hitters anticipate every ball coming down the middle of the plate
you will not have good timing. Hitting involves a load (or trigger) which initiates the stride. A load is simply a and they are ready to hit every pitch. A player’s pitch recognition and plate discipline take time to develop and
move away from the pitcher before the hitter makes his move forward to swing. There are guidelines for when will improve with years of experience. Teach players to be aggressive when hitting; there has not been one
to start the stride but how efficiently a hitter loads, strides and times his swings is unique to each individual. great hitter who has developed by looking for a walk.
This is why teaching young players how to load and stride can be more difficult than teaching proper swing When you are at hitting, you are on offense. You should not be on the defensive. It’s more difficult to hit if
mechanics. you posses a timid approach. The important point is for hitters to attack the ball and not let the ball attack them.
Make contact out front and on the sweet spot of the bat.
WEIGHT TRANSFER
From the launch position, the hitter makes his move toward the ball to swing. The first movement is a linear BAT SELECTION
move toward the ball. Make sure you understand the “Transferring into the Ball” fundamental H. Often we see Monitor the bats your players use. The bat should be relative to the hitter’s size and strength. If the bat is too long
hitters spinning to hit by first pivoting on the back foot without returning their weight to center before they pivot or heavy it can hinder performance. When choosing bats, players should find one they can swing comfortably.
and begin their swing rotation. By doing so, the bat is in and out of the hitting zone very quickly without the Bat speed produces power in a swing, not bat size. The bat should be a size the player can handle and control
benefits of the weight transfer into the ball. The pivot can be a very helpful part of a young hitter’s swing, but easily. This will promote better contact and bat speed. Often bats are purchased too big for the player with the
the accompanying weight transfer into the ball is often incorrect for optimal performance. Another common flaw thought they will be able to use it for a few years. If a bat is too long, encourage the player to choke up.
seen with proper weight transfer into the ball is the opposite of spinning, which is lunging to hit. This is when
hitters push off their back foot and their weight transfers forward too much onto the front side. Golfers should PRESSURE WHEN HITTING
understand this delicate first move to the ball and weight transfer, because the golf swing starts forward with
a very similar linear transfer. There is a fine line when transferring weight into the ball and, if done correctly Coaches and parents should keep in mind that many players experience anxiety during games, especially while at
it, can enhance the player’s hitting ability. the plate. Anxiety can hinder focus and concentration, so it’s a coach’s job to decrease anxiety by finding a way
to help players relax. Many times it is as simple as downplaying the expectation and alleviating the pressure to
succeed. Fear of failure is a common reason many hitters experience anxiety. Players need to learn how to relax
SEEING THE BALL when on-deck and bring that relaxed, confident mentality into the batter’s box. It is much more difficult to hit when
No matter how good the swing fundamentals are, a player will not hit
if he does not see the ball well. Teach your hitters about a pitcher’s
Expert Advice on tense.

release point and tracking the ball to contact with the bat. It will be Making Better Contact All-Star Rich Aurilia on Becoming a Good Hitter:
useful to teach them the technique of soft focus and fine focus, which “The first, and probably the most important thing, is to be open to learning new things.
will show them how to use their eyes to effectively recognize and
The batter’s head should
be looking down at the ball Not all theories are going to work for each player. Each individual should take what he
track pitches. Keeping the head in position throughout the swing will
thinks can help him and work with that. It may not happen right away.
be critical to making contact. As most of us have seen, pulling the and behind the barrel of That is why this game is so hard. Secondly, there is the area of balance.
head on a swing is a common problem with hitting. During at-bats,
the bat at contact. In our everyday lives we need good balance to function correctly.
players should not think about mechanics. You cannot concentrate
fully on a moving ball while also thinking about your stride, pivot or Remind your players to The same goes for hitting. Balance is the key.”
swing. Once the pitcher has taken the rubber to throw the pitch, all keep their head in this
concentration and focus should be on seeing the ball. As players position at contact.
mature, their ability to recognize different pitches and velocity will FUNDAMENTALS
improve. Helping your players use the eyes correctly and keeping their
Regardless of their swing, A. Grip: The bat is gripped in the calloused part of the hand, not in the palms. The grip
head on the ball will improve contact, even with some flaws in their if they do not watch the is relaxed but firm. Grip the bat as if holding a bird. (If you squeeze too tight, you
swing fundamentals. ball to contact, hurt the bird. If too loose, the bird will fly away.) The middle digits of the fingers
are lined up, or the knuckles can be lined up as shown in the picture. Notice how the
there will be more swings
top hand’s small knuckles are lined up between the bottom hand’s big knuckles and
and misses. small knuckles. This promotes better hand action. If the grip is within these areas,
it is a sound grip. If it is not, it can hinder a player’s bat speed and bat path to the
ball. (picture 6-1) 6-1: Grip

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B. Stance and Set-up: Balance, Balance, Balance. A simple E. The stride: There are a few different ways a hitter can stride. The
set up with the body relaxed, comfortable and balanced is
what you want to start with. Weight should be distributed
most conventional stride is with a controlled short step forward.
Distributing the weight properly while striding forward is
Expert Advice on
evenly between the legs and on the balls of the feet with the important. If the player just steps straight out, often too much of Understanding a
feet at least shoulders’ width apart. The knees are flexed his weight will follow—especially with young players. To avoid
and best positioned inside the feet. The weight is strong on this we recommend the player adjust their stride. Instead of stepping Load and Stride
the inside of the back leg. The feet and shoulders are out, pick up the foot slightly while tucking the knee in and back One of the more difficult
squared to the pitcher, with the hips and shoulders toward the back leg. The foot should not come high of the ground.
relatively level. The hands are relaxed and start in a That would make timing the stride and pitch more difficult. Keep
areas to teach is an
comfortable position somewhere near the back-ear helmet 6-2: Stance 6-3: Stance (side view) the stride foot low to the ground on the movement. The stride foot effectively timed load and
flap. The arms are flexed with the lead elbow never fully is placed right back down a few inches forward from where it stride, which sets up the
extended. The elbows are down, which must happen before the bat can have a proper path to the ball on the started, or in the same location. The hitter strides to balance. The body into a strong launch
swing. The head is level and turned toward the pitcher with both eyes focused on the pitcher. The waist is distance will vary with the individual. The step is for balance, and
slightly bent forward in a balanced athletic position. We call this the “Stance Position.” A player should not to create separation of the hands and upper body from the lower
position. Hitters who are
stand frozen in the batter’s box waiting for the pitcher to deliver the ball. Players who can find some rhythm body. The majority of the hitter’s weight remains back as the hitter termed “natural” usually
in the legs and in their stance will benefit with their load and stride in hitting. (pictures 6-2 & 6-3) completes his stride. The weight that comes with the leg is minimal posses a rhythmic type of
C. Bat Position: The bat should start somewhere around the back and distributed on the inside of the stride foot. The stride foot must load and can time their
shoulder, in line with the back leg with the hands placed even be down before the hitter transfers the weight and hands forward to
swing. The stride direction is straight forward at the pitcher and
stride effectively, which
with or slightly above the shoulder. The arms are relaxed and
consistent on all pitches. The stride foot lands as squarely as it means shifting their weight
tension free with the elbows down. An easy reference point: Grip
the bat correctly and rest it on the back shoulder. Lift the hands started. Remember, the stride foot should land before the swing and hands back as the
straight up and back to the back shoulder near ear height. starts forward so the hitter has something to hit against. front leg strides forward.
(pictures 6-4 & 6-5) E1. No-Stride Option: There are coaches teaching a no-stride hitting
D. Loading (getting ready to hit): A load is quite simply a slight approach to promote more contact. This is effective but if taught without rhythm, load
movement away from the pitcher before the stride and the swing. or separation, the result is going to be limiting and will not help the hitter develop to
The player is shifting some weight onto the back side settling 6-4: Rest bat on 6-5: Lift hands up
his potential. The no-stride approach recommended here can accomplish every aspect
inside and against the back leg. The hands pull back ever so shoulder and back of a sound hitting approach, while simplifying the conventional load and stride. It also
slightly, getting the hands into a strong position to strike the ball. The load and stride work together. You can be used throughout the player’s baseball career, as many Major League players
may have heard the term separation, which is referring to separating the upper body from the lower body. In utilize this hitting technique.
essence this is what we are doing to get into a strong launch position. Most hitters move instinctively as the Place the player in their stance, spreading their feet slightly farther apart to account for
ball is being pitched, but are not moving properly to enhance their swing. As the pitcher goes into the wind- a no-stride approach (picture 6-8). This is not extreme; just make sure the feet are
up, a hitter must prepare to swing. All good hitters have some wide enough to create leverage. In place of the load and stride, the player is going to
type of trigger or load which initiates the stride. This loading push back and up onto the front leg’s big toe. The hitter must push the front knee in and 6-8: Stance
ideally should be a smooth movement that will bring rhythm into back as well (pictures 6-9). On this movement the hitter should
the swing. The body, weight and hands works together to set into not raise up. This movement pushes some weight back onto the
your load and the stride. Subtle and controlled is better than back leg and initiates the upper body’s movement for loading as
mechanical and big movements. Successful hitters have rhythm well. The weight that is pushed back should never cause the back
and can time their load and stride to the pitcher. The hitter gets knee to travel past the back foot. Keep the weight toward the
ready sometime when the pitcher breaks his hands to throw and inside of the back leg like any normal load and stride. The front
starts forward with his arm. Depending on the velocity of the foot never leaves contact with the ground, and is pushed back into
pitcher, the load is started between these movements. the ground as the player addresses the pitch to start their swing.
(pictures 6-6 & 6-7) 6-6: Stance 6-7: Load This same thing happens on a check swing. Example: The hitter’s
weight returns to center, when the front foot is pushed back down
6-9: Push back 6-10: Foot returns to
and the hitter makes their move toward the ball to swing, but then and up on toe ground
stops because it is a bad pitch. (picture 6-10)

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Major league Hitting Coach Joe Lefebvre on When to Start Your Stride: H. Transfer Into the Ball and Swing Rotation: The start of the swing is the hitter’s
“In general, hitters get started as the pitcher cocks his arm up toward release. weight from the back side transferring forward up against the inside of the lead leg. This
The hitter anticipating the ball to follow starts his hands back as he lifts his front foot up to returns the weight to center as he makes a move toward the ball to swing. This is the
stride, separating the hands from the front foot. When the front foot lands, the bat is back same as “Addressing the Pitch.” The hands bring the weight but do not fire at the ball
until the hitter has committed to swing. The back knee drives forward, initiating this
and ready to fire forward upon the planting of the front foot.”
linear move toward the ball. After the initial move forward to the ball, the hitter’s
transferring weight firms up against the front leg and begins the rotation of the hips and
back foot. This happens fast. The hands, wrist and forearms control the action of the
F. Launch position: Hitters hit from their launch position, not their stance. This is a bat. The hands continue forward toward the ball as the hitter is into rotation, firing the
position with absolute rules if you want your players hitting from their strongest hips and shoulder open as the hands continue forward to contact. During this rotation 6-14: Transfer into the
position. The hitter’s stride foot is down, as the stride has been completed. Hands are the hips should rotate in a level plane, with the back hip pushing the front hip open. The ball and swing rotation
loaded at least as far back as the back foot when the pitcher’s foot has landed and the shoulders do the same with the back shoulder forcing the front shoulder to open. The back foot is pivoted
pitch is being delivered. The hands are within shoulders’ height or just above. The arms forward on the ball of the foot and finishes pointing toward the pitcher to complete rotation. This rotation
remained flexed, never fully extending the lead elbow. The hitter’s hands should not helps the speed of the swing and needs to be timed properly with the weight transfer into the ball. If done
drop and the bat should not be wrapped around the hitters’ head pointing towards the prematurely, the hitter opens too soon. If done late, the hitter is jammed. The pivot and the forward-and-
pitcher. The weight that has moved back on the load should never cause the back knee down action of the hands should be explosive movements. This creates better bat speed. Once into the
to travel past the back foot. The weight is settled toward the inside of the back leg with swing rotation there is no head movement. This all occurs with the player maintaining his balance.
the back hip inside the back foot. The hitter has remained balanced with eyes level and (picture 6-14)
6-11: Launch position
head still. This hitter is fully loaded and ready to explode forward, creating force into I. Bat path: The bat should move forward and down, from the launch position to the
the baseball. (picture 6-11) leveling-off area in the contact zone. This is the quickest and most direct line to the ball.
G. Addressing the Pitch: Every hitter should learn to address each Envision a straight line from the bat head to the ball. The bat head and the hands should
pitch as if it is coming down the middle. From the “Launch not drop between launch position and swing rotation. Keep the hands above the path
Position” the hitter addresses the pitch by starting their linear off the ball. The hands’ path is not down and forward or out and forward but forward
move toward the ball as if they are going to swing. During this and down to level. If the hands move out first this is referred to as casting the bat and
movement the hitter’s weight returns to the center of their body by it will slow down the swing and be weaker at contact. Swinging out first leaves players
transferring into and against the inside of the stride leg. Basically, vulnerable to the fast inside pitch. Dropping of the hands is common as well, and breaks
it is practicing a check swing. The ball has been addressed our first rule of keeping the hands above the path of the ball. These swings result in
consistently every time, with the hitter expecting to swing the bat. upper-cuts or players only being able to handle the low pitches because the barrel is 6-15: Hands continue
If players are taking pitches from the launch position, they are not dropped into the flight of the pitch. To fix these common flaws, keep the hands’ path toward the ball
expecting to swing at that pitch. forward inside the line of the ball, as is explained in the drill “Hands Inside the Ball.’’
6-12: Loading to 6-13: Addressing
(pictures 6-12 & 6-13) launch position the pitch (picture 6-15)

Silver Slugger Award Recipient Rich Aurilia on Swing Plane:

“One of the keys to a good swing is to keep the bat in the hitting zone for
as long as possible. In other words, try to have a nice, level swing.
Not all players are built to hit home runs.
A whole bunch of line drives with a level swing will do just fine.”

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J. Contact point: The hands, wrist and forearms control the action of the bat. The head HITTING PLAN FOR SUCCESS
should be down and behind the barrel of the bat during contact, with the head still and
eyes focused on the ball. Head position in reference to the body is in the middle of the Know Your Hitting Zone
Expert Advice on
back leg. This ensures that weight has not shifted forward too much. Often, the head
position is not in a sound position at contact. Often, the head is turned prematurely with As players develop their swing over the years, they will eventually Your Hitting Approach
the swing or early rotation of the hips. As contact is being made, the back foot should know where they hit the ball the best. They may be a low-ball hitter The worst thing you can do
be into its rotational pivot position. At contact, the hands are near a palm-up and palm- or a high-ball hitter. They may best hit the ball in the middle-to-away
portion of the plate. Or maybe they are best at hitting the ball when as a hitter is go to home
down position, with arms slightly bent. The ball should be struck somewhere in line to
with or in front of the stride leg depending on the location of the pitch. The ball is caught it is in the middle-to-inside portion of the plate. The best approach plate and take three strikes
out front more on an inside pitch, and is hit deeper toward the body on an outside pitch. is to expect the ball down the middle of the plate. Any pitch that is without lifting the bat off
6-16: Contact point
(picture 6-16) in the center or two-thirds middle of the plate is a pitch you want to
your shoulder. Attempt to
swing at. The hitter’s hands and timing have easy adjustments from
K. Finish: Once the ball is struck, the bat head continues forward hit the ball back up the
this approach if the ball is slightly inside or slightly outside. These
through the ball. This allows the hitter to properly extend. The
are the easiest pitches to hit consistently. This will also give the hitter middle with a line drive or a
wrists are rolled after full extension, as the bat head comes up
an aggressive mentality. The worst thing you can do as a hitter is hard ground ball.
to the follow-through position. The top hand rotates or folds over
take three strikes without lifting the bat off your shoulder. That gives
the bottom hand after contact. The head remains still and the
you no chance for a hit. The second worst thing you can do is take
eyes stay focused on the hitting area until the ball leaves the bat.
strikes that are in the middle of the plate, leaving yourself one swing to hit a pitcher’s pitch. You hear coaches
Maintain two hands on the bat to ensure hitting through the ball.
talking about zoning a pitch. That means swinging if the pitch is in a specific location. That takes time to
The bat should continue through the ball in the direction the ball
develop because young hitters are still developing their pitch recognition. Well, youth league hitters who are
is intended to go. The back foot has completed its pivot rotation
trying to develop their zone, down the middle should be their zone. Any pitch that is on the corners should be
with the toe facing the pitcher on most pitch locations. Hitters 6-17: Hands are 6-18: Finish with
balance
a more difficult pitch to hit. So those are the pitches that are out of your “zone.” Your “hitting zone” is the
should maintain balance and control from the beginning of the released
middle two-thirds of the plate.
swing to the completion. If players start balanced remain on the balls of their feet as they execute the swing
they should end with balance. In general, if this is accomplished, many proper fundamentals are being
touched throughout the swing. (pictures 6-17 & 6-18) Hitting The Ball Back Up The Middle
What is your hitting approach? Even at a young age, hitters should have a plan for where they want to hit the
HITTING SEQUENCE (Front View) ball. Ideally, we want to hit the ball where it is thrown on the plate. Inside pitch, we pull. A ball down the
middle, we hit back up the middle. An outside pitch, we hit to the opposite field. This is a well known fact but
not an easy feat to accomplish, especially for most hitters under 12 years of age. Hitting the ball where it’s
pitched takes years for hitters to accomplish, and very few hitters perfect this approach. But, there is one
approach that all hitters should strive to perfect before they are ready or able to hit the ball consistently where
it is pitched. That approach is to hit the ball back up the middle. Doing so will help the hitter’s alignments,
balance and swing path to the ball. It goes hand in hand with where we want the baseball. In general, hitters
who constantly pull are very susceptible to the pitch away, and hitters who only hit the ball to the opposite field
are susceptible to the inside pitch.
As well as trying to hit the ball back up the middle, all hitters should attempt to hit line drives and hard
Stance Load and stride Address the pitch Swing rotation ground balls. It is well documented that line drives give you the best chance for a hit, followed by hard ground
balls and then fly balls.

Contact point Hands released Finish

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Batter’s Thought Process At The Plate

A hitter’s mentality should be hit, hit, hit not take, take, take. Anticipate every pitch to be a strike and be prepared Before stepping into the box, most hitters develop some type of routine that mentally finalizes their preparation.
to swing at every pitch. Learn to stop on pitches outside the strike zone. That way, a hitter is always prepared Taking a deep breath can help relax the muscles and help decrease anxiety, which can hinder concentration and
to swing the bat. Expect to hit that first pitch in your zone. Taking a strike in your zone just to do so will only focus. Anxiety is something many players feel while hitting, especially players who have a difficult time hitting,
put the hitter in the hole. Prepare to swing, and address the pitched ball. If it’s a bad pitch, take it. A good hitter and may stem from fear of failure. So, at this point, do not yell instruction to your hitters. Encouragement and
should maintain an aggressive approach, especially when ahead in the count 2-0 or 3-1. This is the time the hitter praise will help them more and also let them concentrate on the ball during their at-bat.
has an advantage because the pitcher needs to throw a strike. Expect to hit those pitches in your zone and don’t Grip the bat correctly, take a deep breath and step into to box. Plant your back foot in a level area of the batter’s
look for a walk. box. The back foot is the foundation of your legs while hitting. After the back foot is positioned firmly, step in
with the lead leg in proper alignment. Do not go into your stance position too soon because this will cause you
to stand for a long period and the arms and body will get tense. The muscles will not fire as quickly when you
are tense. Stay loose and stand relaxed, with feet planted. If the pitcher is not ready to throw, keep some
Major League Hitting Coach Joe Lefebvre on Better Strike Zone Discipline: movement with the hands and bat or body and legs until the pitcher begins the windup or takes his sign reading
“Go to your zone up until two strikes. Not the strike zone, your zone, to come into the set position. Then get into your stance unrushed and in time to load, stride and time the pitch.
which is where you make the most consistently hard contact. Hitters have many routines from this point on. Do I step out of box after every pitch or do I stay in the box?
No matter where you see the ball in space go to your zone first then react off of it.” Once that back foot has its toehold, we recommend keeping it there after a pitched ball, even if that means
The best hitters “hit to take.” They start their swing mentally by anticipating their turning for a sign by moving the lead leg out of the box. This will help you maintain your eye for the strike zone
pitch in their zone on every pitch while addressing the ball physically with their weight shift and stay focused on tracking the baseball. A good time to step out of the box is when you need to regroup. That
and their hands stopping their swing on balls.” might be after a poor swing or when you feel you need to take a deep breath and start over again.

Tracking The Ball

Once a hitter is in the batter’s box, all thoughts about fundamental positions should take a back seat to focus
On-Deck Preparation and concentration on the baseball. The longer a hitter watches the ball, the better chance he has to hit it. A
This is where a hitter gets prepared both mentally and physically. Once on deck, focused concentration begins. hitter should focus on the pitcher’s release point to pick up the pitch. The release point is where the ball leaves
The player must believe he can hit the pitcher and look forward to getting into the batter’s box. Make sure the the pitcher’s hand. Do not take this for granted. Release points can vary. Some pitchers throw from over the top,
muscles are warm and ready to swing the bat. Take some swings on deck as if they were actually facing the others three-quarters while others throw side-armed. While the pitcher is in the stretch or starting his delivery,
pitcher. After the hitter feels ready physically, players should concentrate on timing the pitcher’s fastball. Work the hitter should start with a soft focus (looking in a general area) of the pitcher’s chest area. When the pitcher
on timing the load and stride to the delivery of the pitch. Find your rhythm versus that pitcher to create timing. breaks his hands to throw, the eyes shift to a fine focus (looking at a specific point) of the release point to pick
If there is not an on-deck circle, the same preparation can be done without a bat near the dugout. Leave the on- up the ball. Make sure the players understand what a release point is and when and how to focus on it. From
deck circle confident, relaxed and be prepared to hit the first pitch. there, track the ball all the way while maintaining concentration on the ball until contact is made.

San Francisco Giant Rich Aurilia on Mental Preparation: Joe Lefebvre on Using the Eyes Correctly:
“The moment right before I get into the batter’s box is a very important time for me. “Visually, as the pitcher is getting ready to start his delivery,
I try to envision the situation I will be in and try to come up with a way to either get on base, the hitter has a resting spot for his eyes on the pitcher’s upper body, close to release point.
move a runner over, drive in a run from third, and a number of other things. As the pitcher cocks his arm upward toward release, the hitter anticipating the ball switches
This is the time to prepare for your at bat. I also try to remember how the pitcher on the from the resting spot on the pitcher’s body to his release point to view the incoming pitch.”
mound pitched me in the previous at bats. Odds are if a pitcher has had a certain way with
you, he will continue that way until you beat him.”

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Adjusting In The Batter’s Box Two-Strike Approach

The distance from the plate and the depth within the box should be consistent per at-bat. Adjustments should The two-strike approach is a philosophy and an adjustment the hitter makes when he gets two strikes on him.
be made at times depending on the speed and type of the pitcher. The hitter’s initial stance should be close Whether it’s 0-2 or 2-2, the hitter’s swing zone now moves from “his hitting zone” to the total strike zone, along
enough to home plate to allow total plate coverage when the hitter strides. Many young hitters do not address with not letting the umpire decide the at-bat with a called strike three. So the first adjustment made by the
the plate close enough to cover the outside corner properly. Sometimes, it is a fear issue and sometimes they hitter is to swing at any pitch that may be called a strike. The second recommendation is to choke up for more
are just a little more comfortable away from the plate. How deep a hitter stands in the box can be determined bat control. The last slight adjustment is to move slightly closer to the plate because choking up might limit bat
by the pitcher. A normal depth position is where the front foot is in line with the front to middle of the plate. coverage on the outside corner of the plate.
When a pitcher is throwing extremely hard, and the hitter is late on his swing from the normal depth position,
he should move to the back of the box to allow more reaction time. Other adjustments a hitter can make versus DRY HITTING DRILLS
a hard-thrower is to choke up on the bat or to start their load and stride earlier. When a pitcher isn’t throwing
The dry drills can be done together as a team, in smaller groups or with an individual. They can
hard and the hitter is having a difficult time waiting on the pitch, he should move up in the batter’s box. FAVO R ITE
be utilized for specific areas your players need corrections with. Perform these drills in sequence
(pictures 6-19 to 6-21)
for an overall proper mental picture and understanding of the swing. These drills will allow the
D R I LLS
player to feel the proper positions needed for a successful hitter. While performing the dry drills,
players can put their fielding gloves down to represent home plate.
The drills are recommended for ages 6-16, but ages 6-12 will need
them more.
1. Stance: With hands on hips, hitters get into their stance
displaying the correct “Stance Position.” Go around and lightly
push players to see if they are balanced and have the weight
distributed properly on the insides of the legs and on the balls
of the feet. They should have a sturdy foundation and should
6-19: Normal depth 6-20: Hard thrower 6-21: Soft thrower not fall off balance on your push. Once stances are corrected,
coach says relax and players relax. On verbal command, stance
position, players repeat this position. Repeat 5 times or until 6-23: Stance position
Choking Up On The Bat all players stances look good. (picture 6-23)
Choking up on the bat will make the bat head easier to control and lighten the bat on the swing. It can improve 2. Stride: With hands on hips, on coach’s verbal command, stride,
the bat speed as well. Choking up allows the hitter to wait longer before players stride straight forward to a balanced position. The
committing to the swing, which means he can watch the flight of the ball distance is unique to each individual. The stride foot lands
longer. Choking up is commonly used by players at all levels when hitters closed as it started. Minimal weight transfers with the step and
want to shorten their swings and put the ball in play. This is used most often is distributed on the inside of the stride leg. The majority of the
when hitters get two strikes on them, and is referred to as a two-strike weight is back with the back hip inside the back foot. The head
approach. When players swing and miss often, have them choke up and see should be steady and still. Players hold stride position for
if the results improve. coach’s critique. Repeat 5 times or until players are
Even players who have purchased their own bat may need to choke up. performing stride correctly. This drill can be performed 6-24: Stride
Often, new bats are purchased with the thought the player will have the bat with the “No-Stride Option” as well. (picture 6-24)
for a few years. Sometimes the bat is actually too long or heavy for the player 6-22 3. Pivot: Players begin this drill in the post-stride position with
when it is new. With this in mind, check the bats being used to help determine their hands on their hips. On coach’s verbal command, pivot,
if the bat size is contributing to the player’s lack of bat speed or success. (picture 6-22) players transfer their weight forward up against their lead leg
while pivoting on the ball of their back foot. In essence, you
want players to drive their back hip forward and open their belly
button to the pitcher. The back foot’s toe should be facing the
pitcher while head and shoulders remain behind the lead knee.
Players hold pivot position for coach’s critique. Repeat 5 times
or until players are performing pivot correctly. 6-25: Pivot
(picture 6-25)

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4. Stride and Pivot: Players begin in their stance position with their hands on their hips. Now combine the 7. Shoulder to shoulder: Start players in their batting stance. Focus on a proper head position with two eyes
two above drills. On coach’s verbal command, stride, players stride. Once the stride foot is down, coach yells, on the pitcher with head and eyes level. Player takes a full swing, keeping the head still and focused on the
pivot, and players fire their hips forward and open while pivoting the back foot correctly. The pivot should contact area as the shoulders rotate around the head until the back shoulder is near the chin. This drill
be explosive with players maintaining balance on the balls of the feet, as coach checks for proper positions. focuses on keeping your head in position when hitting. Too often players’ heads move around their body
Repeat 5 times or until players are performing stride and pivot correctly. with their swings, taking their eyes off the ball.
5. Load and Stride: Once the players understand how the legs and feet work, it is time to bring in the load. 8. Balance: We finish up the dry drills with the coach simulating a pitcher throwing an imaginary pitch to the
Starting in their batting stance, on coach’s verbal command, load and stride, players make their slight hitters. With the coach out in front, all hitters start in their stance, aligning as if the coach is the pitcher. The
movement back, shifting some weight onto the back side and getting the hands into a strong position to strike coach goes through a windup and simulates the throw. Players begin their load and stride as the pitcher
the ball as they stride straight to a balanced position. Players hold stride position for coach’s critique. Repeat cocks the arm back. Once the coach’s arm extends forward to release the imaginary ball, each hitter’s stride
5 times or until players are performing the load and stride correctly. (picture 6-24) foot is down and the hitter takes a full swing to completion at game speed. Once the swing is completed,
6. Forward and Down to Level: Start players in their batting stance. On coach’s verbal command, swing, the player is to hold their finish position for 5 seconds. You can also go around and push them lightly to see
players go through their load, stride, swing and pivot. Coach watches for correct swing path of hands moving if they can hold their balance against you. If players are not balanced, that means they aren’t using their feet
forward and down then finishing all the way around near their back shoulder. Encourage players to keep correctly and need to stay on the balls of their feet. Players should be able to hold and maintain their balance
two hands on the bat to completion of the swing. Repeat 5 times or until players are performing the after they complete their swing in this drill. Repeat until players can maintain their balance for 5
swing path correctly and hands are completing their finish. (pictures 6-26 to 6-28) seconds.

THE BATTING TEE

The batting tee is not just a tool for T-ball players. It is a very effective non-reaction drill for swing mechanics.
Because the ball is stationary, it gives the player a better chance to repeat a good swing consistently. It will allow
players an opportunity to work on hitting by themselves and should be utilized at home as well as during
practice. For advanced players, it’s a good place to work on hitting different pitch locations, as you can easily
adjust to the tee to make a pitch an inside or outside location. Not only will it help the player, it is an easier place
for a coach to analyze a swing. To improve your hitting stations at practice, ask your players to bring their
batting tees to practice. Now you can have more players active at once.
Use the tee to work to improve any fundamental position. Have the player swing and focus on correcting
one fundamental at a time. In our progression of teaching, dry drills are the easiest to perform correctly, followed
6-26: Stance 6-27: Forward and down to level by hitting off a tee, soft toss, then live batting practice. Use the tee to give players more repetitions of a
fundamentally sound swing so they can build the muscle memory for sound swing mechanics.
A. Basic Tee Position. Position the hitter in his stance. The tee’s
stem height should be between the hitter’s mid-thigh and waist.
The hitter is positioned behind the tee where the lead foot is just
behind the stem of the tee. The ball is placed on the stem out in
front of the body. To determine how close a player should stand
to the tee, simulate a swing stopping at contact point.
Remember, the hands are not fully extended at contact, and the
ball should be struck on the sweet spot of the barrel. This will
determine the correct distance from the hitting tee. Position the
tee accordingly (pictures 6-29 & 6-30). After each swing allow 6-29: Tee out 6-24: Simulate a
6-28: Finish with balance time for players to get their feet and stance set in the correct swing
position.

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DRILLS
1. Line Drive Drill: Position the batter to the tee so the ball simulates a pitch down the middle. FAVO R ITE Rich Aurilia on Practicing Off the Tee and Taking Soft Toss:
Player attempts to hit balls directly forward into the net at the same height as the tee stem. “Being at the Major League level now, I still think some of the most important work I do
Player repeats swings to see how many line drives he can hit in a row. This drill will develop D R I LL takes place hitting off a tee or taking some soft toss. I like these drills because they slow
a swing for a line drive right back up the middle. things down. You don’t have to worry about the pitch coming toward you at a decent speed.
Recommended for ages 6-16. You can just work at your own pace and break your swing down step by step.”
2. Forward and Down to Level: Place two tees together in a straight
line roughly 12 to 18 inches apart. Have both stems at the same
height. Place the ball on the forward tee stem. The hitter attempts
to strike the ball without hitting the back tee. If the player hits the SOFT TOSS
back tee, the swing plane has a slight uppercut, which is very
common. This drill can be done another way if two tees are not Soft toss is one of the best drills available to players at any level, from Little League to the Major Leagues. This
available. Place a bucket behind the tee stem with a small controlled reaction drill has numerous benefits. It allows players to work on swing mechanics but also brings
construction cone on top of the bucket. Place the tee stem in front in timing and tracking a moving baseball. It has all the elements of live batting practice but in an environment
at the same height as the cone. Place the ball on the tee in front where a player should be able to repeat their swing much easier. Similar to the batting tee, soft toss is an easier
of the bucket approximately 12 to 18 inches away from the top place for a coach to analyze a player’s swing. Players will have an easier time making adjustments in their
6-25 6-26 swing in a soft-toss drill than they will during live batting practice. This is a great drill to use daily and should
of the cone. This drill will promote a forward and down swing,
which is the quickest and most direct line to the ball. (pictures 6-25 & 6-26) serve as a substitute when live batting practice is not available. Not much space is needed to set up the drill and
Recommended for ages 6-16. hitters will be able to get many repetitions in a short period of time. When a hitting net is not available, use wiffle
balls to hit into a fence or into the open field. Be careful when working with young players or any player who
3. Inside Pitch: Place the hitter at the tee as if the ball is does not control the bat effectively. In those cases, we recommend you toss from behind a screen.
coming down the middle (picture 6-27). Now have the
player move the tee to the inside corner by placing the tee Two concepts that should be explained to the hitter during soft toss are “loading” and “tracking the ball to
more toward the pitcher and putting it in line with the inside contact.” As stated below in “setting up soft toss,” the coach should show the player the ball, then start the toss
corner (picture 6-28). The size of the player will determine with a deliberate arm movement back and then forward to release of the ball. This is when a player should
how far in front they move the batting tee. Moving the ball focus to track the ball and time the arm movement to start loading accordingly. Loading, which initiates a
farther out front simulates where an inside pitch must be hitter’s stride, is done before the ball is released. This is identical to how players should time a pitcher in batting
struck. The player works on hitting the ball by striding the practice and in a game. Soft toss is an excellent drill to work on load and stride development. Soft toss can also
same as if the pitch was down the middle. The swing path to be used to work on any fundamental position a player needs to improve upon. Remember to work on only one
the ball must now bring the hands in closer along the body 6-27: Down the middle 6-28: Inside pitch area for improvement at a time.
more to get the sweet spot of the bat on the ball. The adjustment to hit the inside pitch is made by the
hands and by hitting the ball out in front of the hitting zone more than on a pitch down the middle.
Hitting Coach Joe Lefebvre on Grip:
Recommended ages 11-16.
“A proper grip drops both elbows down while setting the
4. Outside Pitch: Place the hitter at the tee as if the ball is coming down the middle. Now bat between the head and back shoulder, with the barrel up.
have the player move the tee to the outside corner by placing the tee back on home plate
The shoulders are more relaxed allowing the batter to be more tension free.”
more and in line with the outside corner (picture 6-29). The size of the player will
determine how far back they place the tee. But remember the ball is still struck off the
front leg, not behind it. By moving the batting tee deeper back, this will position the ball
as if it is an outside pitch. The player works on hitting the ball with the same stride as
if the pitch was down the middle. But now the ball is deeper in the hitting zone and that
is where the outside pitch is hit. The hitter should finish with this weight more over the
plate opposed to falling off away from the plate. As he is attempting to drive through
the ball in the direction he is hitting it. The adjustment to hit the outside pitch is 6-29: Outside pitch
made by waiting longer on the pitch and hitting the ball deeper in the zone, the opposite of hitting the
inside pitch.
Recommended ages 11-16.

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Setting Up Soft Toss 3. Change of Speed Drill: After players have been able to understand and perform correctly the Fake Toss
A. The player positions himself 7 to 8 feet from the hitting net and Drill, this drill will help batters hit pitches of different speeds. While performing the Line Drive Drill,
at a 45-degree angle from the coach tossing ball. change the toss speed at times. Every three or four tosses, mix in a slower toss. Mix in back-to-back slower
tosses. Do not use faster tosses while in close proximity to the hitter because they will not have time to react.
B. The coach takes a knee or sits on a bucket and tosses the ball
Keep the majority of tosses at the standard speed. The desired result for the hitter is to load properly and
one-handed at the player’s belt buckle for a pitch down the
stride to hit but also be able to wait on the speed of the pitch before committing the hands and going into
middle. The coach tosses the ball at the player’s front hip for an
swing rotation. This is what hitters need to do when hitting a changeup or a curveball. This drill will
inside pitch and the back leg for an outside pitch. (Caution: Do
help hitters learn how to hit off-speed pitches.
not work on the outside pitch with a hard ball unless the
tosser is behind a net because the ball could be hit near Recommended ages 10-16.
6-30: Show ball then move arm back 4. Location Drill: In this drill, start off by throwing 5 pitches down the middle. Then toss 5
him.) FAVO R ITE
C. The toss should be made as follows: Show the hitter the ball, pitches on the outside corner and remind players to wait and watch the ball longer on the
then in a deliberate manner start the arm back and then forward outside pitch. Lastly, toss 5 pitches on the inside and remind players to get their hand through
D R I LL
to the release. The ball should be tossed smoothly on a straight the hitting zone quicker and hit the ball out in front of them more. On the inside pitch, the hitter
plane, where the hitter has time to react. This is a standard toss. should also fire his hips open with a good quick pivot when recognizing the ball coming to the inside part
(pictures 6-30 & 6-31) of the hitting zone. The next step to this drill should only be done when players can hit the pitch where it’s
pitched after being told first. The next step is toss balls to different locations at random without letting the
hitter know. Remember, the coach needs to have a screen in front of him when tossing to the outside part
DRILLS of the hitting zone. This drill reinforces the proper approach to hitting inside and outside pitches. It
1. Line Drive Drill: Toss balls at the player’s belt buckle to gives the hitters a chance to work on it with a moving ball. It is very difficult to accomplish this during
simulate a pitch down the middle. Player attempts to hit the ball live batting practice.
6-31: Arm comes forward
on a line into the middle of the net. See how many pitches the Recommended ages 10-16.
batter can hit on a line. Keep the tosses standard and consistent.
This drill will develop a swing for a line drive back up the
SHORT TOSS
middle. This drill should be used the majority of the time until
players can repeat a fundamentally sound swing consistently. This drill can only be done with a screen, which the coach throws behind. It is very similar to FAVO R ITE

Recommended ages 8-16. Expert Advice on Soft Toss, except the toss comes from directly in front of the hitter, just as a live pitch does. The
protective screen is moved in about two-thirds of the way to the plate. The coach can continue to
2. Fake Toss Drill: While performing the Line Drive
Drill fake a toss every third or fifth pitch. The hitter
FAVO R ITE the Line Drive Game toss underhand on a line the same as in Soft Toss, or he can use an overhand toss for older players.
D R I LL

More room is needed to run this drill because the balls are hit into a field and not into a net or fence. Both hard
should maintain balance with the majority of the This drill will develop a balls and wiffle balls can be used. This drill is very productive because the tosses are coming in at the same angle
D R I LL
weight back. If the hitter’s weight transfers more swing for a line drive back as a real pitch and the pitcher can control and locate his pitches easier. The pitcher will be able to throw more
than against the lead leg and onto the front leg, he is shifting too pitches before fatigue sets in, and the hitters will get more quality repetitions.
up the middle. Work on this
much weight forward and is most likely geared for one speed
drill every day when soft Recommended ages 6-16.
pitch, the fastball. The hitter should load and stride but read the
pitch, swing or take the pitch against his front side. This lunging tossing. This drill should be
to hit happens frequently with live batting practice or in games DRILLS
used the majority of the
when a slower pitch is thrown and the hitter can not keep weight Short Toss Drills: All the same drills should be used as Soft Toss. Just like Soft Toss, the Line Drive Drill
back and ends up on the front side. This drill will teach players time until players can should be utilized the majority of the time until players can repeat a fundamentally sound swing consistently.
to read the pitch before committing to the ball and how to take repeat a fundamentally
a pitch properly. sound swing consistently. PITCHING MACHINE HITTING
Recommended ages 10-16. When using pitching machines in practice or in games, remember these points. It is much more difficult to time
the machine’s pitch because there is no arm action from which the hitter can time their load and stride. To help
the player time the pitch, hold the ball up for the player to see then insert the ball into the machine with a
consistent tempo. Also, place a four-seam grip into the machine; how the seams hit the machine can affect the
pitches movement and consistency.

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BATTING PRACTICE FROM COACH ADDITIONAL HITTING DRILLS

Regardless of the player’s skill level and mechanics, every player
needs to participate in batting practice thrown by the coach. This is
Expert Advice on 1. Grip Drill: Grab the bat loosely in both hands. Lift the bat directly in front of the body and slightly over
the head. With fingers relaxed but firm, hold onto the bat and throw bat and arms straight down in front of
when players need to focus on seeing the ball, timing the pitch, the Stride for Different the body. Do not let the bat hit the ground. Where the bat ends up in the hands is a proper grip on the bat
learning the strike zone and being aggressive in the strike zone. It is when hitting. This drill shows players where the bat is gripped in the hands.
much more difficult and confusing for the player to work on both Pitch Locations Recommended ages 8-16.
mechanics and timing issues during live hitting. Do not teach too
A hitter’s stride lands in 2. Stride and Pivot Drill: The player gets into a solid
FAVO R ITE
much about mechanics at this time; there are plenty of other drills for
the same spot. stance position with a bat behind his back as shown
that. Live batting practice allows the players to track the ball and time
in the photo (picture 6-34). The player works on
the pitch. No matter how good a player’s mechanics are, if he doesn’t The hands adjust to the striding and pivoting while the bat is in this D R I LL
train his eyes to watch the baseball and learn the strike zone, he will pitch inside and outside, position. This drill is very effective in getting players to feel
not make consistent contact. (picture 6-31)
not the stride. Hitters the proper use of the legs during the stride and pivot, by
isolating the lower body. Remind players to fire the back hip
should go to their zone
through while pivoting on the ball of the back foot.
where they like and want (picture 6-35)
the ball. Recognize the Recommended ages 8-16. 6-33: Set up 6-34: Stride and pivot
pitch location and 3. Hands Inside The Ball Drill: Position a hitter in his stance, facing a fence or net. Player places the knob
time it accordingly. of his bat to his belly button and the end of the bat so it is just touching the fence. Player then gets into his
The hands will adjust. hitting stance at this distance away from the fence. Still facing the fence, the hitter picks a spot on the fence
at waist level and even with his front leg. This spot is the hitter’s imaginary reference point for a pitched
ball. The player swings at the spot on the fence without hitting the fence. To swing properly, the hitter’s hands
6-32 must go forward and down, keeping the hands and bat head inside the fence. A poor swing is made when
the player hits the fence on the swing. This drill forces the player to use the proper swing path to the
ball. (pictures 6-35 to 6-37)
Former San Francisco Giants Hitting Coach Joe Lefebvre on Batting Practice: Recommended ages 11-16.
“The purpose of batting practice is about developing your hitting stroke and seeing how
many balls you can hit on the barrel on a line with out lifting it. Focus on a gap-to-gap
approach and hitting hard ground balls and line drives at the infield/outfield dirt line.
If you miss, miss down not up. Remember home run derby at batting practice speed most of
the time becomes a foul ball, pop up, or a swing and a miss at game speed.”

Major League Veteran Rich Aurilia on Taking Batting Practice:

“When taking batting practice, I try to work on things that I feel I am not
doing too well at that particular time. The important thing is to take
your practice seriously. If you take a careless batting practice,
you most likely carry it over into the game.” 6-35: Setup 6-36: Hands inside 6-37: Hands outside the line
and forward

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HITTING GAMES GUIDELINE WHEN TEACHING HITTING

1. Line Drive Game: This game can be played during FAVO R ITE Expert Advice on Many coaches and parents have asked us over the years, “Where do I begin when teaching the fundamentals of
Soft Toss or Batting Practice. The player is told to hitting?” So, here are some thoughts to keep in mind when helping players learn to hit. Remember, there are
hit line drives and ground balls or he will lose his
D R I LL
the Line Drive Game no absolutes on what to teach first or last, but below is a general order or checklist to follow.
turn at bat. The player hits until he hits a fly ball, The Line Drive Game will 1. Before making changes with a hitter, make sure you have seen him hit enough. Do not make evaluations
pop up or swings and misses. When he does, the next hitter takes on a few swings. Once you are sure of the consistent flaws, it is usually best to start from the ground up.
his turn. Set a limit for the maximum number of swings in one help players to stay on top
2. Start off by checking the bat. Make sure it is a size and weight the player can control and handle.
round so your good hitters do not stay at bat all day. This drill of the baseball. This is a
3. Check the player’s grip.
forces the hitter to concentrate on hitting the ball on a line, which fun and effective way to
is a swing plane all hitters should develop. It is a good drill for 4. Get the player into a fundamentally sound stance, with the hitter comfortable and balanced. Everyone needs
players who uppercut and hit a lot of fly balls.
help develop the hitters’ a sturdy foundation, so make sure the legs and feet are correct in the stance.
Recommended ages 8-16. proper swing plane. 5. Check to make sure the hitter is using his feet properly by focusing on the stride and pivot. Many problems
can be corrected by fixing the feet. The feet control the stride, the pivot and the balance throughout the swing.
2. Contact Game: During batting practice the hitter is told he can
6. Check the hitter’s head position. Make sure the head is staying in the hitting zone during the swing and, most
stay at bat as long as he does not swing and miss or foul a ball off. You may want to set a maximum number
importantly, in a good position at contact.
of swings per round to make sure everyone gets a turn at bat. This is a fun game to help players concentrate
on seeing the ball. The game adds the same pressure hitters feel when they have 2 strikes on them, but 7. One of the more difficult areas to correct can be the swing itself. Look to fix the swing path to the ball. Keep
makes it even tougher since they cannot even foul a ball off. in mind most player’s ages 6-8 will drop the bat head and hands some due to lack of strength. Many players
drop their hands and hit underneath the ball or the hands start out instead of starting forward. These are
Recommended ages 8-16.
issues that are common throughout player’s careers.
3. Base-Hit Game: During batting practice, make the hitter’s last swing in each round a base- 8. Loading and a proper weight transfer into the ball is another trouble area for some players. If the hitter has
FAVO R ITE
hit swing. This means the hitter gets to stay up at bat for another swing if he gets a base hit. no rhythm, this will be something you will want to continue to nurture.
The coach throwing BP is the judge. If it is ruled a hit, the player gets another base-hit swing
and keeps hitting until he does not hit a ball ruled to be a hit. This is a fun drill for players D R I LL
BAT SIZE
to compete with one another to see who can stay up the longest. GUIDELINE FOR BAT LENGTH TO BAT WEIGHT
Recommended ages 10-16. There is no specific bat weight or bat length for a particular
4. Focus Game: Coach stands in front of players in a position where all players can see him. The coach age group. The player should be using a bat they can control. Ages 6-8 26 inch - 16oz
extends his left arm palm-up straight out in front of his body. He then extends his right arm palm-down out If you are unsure what size bat a player should use, it is 27 inch - 17oz
to his right side. The object of the game is for the players to watch the coach’s right arm and hand, and clap usually better to go lighter and smaller as opposed to bigger Ages 8-10 28 inch - 16oz
when it passes over the top of the left hand’s palm. The coach is to do anything he wants to try and get the and heavier. If only bigger bats are available, make sure the 29 inch - 17oz or 18oz
players to clap when he doesn’t cross the bottom hand. Examples: He can move his right hand fast. He can hitter chokes up on the bat. Ages 10-11 29 inch - 17oz or 18oz
start his right hand and stop it before he crosses the left palm. He can go fast back and forth. If the players 30 inch - 18oz or 19oz
clap when the coach did not cross the left hand with the right they sit down and are out of the competition. Ages 12-13 30 inch - 19oz or 20oz
Coach continues to play until he has a winner. This is a fun drill that teaches players to concentrate and 31 inch - 19oz or 20oz
focus their eyes on a target. Ages 13-14 31 inch - 23oz to 26oz
Recommended ages 8-12. 32 inch - 24oz to 27oz
Ages 15-16 32 inch - 29oz
33 inch - 30oz

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Batting Order
Knowing the team’s make-up is important when making a batting order. Which players can run? Which players
hit consistently? Who can handle pressure? Who can cope with failure? Who likes to hit? Who doesn’t like to
hit? For coaches teaching 6-to-12-year-olds, letting players hit in different spots in the batting order is healthy
for team morale. This gives all players a chance to feel good about themselves and understand what it is like to
hit in different spots in the order. Also, this is a way to let players know that one player is not bigger than the
team.

Characteristics of batting order positions:

1. Leadoff hitter: Fast, good contact hitter, gets on base frequently, runs bases aggressively without hesitation.
Will take a walk and is not afraid to steal at any time.
2. Second hitter: Good contact hitter, above-average speed, good hitter, gets on base frequently, can bunt and
steal.
3. Third hitter: Best hitter on the team, can hit for average. Clutch hitter who can drive in runs.
4. Fourth hitter: Good hitter who can drive in runs, hit for power and be a run producer.
5. Fifth hitter: Your second-best hitter. Can hit for average. Same characteristics as third hitter but may lack
one characteristic. Good RBI man.
6. Sixth hitter: Good hitter, picks up the RBIs that are missed by the heart of the order. Surprise clutch hitter.
7. Seventh hitter: Least efficient hitter, patient hitter who uses whatever skills they have.
8. Eighth hitter: Your second clean-up hitter who can surprise the other team. Not a consistent hitter, but
someone who is streaky.
9. Ninth hitter: Second-best leadoff hitter, similar characteristics as the leadoff hitter. Has to be a good hitter
who can keep an inning alive. Fast, bunts, aggressive player, a good clutch hitter, two-out hitter.

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 Chapter 7: Bunting

BUNTING
Bunting is an area that often is overlooked by Youth League coaches because
run manufacturing via the bunt doesn’t come into play as often until higher
levels of competition. However, proper time should be spent on this aspect of
the game early in a player’s baseball developaent. Teach all players the proper
fundamentals of bunting regardless of where they bat in the batting order.
Teaching the concept of bunting early in a player’s development will also help improve
hand-eye coordination, demonstrate the concept of tracking the ball and bolster self-confidence.
Bunting forces a player to track the ball all the way to the bat. Simply by concentrating on
the incoming ball, the player enhances hand-eye coordination and gains confidence by
making contact. For these reasons, in addition to developing bunting skills, a player should
bunt the first few pitches of every batting practice before swinging away.
To ensure more success, have the player square around early enough to get into proper
bunting position. Whether sacrificing to advance a runner or attempting to bunt for a base
hit, it is necessary to have enough time to get into the proper bunting position. This preparation,
along with ball placement after contact, are two keys to being a good bunter.

FUNDAMENTALS
Sacrifice Bunt:
This bunt is used to advance a runner to second base, or multiple runners to second
and third base. The purpose is to move the runners into scoring position for the
following batters to drive in. It’s most commonly done with no outs and in a close
game. There are two acceptable ways to sacrifice: the squaring-around method, and
the pivot method. Regardless of which approach is used, the batter should be forward
in the batter’s box to improve the percentage of a fair bunt. The squaring or pivot
action generally begins when the pitcher breaks his hands to start his throwing motion.
A. Turning to Bunt 7-1: Squaring to bunt
1. Square-around method: First, step back roughly 12 inches with the front
foot. Then, bring the back foot forward beyond the front foot. The initial step
clears space, allowing the back foot to come forward without stepping on
home plate. Stepping on home plate is an automatic out. More weight should
be distributed on the leg closest to the plate with a slight lean toward the plate.
This will give the player total plate coverage and balance. (picture 7-1)
2. Pivot method: Set up close to the plate to assure plate coverage on the pivot.
This method is nothing more than rotating the back foot as if a swing has
already occurred. This rotation allows for the hips and shoulders to face the
pitcher and still maintain balance throughout the body. (picture 7-2)
7-2: Pivoting to bunt

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 Drills & Instruction for Coaching Youth Baseball Chapter 7: Bunting

B. Balance and Weight Distribution: Feet should be shoulder width or wider, and knees should be bent and Bunting for a Base Hit
ready to flex. The legs are very important in bunting. Adjust to the height of the pitch by bending the knees. The fundamentals don’t change much between a sacrifice bunt and bunting for a base hit. A batter wants to use
This way, the bunter keeps body control, proper bat position and form while adjusting to different pitches. the element of surprise, however proper time still must be allowed to get into bunting position. Good placement
C. Grip: Keep the bottom hand on the bat choked up slightly, and slide of the ball is just as important as the element of surprise.
the top hand up the barrel just past halfway. The top hand must pinch A. Right-handed Drag: Take a short jab step back with the right leg. Drop the knob of the bat toward the left
the bat at this point. To do this, the player should make a fist with the hip while bringing the barrel over the top of the strike zone and in front of the plate. In this process, create
thumb extended and pinch the bat between the thumb and index a bat angle toward the third-base line. Try to keep the ball just fair, and if it goes foul, the only harm is a
finger. Make sure no fingers are exposed to the bunting surface. strike. (pictures 7-5 to 7-7)
(picture 7-3)
D. Arms: The arms should be extended in front of the body, and the bat
should cover home plate, at least to the outside black. The elbows
should be pointing in with a slight bend to maintain proper athletic 7-3: Grip
positioning. Very seldom is an athlete in a good reaction position when a joint is fully extended.
E. Barrel Above the Knob (top of strike zone): The bat should be angled slightly upward, keeping the barrel
above the knob. This will allow for the bunted ball to travel downward – and hopefully fair. The bat starts
at the top of the strike zone where the bunter has vision of both the bat and the
incoming ball. The eyes should be almost on the same plane as bat, focusing on
the pitch. To maintain proper bat position and vision, the bunter must bend at the
knees to adjust to lower strikes. This will allow the eyes and the bat to stay at the
same level and the barrel to stay above the knob.
F. Bat Angle: Pre-setting the bat angle toward first or third base will eliminate
unnecessary bat movement when the pitch is in flight. Ideally, bunt toward first
base with a runner only on first; bunt toward third base with runners on first and 7-5: Jab step back 7-6: Barrel over the top 7-7: Contact position
second. (picture 7-4)
B. Right-handed Push: A stride is taken just as if swinging, but the bat is brought around with the hands in
7-4: Sacrificing bunt to 1B bunting position. Bunt the ball with both hands pushing the bat toward the second baseman. The object is
to just get the ball past the pitcher and have the first baseman commit to the ball. Don’t bunt it too hard,
allowing the second baseman a chance to make the play. This is attempted more frequently with left-handed
pitchers since their follow-through takes them towards third base. (picture 7-8)
C. Left-handed Push: First, take a short jab step toward home plate with the left foot. This creates balance
Tony Womack on the Sacrifice Bunt: and a better direction line to bunt. Bunt the ball down the third-base line. (picture 7-9)
“First of all, the player should know the strike zone.
Remember guys, you’re not bunting for a base hit.
That means, you need to square around and give yourself up early.
The bat should be at eye level, going eye level down not up.
You should choke up to insure better bat control.
In the end, letting the ball hit the bat without poking at it,
will give you the best chance of being successful.”

7-8: Right-handed push bunt 7-9: Left-handed push bunt

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 Drills & Instruction for Coaching Youth Baseball Chapter 7: Bunting

D. Left-handed drag: The bat leads the way with the hands in bunting position and aim between the first and BUNTING DRY DRILLS
the second baseman. Bunt the ball while bringing the left leg up into a crossover step, initiating the run to These dry drills can be done with or without a bat. Allow plenty of space between players if bats are used.
first base. This is a good offensive weapon against left-handed pitchers since their follow-through Repeat all drills 5 times or until all players can perform correctly.
takes them toward third base. (pictures 7-10 & 7-11)
1. Stance to Turning to Bunt: Players line up and face the coach. On the command, Hitting stance, players get
into their batting stance. On the command, Pivot or Square (depending on the method being taught), players
turn to bunt. Make sure players are in the proper bunting position as spelled out in the fundamentals.
Physically make adjustments where needed.
2. Low Pitch and High Pitch: From the squared or pivot position, the next commands are, Low pitch or Take
a high pitch. On Low pitch, the players bend their knees to lower the bat. On Take a high pitch, players
remove the bat from the strike zone. The coach should vary the commands to get the players familiar with the
fundamentals of bunting and to make the necessary adjustments.
3. When to Turn: Finally, the coach should simulate a pitcher throwing from the stretch (or a full wind-up)
and tell the players to turn to bunt when he breaks his hands to start his throwing motion.

DRILLS
1. Bunting to Targets: Place bats as targets about one-third of the
way down each baseline. With the coach pitching from a close
7-10: Bring bat out front 7-11: Crossover step to bunt
distance, have players (one at a time) bunt toward the bats. Each Expert Advice on
player bunts three times down each foul line. The rest of the
players fan out to pick up the bunted balls and wait their turn.
Bunting to Targets
Tony Womack on Left Hand Hitters Bunting for a Hit:
“Once again one should know the strike zone. This drill is for a sacrifice bunt, and players should turn to bunt The “Bunting to Targets”
when the coach breaks hands to start the pitch. The coach should drill is for a sacrifice bunt,
Once it’s established the bat angle is the next step.
throw mostly strikes, but mix in a ball or two to see if the player
The bat should be angled out in front of the plate to insure that you are in the hitting zone.
pulls the bat back correctly.
and players should turn to
You should bunt the ball before running, but that doesn’t mean bunt when the coach breaks
you shouldn’t have any momentum getting out of the box. Recommended ages 8-16.
hands to start the pitch.
Momentum should come in the form of either a jab step or 2. Fair or Foul: Place a bat parallel to the third-base line about three
a crossover step towards the pitcher. feet into fair territory. The goal is to bunt balls between the bat
Last but not least, know which direction your bunting the ball and let the ball hit the bat. and baseline. Emphasize if the player misses the mark, it should be into foul territory and not to the right
Never poke at the ball.” of the bat, because that’s an easy play for the pitcher in a real game. This drill emphasizes the importance
of placing the bunted ball very close to the foul line when bunting for a base hit toward third base. Since
Squeeze Bunt: The element of surprise makes the squeeze bunt an effective tool. If executed properly, the batters are trying to reach base safely, they should turn to bunt later than a sacrifice, but still soon enough
defense will not have enough time to tag the runner at home plate. As the pitcher releases the ball, the batter to get into proper position.
turns to bunt and the runner on third base breaks toward home. The ball is bunted anywhere on the field. Most Recommended ages 8-16.
importantly, the batter must do whatever it takes to at least make contact with the ball, otherwise the runner will
be an easy out.
Slash: A slash is when a batter fakes as if he’s going to bunt, then pulls the bat back and takes a compact swing.
The batter is attempting to hit a ground ball and is not worried about power. This is done when defenders are
charging hard or to create movement in the defense. This play will typically open holes in the defense because
players should react to the bunt.

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3. Bunt Hit Between Pitcher and First Base: Place a bat in no man’s land between first and second base on
the infield grass. Have right-handed hitters work on their push bunt and lefties on their drag. Again, batters
are trying to reach base safely, so they should turn to bunt later than a sacrifice, but still soon enough to get
into proper position.
Recommended ages 8-16.
4. Squeeze Bunt: Incorporate the squeeze bunt into Drill 1. At any time during the bunting drill, the coach
will call out Squeeze bunt. On that pitch, the player should turn to bunt later than they would for a sacrifice
and can bunt the ball anywhere on the field. When working on the squeeze, the coach should vary pitch
locations to simulate what can happen in a game. The player must still bunt a bad pitch.
Recommended ages 13-16.

GAMES
1. Hats as Target. Have players fan out from the pitching mound to the foul lines. Set three hats FAVO R ITE
upside down with brims facing home plate as targets. Place them one-third of the way down
each foul line. Each player gets six bunts, three in each direction. Award 10 points for a ball
GAME
that rolls up the brim and stays in the hat, five for contact with the hat and one for a near miss.
Have the players rotate around two times each and see who gets the most points. (pictures 7-12 & 7-13)

7-12: Hats as targets 7-13: 10 points

2. Bats as Targets. Follow the same set up in Game 1, but use one bat near each foul line. Pick FAVO R ITE
two captains to choose teams. Each player on each team gets four bunts. Award 100 points for
every bunt that hits a bat. Award 25 points for balls that bounce over the bats. The winning
GAME
team’s players get five extra swings during batting practice. Or play the best-of-five bunting
world series by continuing the game at the next four practices. Whichever team wins three bunting
competitions first is the world champion of “Bats as Targets.”
3. Bunt for Swings. During batting practice, have players bunt the first three pitches they see. For every
quality bunt the player gets down, an additional swing will be given. This will help them concentrate on
bunting by giving them a reward for a bunt successfully executed.

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 Chapter 8: Catching

CATCHING
Make the catching position a priority on your team. The catcher and
pitcher will influence the pace and quality of the game more than any
other players on the field. Not all players are cut out to be a catcher. If you
are not sure who should catch, ask your players who would like to be a
catcher. Give them a shot at it and then determine if this is a position they can handle
safely. This position can be difficult for young players for several reasons. Lack of strength
is just one. The catcher should have leadership qualities, be able to communicate with
players on the field and should not be afraid to get dirty behind the plate. Look for a
fearless blocker who possesses a strong arm to stop would be base stealers. A catcher
should possess quick feet to come out of his crouch position to throw to bases. Look to
develop a minimum of two capable catchers.
The catching position can easily be and is often overlooked during practice. As a coach,
you should take the time to train your catchers at the
numerous skills needed to have success at this position. We
recommend getting your players into their catching gear more
often. A great way to do this is to allow your catchers to catch
coaches batting practice, whether it’s on the field or in the
cage. If you cannot create individual time for these two or three
players during the regular practice, set aside 15 minutes with
your catchers before or after practice at least once preferably
twice a week. Take them through a routine of drills that will 8-1: Target
help them develop the skills needed at the position. Follow the
“Catchers Drills and Practice Routine” at the conclusion of this
section for a solid development program.

FUNDAMENTALS
A. Receiving Pitches
1. Feet are at least shoulder-width apart, for good balance.
2. Weight should be evenly distributed on the insides of feet with the 8-2: Runners on base
right foot slightly open.
3. Knees are bent keeping the back side and body low.
4. Arms slightly bent and relaxed. The elbows point slightly outward
and are above the knees. Elbow is never inside the knees when giving
a target.
5. Glove is extended out in front. Give the target early (picture 8-1).
6. With runners on base, the throwing hand is cupped with thumb inside
fingers and behind mitt (Picture 8-2). With no one on base, the
8-3: No one on base
throwing hand can be placed behind the back or for protection on foul
tips if the player is strong enough to catch with one hand. (picture 8-3)

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7. Turn the glove left slightly before the pitcher’s release. This B. Giving Signs
will help catch inside pitches and prevent getting handcuffed
8. For depth, set up as close as possible to the hitter, adjusting
Expert Advice on 1. Set up is the same as receiving pitches except for the following
exceptions.
position depending on where the hitter is standing in the Where to Set Up 2. Knees are closed up slightly to keep base runners on first and third,
batter’s box.
9. For location, set up down the middle of the plate unless well
Behind the Plate and base coaches from getting a view of the signs being given.
3. Glove is draped over the left knee to block view of signs from third
ahead in the count. Then set up on either corner. Strikes are Many catchers stay in the base coach and runner at third.
at a premium at the youth level.
same spot behind the plate 4. Hand position giving signs is directly between the legs. The fingers 8-5: Giving signs
10. Receive pitches with soft hands never fully extending the arm and hand should not be to low where they can be seen under the legs
and locking the elbow.
regardless of the batter’s
from the sides or from behind the catcher. (picture 8-5)
11. Receive pitches with your hand outside the baseball and the position in the box. At all
C. Blocking Balls in the Dirt
wrist turned toward the strike zone, or bring all pitches ages watch your catcher’s
1. Balls inside the body frame: (picture 8-6)
smoothly toward the chest settling to the closest part of the distance from the batter.
strike zone. This will help make pitches appear to be strikes. • Drop forward to both knees with weight slightly forward.
Too close and a catcher’s • Keep shoulders rounded and chin tucked down.
12. On low pitches that could be called strikes, receive the ball
palm down and bring the ball up.
interference call is • Drop the mitt to the ground between the knees to block the hole
probable, receiving too far between the legs.
13. On low pitches out of the strike zone, catch the ball palm up.
back will hinder the The glove pocket is facing the pitcher.
(picture 8-4)
• Tuck throwing hand behind the mitt and keep palm forward.
pitchers. The catchers
• Attempt to block the ball in the center of the body with the chest.
should adjust up in the box • The upper body is relaxed and not tense.
and back in the box
according to the batter’s 8-6: Blocking position

position in the box.

8-4: Low pitch, palm up

Mike Lieberthal on Blocking Pitches:
“Stay relaxed as possible with the upper body.
This will prevent the ball from rolling far away after it is blocked.
Staying soft will absorb the pitch.”
Mike Lieberthal on Receiving Pitches:
“Having soft hands will help in framing pitches.
Always let the ball come to you, so your legs can stay under you
and you can maintain balance while receiving.”

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2. Balls outside the body frame (move in half-circle motion)

• Take jab step outward with near foot and drop knee. (picture 8-7)
• Drop trailing knee to the ground and drag.
• Turn near shoulder toward infield so chest is facing the plate.
• Keep shoulders rounded, and chin tucked.
• Drop the mitt to the ground between the knees keeping the wrist flexed and the pocket facing the
pitcher.
• Tuck throwing hand behind the mitt and keep palm forward.
• Attempt to block the ball in the center of the body with the chest.
• The upper body is relaxed and not tense. (picture 8-8)

8-9: Receiving position 8-10: Block with quick step 8-11: Step directly towards base

8-7: Jab step with near foot 8-8: Smoother the ball

D. Throwing to Bases
1. Back side is up and thighs are level to the ground, for quicker
release to bases.
Expert Advice on
2. Receive ball with the throwing hand cupped behind the mitt a Quick Throwing Release
for quicker glove-to-hand transfer. (picture 8-9) 8-12: Stay athletic 8-13: Finish the throw
Quick feet are critical for a
3. As ball is received, throwing hand and glove come together
for grip. While securing grip, right foot takes a quick jab step quick release when
in a half “c” towards second for momentum to throw. (picture throwing. Work on moving
8-10) the feet up and down
4. The left foot steps directly toward the target as the hips and quickly utilizing the
shoulders rotate in line to the base. As the left foot moves the Mike Lieberthal on Throwing Out Runners:
mitt moves back across chest during the glove to hand momentum of the feet and “Let the pitched ball travel to you so you can have your legs underneath you.
transfer, which helps keep the catchers weight back. Catcher legs toward the base to This will help you stay in a powerful throwing position and have proper
is square to throw with glove shoulder pointing to the target. make the throw. throwing mechanics.”
(pictures 8-11 & 8-12)
5. The catcher should remain in an athletic position while shifting weight from right foot to left foot on
throw and follow-through. Do not recoil; throw through the base. (picture 8-13)

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E. Fielding Bunts F. Fielding Pop-ups.

1. If time allows remove mask as moving to ball. (picture 8-14) 1. Turn to look for the ball in the direction of the pitch location.
2. Approach ball in slight circle so momentum is moving toward target. 2. Once ball is located, determine how high the pop-up is. If it’s low, keep the mask on. If it’s high, take
3. Position body so the ball is beneath the chest. (picture 8-15) off the mask with throwing hand and toss it away. (picture 8-18)
4. Align hips and shoulders with the target. 3. Move to anticipated point of catch while facing the backstop.
5. Keep knees and waist bent. 4. The ball rotation will cause it to curve toward the field. Allow for the deviation by staying in an athletic
position and keeping feet active for an adjustment.
6. Use the glove as a backstop and pick up the ball with the throwing hand, looking the ball into the mitt.
(picture 8-16) 5. If underneath the ball, position the glove with palm up and catch ball directly above forehead
(picture 8-19). Otherwise, a one-handed Willie Mays-style basket catch is appropriate.
7. Once secured, shuffle directly toward the target and throw. (picture 8-17)
6. Keep knees flexed with good balance when receiving ball.
8. Stay balanced throughout the play and do not panic.
7. Cover the glove with throwing hand after catch.
8. Catchers should go for all pop-ups until called off by another player.

8-14: Remove mask 8-15: Center the ball

8-18: High pop-up 8-19: Receive ball in

athletic position

Erik Johnson on Removing the Mask:

“The hockey style catching mask and helmet are very difficult for young players to
remove quickly. If removing the mask slows the catcher down going for the
8-16: Go down with two hands 8-17: Expect to throw
ball on bunts and pop-ups, just have them leave it on.”

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CATCHERS DRILLS AND PRACTICE ROUTINE 3. Receiving Borderline Low Strike: Follow the same principle as receiving above. Throw 10 pitches to the
The catcher is a pivotal player on the field. For one-on-one time, and to cover bottom of the strike zone, some near strikes and some clear balls. Catchers need to decide when to receive
all techniques, catchers can come early or stay after practice to work on the the ball palm down for a strike and when to receive it palm up (turning the glove over) for an obvious ball.
skills explained above. When blocking balls, softer balls can be substituted. Recommended ages 10-16.
This will allow work on blocking mechanics without beating up the catcher. 4. Throwing to Second Base: Get to a distance where you can throw the ball firmly to the
The blocking drills are recommended for ages 10-16. Ages 9-10 can perform FAVO R ITE
desired location. Place a player or coach at 2B to receive the throw. Throw balls to the catcher
these drills, but some will be a challenge. and have them go through their footwork throwing the ball to 2B. When first teaching this
1. Block Balls: 10 straight, 5 to the right, 5 to the left. drill, let the catcher walk through the footwork first before introducing the baseball. Once the D R I LL

player can come up out of the crouch with proper footwork and body position in a dry drill it
2. Receiving Pitches: 20 repetitions.
is time to try it using a baseball (refer to photos in fundamental section D, “Throwing to Bases”). Start the
3. Borderline Strike (low strike): 10 repetitions catchers in their crouch with a ball in their glove and let them throw to 2B. Finally progress to throwing the
4. Throwing to Second Base: 6 throws. ball to the catcher. Remember, whenever a player struggles with technique or consistency you can always
go back to a dry drill so the player can get a feel for and have success with the proper technique.
5. Fielding Bunts Throwing to First Base: 3-5 throws. (picture 8-20) 8-20: Coach’s position
for drills 5 and 6 Recommended ages 9-16.
6. Fielding Pop-ups: 5 pop-ups.
5. Fielding Bunts: Place a player or coach at first, second
or third base. Start the catcher behind the plate in their
Drills 1 through 4 can be performed from a distance of 20 to 30 feet. It is not necessary for the coach throwing crouch as if ready to receive a pitched ball. As shown in
the balls to be on the pitcher’s mound. Be at a distance where balls can picture 8-27, get behind the catcher and roll a ball
be thrown accurately to the desired locations so the catcher can between the catcher’s legs into fair territory at a speed
repetitively work on technique. (picture 8-21) and distance of a bunt. When the ball comes into view
to the catcher he then reacts to the simulated bunt by
DRILLS fielding the ball and throwing to the desired base. Make
1. Blocking: From a closer distance than the mound, toss balls in sure the catcher approaches the ball correctly, gets over
8-22: Field 3B line bunt 8-23: Turn and throw
the dirt for the catchers to block. Start directly in front, then toss the bunt and uses the two-hand fielding technique as
balls slightly to the left and right of the catcher. Toss 5 balls in described in the fundamental section E “Fielding Bunts.” When working on throws to first base, which will
each location. Remember, most players who are under 10 years be the most common play, roll balls to three locations on the field. Roll to the first-base line area, directly
old will have a difficult time blocking to their right and left. in front of home plate and to the third-base line area. The bunt down the third-base line area is the only ball
Blocking outside the body will be a challenge for any player that is approached and fielded differently. The player must move directly to the ball by placing the right foot
under 12 years old. Remind catchers to keep their chin tucked just to the right of the ball. Once the foot is in position, the catcher reaches down with the throwing hand,
down during this drill. Young catchers will have a tendency to look 8-21 grabs the ball, pivots on the right leg and steps directly toward first with the left leg as he throws the ball
up as they block. When first teaching this drill to a catcher it is recommended to do this drill as a dry drill (pictures 8-22 & 8-23). Work on three to five bunts with each catcher. Players aged 9-10 should practice
first allowing the catcher to get a feel for the technique of blocking before using the baseball. mostly throwing to first base. Ages 10 and above should work some to all bases. Remember when working
Recommended ages 10-16. on throws to second base that the simulated bunts must not be rolled down either line or too far out onto the
field. In a game, the catcher will only have a play at second base on bunted balls or swinging bunts are closer
2. Receiving: This drill does not have to be performed from the mound. Get to a distance where to home plate. For plays working to third base, the ball should be rolled closer to the plate as well and not
FAVO R ITE
you can throw the ball firmly to different desired locations. Throw 20 pitches to random rolled down the first-base side. Work on bunts that are common for your age group.
locations while having the catcher softly receive the ball. Have the catcher smoothly bring
D R I LL Recommended ages 9-16.
bad pitches back to the closet point of the strike zone. This includes bringing the ball back to
the top or bottom as well as the corners of the strike zone. If the pitched ball is well out of the
strike do not attempt to frame the pitch.
Recommended ages 8-16.

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6. Pop-up Drill: The most practical way to simulate a pop-up is to throw the ball for ages 9-12. This drill can
be done anywhere; at home plate or in the outfield will work just fine. It can be done with the catcher’s gear
and mask on, which is more game-like, but is also effective to perform without. Place your catcher in their
crouch. Stand right behind the catcher and underhand the ball into the air to the desired locations. Toss balls
directly over the catcher first, then progress to tosses farther away, which will be more difficult to catch.
Once you toss the ball into the air you yell ball! That’s the cue for the catcher to spring up out of the crouch,
turn around back to you looking up into the air for the tossed ball. Once the ball is located, the player attempts
to make the catch. Try to simulate pop-ups that your age catchers are seeing in the games. If the ball is high
enough, and the time and skill of the catcher allows, the catchers should attempt to catch the ball above the
head. Follow fundamentals F “Fielding Pop-ups.” Catching the ball Willie Mays style (underhand) is certainly
acceptable and will be easier on pop-ups not high into the air. Remember, a lot of youth-league masks are
difficult to remove quickly. In this case it will be easier to leave the mask on while making the catch. For
players 13-16, the coach should use a pop-up machine or learn to hit the pop-ups, which is no easy task.
Recommended ages 9-12.

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 Chapter 9: Baserunning

BASERUNNING
Baserunning skills should not be overlooked. Youth players love to run and
will enjoy baserunning drills whenever you plug them into your practice. A
good baserunner can be developed with a little guidance from their coach.
Teach your players to be alert and to know the situation before to every pitch. They should
survey the defensive positioning of each player, know the number of outs and try to follow
the ball at all times. If the ball is hit behind the baserunner, he should look to the third-base
coach for assistance. The base coaches are there to assist the runners, not to control every
move they make. The baserunner should never assume anything and run hard on all hit
balls until the umpire makes a call. Runners should always think aggressively, trying to turn
a single into a double or a double into a triple. By running hard, extra bases can be taken if
the defense makes a mistake. Another rule to remember is to look to tag up on all foul balls
with less than two outs.
Practicing baserunning techniques is important, but simulating game situations in
practice is imperative to baserunning success. In setting up drills that re-create game
situations, players learn what to look for and develop better instincts. Experience in a given
situation can definitely help to alleviate the hesitations that keeps a runner from being
aggressive.
Speed doesn’t necessarily make a good baserunner. Being prepared before every pitch
and good judgment on when to be aggressive will lead to good baserunning skills. Getting a
good jump on batted balls can be learned and developed through practice.
As a coach, give players the freedom to succeed on the bases by giving them the freedom
to fail. If runners are ridiculed for baserunning mistakes, they will run the bases with a
safety-first attitude, never reaching their potential. Take pressure off baserunners by
allowing them to be aggressive and understanding their decision-making abilities.

Erik Johnson on Developing Aggressive Baserunners:

“As a coach, give players the freedom to succeed on the bases by giving them
the freedom to fail. If runners are ridiculed for baserunning mistakes,
they will run the bases with a safety-first attitude, never reaching their true potential.”

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FUNDAMENTALS C. Secondary Lead

A. Running Through First Base 1. In leagues where leads are not permitted: Once the ball crosses the plate, a couple of shuffles are
taken toward the next base, anticipating an errant throw from the catcher. This routine will help players
1. Once the ball is hit, find where the ball is going. If the infielder has
stay focused on the ball moving into the hitting zone, and be ready to advance on a ball in the dirt or a
a play, run in a straight line on the foul side of the first-base line.
hit. Even though a primary lead is not allowed, it’s still important for runners to go over the game
2. Keep focused on the first baseman to be ready to avoid a tag in case situation before the ball is pitched.
the throw is errant.
3. Run hard through first base, focusing on touching the middle- to
front-third of the base with either foot. The only time a runner Lead off hitter Tony Womack on baserunning:
should slide or dive into first base is when avoiding a tag. “An effective base runner has instincts just like a base stealer.
(picture 9-1) The only difference could be the physical ability of the players that don’t have that
4. After touching the bag, look into foul territory in case there was a outburst of speed. If one understands the mental side of running the bases, their
bad throw and advancing to second is possible. 9-1 physical limitations will be overlooked by the sharpness of their decision making.
5. If safe, turn into foul territory to return to first base. Never turn into The decision making and the mindset of the players on the bases will allow them to
the field to retreat to first base. take advantage of weaknesses of the opposition.”
6. A few strides past first base, slow down to gain body control in case of a bad throw necessitating a quick
change of direction. This is done by widening the feet beyond shoulders’ width and taking short, choppy
steps to enhance deceleration. Deceleration should never occur until past first base. DRILLS
B. Rounding Bases 1. Home to First: Line up players at home plate. One at FAVO R ITE
1. Banana turn: Once the ball has gone a time, players run through first base as if they have hit
through the infield, veer into foul a ground ball to the infield. A coach is positioned near
D R I LL
territory to create a better angle to first base looking for correct foot placement on the bag,
advance to second base. A radius is proper breakdown and players looking to foul territory for the ball
created the shape of a banana. The bag is after they have touched first base. After all players perform this drill
touched on the inside corner with either correctly, the coach can randomly throw balls into foul territory after
foot. Be careful not to get too wide in the runners touch first base, simulating an overthrow. Players react
trying to create the angle. It should be and advance to second when they see the loose ball. (picture 9-5)
just enough to maintain full speed and Recommended ages 8-12. 9-5: Proper breakdown
turn the corner without a wide swing to 9-2: Foot position 9-3: Inside corner 2. Making a Turn: Same as above, except have players run as
the next base. (pictures 9-2 & 9-3)
if they have hit a single. If you have cones as in the photo,
2. Point turn: If the runner knows immediately that he is going to advance multiple bases, start the turn utilize them for ages 7-10. Otherwise, have one coach
right away. This eliminates going straight up the line and then veering out, which is slower than picking stand 10 feet in front of first base and 2 to 3 feet in foul
a spot to cut the angle and running directly there. This holds true for all bases and is the quickest way territory. Have another coach stand 6 feet off first base and
to circle the bases. 2 to 4 feet behind the bag. With coaches in these two
3. After the base is touched, how far the runner advances positions, have the players run around the first coach and
on a turn is determined by where the ball is on the in front of the second coach. This will help with the proper
field. The farther the ball from the runner, the bigger initial turn and make sure runners cut the corner correctly
the turn. An aggressive runner advances as far as to get lined up toward second base. Coaches should watch
9-6: Banana turn
possible toward the next base while still being able to to make sure base runners touch first base with either foot
retreat safely. The completion of a turn should be on the inside corner. (picture 9-6)
made with a shuffle breakdown to gain control while Recommended ages 7-16.
focusing on the play. The shuffle breakdown puts the
baserunner in position to advance or retreat.
(picture 9-4) 9-4: Break down position

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3. Turns Reading the Play: Set a coach at an outfield position to simulate any given outcome of a fly ball, 5. Picking up the Coach: Line up all players at first base. When a
ground ball, or a thrown ball. Players start at home plate and run to first making a proper turn. Once the
base is tagged, the player picks up the coach in the outfield to determine weather to try to advance to second
coach yells, Go! one player runs from first to third base on a
presumed ball hit to right field. The correct technique in running
Expert Advice on
or not. The coach is simulating different outcomes of plays. For example: coach comes up cleanly with ball multiple bases when the ball is hit behind the runner is as follows: Picking Up the Coach
in hand. Coach drops a fly ball that kicks away from him a few feet. Coach simulates ball slipping out of If the runner is not sure whether to advance, look to the third-base
hand on an attempted throw back to the infield. The runner reads the coach acting as an outfielder and coach about halfway to second base. After seeing the coach, the The “Picking Up the Coach”
advances or retreats depending upon the situation. This drill simulates game situations and gives players runner should look at second base and focus on touching the bag drill will help both the
a chance to work on decision-making. and turning correctly. As soon as the bag is touched, the runner runners and the coach. It
Recommended ages 7-16. should pick up the third-base coach again. The third-base coach
simulates game
will give different signals to the baserunner. Examples: 1.Waving
runners to third or stopping them at second on the first look. 2. communication.
Tony Womack on baserunning items that win games: Waving runners to third on the first look and stopping them at
“Knowing the arms and depth of the outfielders. second on the second look. Throw out different signs so the runner has to react to different situations. Note:
Good secondary leads to go from first to third and second to home on base hits. Time should be taken before this drill to establish a few simple hand signals to direct the runners. During
games, use verbal commands along with the hand signals. This drill will help both the runners and the
Moving up to the next base on balls in the dirt.
coach.
Touching the corners of the bases correctly.
Recommended ages 8-16.
Advancing to third on a slow roller in front of you at second base.”
6. Reading Fly Balls: Divide the team into three groups and put runners at all bases, and have FAVO R ITE
three players in the outfield. Place coaches at bases to monitor and critique runners. Throw or
4. Balls in the Dirt: Divide the team into three even groups. Place a group at all three bases, first, hit different fly balls to the outfielders. Throwing balls will be more accurate and effective for
FAVO R ITE D R I LL
second and third. One player at each base takes a turn at the same time. Have a catcher with the drill. Runners react to the simulated hits. Players need to learn in non-tag-up situations to
full gear working on receiving and blocking balls. A coach throws pitches to the catcher get as far off the base as possible, but only to the point where they can return safely if the ball is caught.
D R I LL
varying the tosses; some are good, some are in the dirt. The baserunners start from their Runners should stay at that distance and watch to see if the ball is caught. If it is caught, they quickly retreat
primary lead and take their secondary lead as the coach makes the pitch. The runners are working on timing to the bag to tag up and watch for an errant throw. If it is dropped, they advance to the next base. This is a
their secondary lead correctly. They are also reading the ball flight. As soon as they determine the ball will common situation, and players often don’t get far enough off the base and are forced out at the next base
be in the dirt, they break for the next base. If the ball is caught, they utilize the crossover step and take three when the ball is not caught. On balls that are deep enough, players should tag up and break for the next base
hard steps back to their base. Before the next pitch, runners jog to the next base and wait their turn in line as soon as the ball is caught. On all definite foul balls, baserunners should always tag up and look to
there. If your league doesn’t allow leads, starting position is on the base. Baserunners still read the pitch, advance.
and if it’s in the dirt, they take off to the next base. If it’s caught, they shuffle off the base two steps and watch Recommended ages 8-12.
the catcher throw the ball back to the pitcher. This drill works on timing the secondary lead properly 7. Reading Balls at Second Base. Put a full defense on the field and place everyone else at second FAVO R ITE
for the best jump to the next base. It teaches players to read a pitch in the dirt and to aggressively base. One coach hits fungos to different locations on the infield and outfield. One coach critiques
break to the next base when it is recognized. the baserunners at second base. Second base is a critical base to make good decisions. Players must
D R I LL
Recommended ages 8-16. learn when to break to third base on ground balls. Generally, runners can advance to third when
a ball is hit to the right of second base. On balls hit to the left side of second base–in front of the
baserunner–make sure the ball gets through for a hit. But that doesn’t always hold true. The coach should hit
balls just behind and just in front of the runners at different speeds to see how the runners react. There are no
absolutes on when to advance. These situations need to be recreated in practice so runners experience when to
stay and when to go. These same scenarios should be done with balls hit to the outfield as well. Have the
defensive team make the plays on the hit balls as if it were a game.
Recommended ages 8-16.

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GAMES
1. Stopwatch Games: Bring a stopwatch to practice and time your players' speed to first base,
FAVO R ITE
their speed on doubles, triples and inside-the-park home runs. Keep a log of the times and see
which players improve their running speeds throughout the season. This will motivate them to
GAME
run faster and show them the importance of making a good turn, which saves time on doubles,
triples and home runs. We find that one of the favorite things players at all age groups enjoy is knowing
how fast they can run the bases. For ages 7-8 keep it simple and time them to first base and second
base.
Recommended ages 9-16.
2. Relay Race Game: Pick two captains and have them play rock,
paper, scissors to determine who picks first. Alternating picks,
captains choose players for their team. Place one team at second Expert Advice on
base and one team at home plate. The team at second starts on
the base and goes third to home, while the team at home runs first
Spicing up Practice
to second. This is a relay race and the second player cannot start If practice is not flowing as
until his teammate touches the base he is running for. Players will well as you expected, and
learn to cut the corners better and touch the base on the inside
corner to save time rounding the bases. Adds excitement to you need to inject some life
practice. into your players, set up a
Recommended ages 10-16. baserunning game and
have some fun!

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 Chapter 10: Coaching the Bases

COACHING THE BASES

The job of a base coach is to assist the baserunners and not to control every
move they make. The players need to be aware of what’s going on with the
ball, unless it’s hit behind them. The coach’s job is to get into a position
where the player can see the coach easily, and where the coach has more
time to make a decision. When a runner is going from first to third, the third-base coach
should be more toward left field so the player can see them easier. When a player is going
from second to third, the coach should be down the line toward home plate to give him
more time to read the play. It all happens very fast and the more time you have to read the
play the better decision you can make.

GIVING SIGNS
When establishing signs for the coach to give to the players, there are
a few points to keep in mind. First of all keep, them simple. Even at
the professional level this holds true. It can be as simple as just Expert Advice
touching a body part with two hands. Hat is hit-and-run, belt is bunt
and shirt is steal. You may have noticed the signal touched started When Coaching the Bases
with the same letter as the task we want the player to perform. For
During the games assist
example, belt is to bunt.
runners with their decision
You can also use verbal signal. Select a word that you wouldn’t
say accidentally when cheering you players on. Possibly like the word of whether to advance a
“Dad.” So when you say, “Do it for your Dad,’’ that signifies bunt or base or stay put. When play
whatever task you associate with that word. is stopped remind
Another way to give a signal is to have one body part hot, called baserunners of the number
an indicator. Once the coach touches a body part, the next touch is the
live sign. You would have to establish what the live signs are for your
of outs, to be ready for a
team— possibly the hat, shirt or belt. In this system the player always ball in the dirt, and to
watches for the hot sign. If touched, they know the next sign touched survey the field to see
is the action the player needs to perform. Also establish a wipe-off
where the defense is
sign in case you give the wrong sign and want to erase your last sign.
playing. These reminders
When giving signs, give them slowly and deliberately so the
players can follow. Go over them frequently in practice and review will allow them to use
them before games often. better judgment when they
have to make a decision.

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 Chapter 11: Sliding

SLIDING
Sliding is nothing more than controlled falling. Though it sounds
easy, teaching sliding correctly can be difficult. Learning to slide
properly will not only reduce the risk of injury but will cut down on skin abrasions. Head-
first slides are dangerous and can damage fingers and shoulders. Do not encourage
head-first slides and never slide head first into home plate. Head-first slides should only be
used when a baserunner is avoiding a tag running to first base or when retreating back to a
base. Take at least one day prior to your first game to practicing sliding for 10 to 15 minutes.
Most players enjoy sliding, but you will have one or two that have fear that needs to be
eased with sliding practice.

FUNDAMENTALS AND DRILLS

A. Establishing the lead foot is important. With players sitting on
the ground, put both legs straight out and arms resting on the
ground. (picture 11-1)
B. On the command, slide, have players fold one leg as quickly as
possible under the other leg into a figure-four position. Do not
tell them which leg to fold. Observe to see which leg they tuck 11-1: Starting position
under naturally. It is not necessary to teach players to slide on
both sides at this level. Concentrate on proper technique using
the side that is natural to each player. (picture 11-2)
C. After establishing the tucked leg, add the hands to the equation.
Repeat the verbal command, slide. Players now tuck one leg and
throw both hands into the air at the same time. The position they
are in after the command is the same position to aim for when
practicing. Players should be sliding on their buttocks, not their 11-2: Establishing tuck leg
sides. (picture 11-3)
D. After slide, proceed to the next command, back. Players lean
back, keeping their hands up. As players progress back in their
lean players should tuck their chin forward towards chest. This
will keep them from hitting their head on the ground. The
extended foot is 2 to 3 inches off the ground, staying low enough
to touch the base. (picture 11-4)
E. After players have gone through and understand the 11-3: Hands up
fundamentals A through D, the next step is to perform all the
lessons at once. Set up players in the starting position again. On
verbal command, slide, players tuck a leg and chin, raise hands
and lean back simultaneously.
F. Have all players stand up at an arm’s-distance apart. With their
non-tuck leg, have them take a step forward as they tuck their
other leg – as if sliding standing up. At the same time they raise
their hands, tuck their chin and lean back to simulate a slide. 11-4: Lean back
This will help them to get the feeling of tucking their leg while
moving.

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SIMULATING GAME SLIDE

After completing the figure-four slide fundamentals and the players have a complete understanding of what to
do, it’s time to slide at game speed.
There are three ways to simulate the game slide: on a sliding pad, on wet grass or on big pieces of cardboard.
If using cardboard, get two pieces measuring about 6 feet by 7 feet and place them on top of each other. With
two pieces of cardboard the top piece will slide on the bottom if a bad slide is made. A base is not necessary
to teach the figure-four slide, but if one is available, players can practice touching the base with their extended
leg.
Have players remove their shoes and line them up 45 feet away from the sliding area. One at a time, each
player must run hard without slowing down when they start their slide. They should not jump into the slide; it
should be a controlled fall. Just like in the sit-down drills, players should tuck one leg and raise the other as they
pull their upper body back and raise their arms. The extended leg’s foot should not hit the ground. If the lead
leg is hitting the ground, have the players lean back a little more once their buttocks hit the ground. Have novice
players wear a helmet when first learning to slide. (picture 11-5)

11-5: Figure four slide

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 Chapter 12: Cut-offs and Relays

CUT-OFFS AND RELAYS

Cut-offs and relays are the most important fundamentals your team
will perform. They are utilized every game and can almost always
affect the outcome. Their purpose is to keep the double play in order
and to stop runners from advancing an extra base. When in doubt about multiple runners,
always make sure the lead runner is stopped before trying for a trail runner.

TEACHING CUT-OFFS AND RELAYS

Proper positioning on all the different scenarios takes time to develop and can be overwhelming for younger
players. But players need to have an understanding of where to be on the field in order to play the game correctly.
Regularly expose your players to different situations that arise. Don’t overload players with too much
information at one time. Teach them where to go and how to communicate so they are prepared as a group
when a play develops.
• Be patient and do it dry first. Explain the situation and walk the players through their positioning of that
play.
• Then introduce a ball and cover the same situation without runners and watch for proper alignments and
spacing of players.
• Lastly, add a base runner or two and play it live.
• Remember to have a runner start at home plate when doing live cut-off situations. This is the batter/runner
that is often forgotten by the defense in a multiple-runner scenario.
• Over a few practices, slowly build on the different cut-offs and relay situations.
• Review the old situation briefly and then add a new one.
• The more players are exposed to these situations, the better they will become in handling them.
In any given play, every player has a place to be. Remind players never to get caught spectating and to cover
their responsibility when a ball is hit. Make sure all bases are covered and all potential plays are being backed
up. Watch for proper spacing between the outfielder, relay man and the player who represents the cut-off man.

Important Points for Outfielders

• The outfielders need to communicate with each other where the ball should be thrown.
• The throws should be good, low hard throws so they can be handled by the relay men or cut-off men.
• Outfielders should throw to hit the lead relay man, not the trailer. The throw should be chest high.

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The Relay Man SMALL DIAMOND (see diagrams on pages 134-141)

The relay man needs to make his presence known to the When teaching cut-offs and relays on the small diamonds (fields with 60-foot base paths) there are a few things
outfielder by giving a visual target with his hands up, and to look out for. Because the typical fence is set at 225 feet, the relay man should only go out a few feet onto the
yell for the ball, Ball, ball. As the throw is made, the relay outfield grass on balls in front of the outfielder. That is about 15-20 feet from the base. Too often the relay man
man attempts to gain momentum to the base he is throwing gets way too close to the outfielder. On routine balls to the outfield, have the relay man leave a throwing lane
and rides the throw for a quicker release. for the outfielder to throw the ball all the way to the bag. Too often we see the outfielder throw the ball to the
(pictures 12-1 & 12-2) relay man even though he is only 20 or so feet away. It takes time to relay the ball, which allows the runner a
Important Points for Infielders better chance to advance. Get your players used to throwing the ball all the way to the base when they are close
enough.
• Get in position early and get hands up to be visible
for the outfielder. 12-1: Hand up for target
On balls past the outfielder, the relay man will go out further depending on how deep the ball is and should
12-2: Ride the throw
• Let the outfielder make the long throw and be aware let the outfielder make the longer throw.
if the outfielder is throwing from a dead-stopped position or with some momentum from the play. Plays develop fast on the small field, so keep it simple by having the pitcher and shortstop due most of the
• Be ready to move to adjust to the throw. Do not jump for throws. Get the long hop, if necessary, to keep relaying. This is the best approach and, besides, they are usually your two best athletes on the field. It is best
momentum going toward the play. to have the ball in their hands when possible. On almost all plays to third base, the shortstop is the relay man.
With regards to plays at home, the pitcher is always the cut-off.
Cut-off Man
• Cut-off men on a good throw, fake a cut to stop batter/runner.
• Cut-off men should adjust their depth to the arm strength of the outfielder or relay man and position
themselves deep in the infield when the arm allows.
• The last point is key. Positioning deep when possible will freeze the batter/runner longer and allow you
more time to read the play to make a decision about whether to cut the ball, go for the batter/runner or
let it go.
• If it’s a weak throw or off line, go get the ball.

COMMUNICATION OF VERBAL COMMANDS

The player covering the base where the throw is headed communicates to the cut-off man. His decision right
or wrong should be emphatic. If the throw is on the money and doesn’t need to be cut, the player yells go, go,
go loud three times. If the ball needs to be redirected, the call is three, two, one or home—wherever the ball
needs to be thrown. When calling out a redirection, it should be said at least three times as well. For example
three, three, three, would be the call on a ball being relayed to third base. If there is no play and you want the
ball cut and held, then say, cut, cut, cut. The key is to get the players talking and learning to make a decision.
Below are the verbal calls in a cut-off situation for big or small diamond.

Terminology
1. Go, Go, Go! Let the ball go.
2. Cut, Cut, Cut! No play, cut and hold the ball.
3. One! Two! Three! or Home! Cut and throw to base called.

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 Chapter 13: Pop Fly Responsibility

POP FLY RESPONSIBILITY

PRIORITIES FOR THE DIAGRAM

1. Out fielders have priority over the infielders.
2. The center fielder has priority over the left and right fielders.
3. Infielders have priority over the catcher and the pitcher.
4. Second baseman has priority over the first baseman.
5. Shortstop has priority over the third baseman and second baseman.
6. Second baseman can be given priority over the short stop if he is better at taking charge and catching pop-ups.

FUNDAMENTALS AND PRINCIPLES

1. When a pop fly goes up in the infield, all infielders should expect to make the catch until one player takes
charge by calling for the ball loudly two times: “I’ve got it, I’ve got it!” Or: “Ball, Ball” can also be used
for the younger players.
2. An infielder should take charge when the ball is in his area and not look for someone else to make the
catch. Want the ball.
3. If the pop-up is really high on a windy day, the infielder should not call for the ball to soon. Wait until the
ball starts to descend before calling for the ball.
4. If the sun is in line with the pop-up, use the glove to shade the sun.

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5. Once a player with priority calls for the ball, the other players
should give way to him.
6. When an infielder determines he will not catch a pop-up, he Expert Advice on
should retreat to cover his base. Infielders Going for Pop-ups
7. Catchers should go for all pop-ups in their area until called off.
On pop-ups between the
8. The shortstop and second baseman should take charge on pop-
ups that are behind third base and first base, respectively. outfielders and infielders,
9. On short pop-ups near the mound area which no other player can the infielders should not
get to, the pitcher should call for and catch the ball. drift with the ball.
10. On pop-ups near the mound area where two players can reach the They should attempt to get
ball, designate the best fielder to have priority on that play. For behind the pop-up
example, the shortstop has priority on balls over the mound.
as quickly as possible
11. On pop-ups between the outfielders and infielders, the infielders
so they will not have to
should not drift with the ball. They should attempt to get behind
the pop-up as quickly as possible so they will not have to backpedal to
backpedal to make the catch. If an outfielder can make the catch make the catch.
easily, he should always call off the infielder if he is backpeddling.
12. All players should stay in a good athletic position and be
ready to move their feet when camped underneath a pop-up.

Joe Millette on Catching Pop-ups:

“The most important point about being good at catching pop-ups is,
you have to want to catch the ball!
Teach your players to take charge in their area and expect and want the ball.”

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 Chapter 14: Practice Planning

PRACTICE PLANNING
Youth league coaches face numerous considerations in planning a team
practice. How many players will show up? How many coaches or parents will
be there to help? Is there a field available to use? What baseball skills should
be covered? The list goes on and on.
A coach will not always have all the answers. But players feed off a coach’s organization
and preparation for practice. If the coach is prepared, players will perform better, enjoy
practice and, most importantly, want to come back again because the routine was fun and
energetic. If the goal is to provide a positive youth-league experience, it will be much easier
achieved with preparation and a practice plan.

KEY ITEMS TO REVIEW FOR AN EFFICIENT, PRODUCTIVE AND MOTIVATING PRACTICE.

1. Where Should the Practice Be?
Often, baseball diamonds are not available for practice. If there is
an available diamond, great. But even if there isn’t, productive Expert Advice on
practices are possible if they are planned correctly. Below is a list
of some possible practice locations and some suggestions on what
Where to Practice
can be accomplished. Often, baseball diamonds
• An Open Field are not available for
Whether it’s a soccer field or any level, open field, a lot can be
accomplished. Throwing drills, outfield drills and games will practice. If there is an
not be affected. Infield drills and games can be done on the available diamond, great.
grass. All hitting (live batting, soft toss and tee work) can be But even if there isn’t,
done with whiffle balls. With throw-down bases, base-
running drills and team situations like cutoffs, relays and
productive practices are
rundowns can be worked on. There aren’t many drills that can’t possible if they are
be done. Other than a baseball diamond, an open field is the planned correctly.
best place to hold a team practice.
• Blacktop
This is a common place to practice when it has been raining and grass is slick and wet. It is a must that
all players bring their tennis shoes to practice. This is an adequate place to work on throwing, controlled
fielding of ground balls and hitting drills. It’s actually a great place to work on bunting drills. Go through
a controlled infield and outfield practice, simulating proper positioning with cutoffs and relays. We
recommend staying away from any game-speed activity where running and fielding are involved. Falling
on the blacktop can be dangerous.
• Batting Cages
Batting cages cost some money, but most have group rates for teams. Check with the local batting cages
beforehand to find out the cost and how many players can be hitting at one time to figure out how long
it will take for every player to get his swings. This is a valid option on rainy days or when hitting is the
main goal.

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2. How Many Players Are Going to Show Up? 8. Set Time Aside Before or After Practice to Work with
This helps plan the practice, determines where the practice can be and how much help will be needed to
run practice effectively. Estimate a best-case scenario and a worst-case scenario so that no matter how many
Individuals on Position-Specific Work.
Having 1 to 4 individuals arrive before or stay after practice
Expert Advice on
players show up, the practice is still efficient. allows coaches to give personal attention and help players with Working with Individuals
their needs. Give all players a chance to get one-on-one time
3. How Many Teaching Coaches Will Be At Practice, and How Many Parents Are Willing to Help?
throughout the year. It helps get to know the players better and Allow assistant coaches
Once establishing the number of coaches, determine how to effectively break up the practice into smaller
will do wonders for the coach-to-player relationship. some time during practice
groups. Smaller groups are the most efficient way to keep players active and get them more repetitions. Even
if parents have never coached baseball and may not be comfortable enough to run a drill, encourage them to To help develop your pitchers, catchers, and infielders it will be to work with individuals.
help if the alternative is running practice alone. At the very least, they can provide more repetitions by hitting, imperative to spend one-on-one time with them working on plays We realize there is never
rolling or throwing balls in drills. and skills that are needed to have success at the position,
especially since it is so difficult to work on specific positions enough time in the day to
4. Always Be Prepared to Run Practice Alone. during a team practice. do it all. But we truly
If there is no one to help, plan a practice that can be effective with Allow assistant coaches some time during practice to work with believe some of the best
just one person in charge. Here are some examples: Cover drills Expert Advice on individuals. We realize there is never enough time in the day to do coaching is done in smaller
that involve the whole team, like throwing (cutoffs and relays)
partner ground balls or baserunning. Dry hitting drills also keep Being Prepared to it all. But we truly believe some of the best coaching is done in
smaller groups and one-on-one.
groups and one-on-one.
everyone involved, as do infield and outfield practice or defensive
bunt situations. It’s important to keep the players active as a group
Run Practice Alone 9. Make an Effort to Keep Practice Fun and Moving at a Productive Pace.
so there is a minimal amount of time spent sitting and waiting. This It’s important to keep the Players want to be active and enjoy practice. They are at an age where trying to get better should not feel
is not an ideal situation, but practice can still be effective if the players active as a group so like work. Not all activities will be fun. There will be some things that have to be covered which will involve
coach is prepared and chooses the right drills to cover. some standing around and patience. Be aware of that fact, and attempt to keep other areas of practice
there is a minimal amount enjoyable and moving at a productive pace. Make drills short so players won’t lose interest. Implement
5. What Needs to be Addressed in Practice? of time spent sitting and competitive drills into practice. Friendly games between teammates adds excitement and motivates players
There are two thoughts to keep in mind when preparing a practice. to perform.
They are team and individual players needs. Evaluate your team waiting. Being alone is not
and individual players from past games and practices. Know what an ideal situation, but 10. Develop a Routine at Practice That Incorporates the Basic Skills Needed to Have Success at
area of the game the team needs work on and incorporate those practice can still be Baseball.
situations into practice. But also be aware of what adjustments Utilize the drills and games that seem to work best for the team on a regular basis. Don’t feel like all the
individual players need to make to improve their game.
effective if the coach is drills in the book are necessary for all players. Find a sound routine for every facet of the game and put it
prepared and chooses the to use. Add or delete certain drills on occasion for specific skills or just for fun. But stick with what works.
6. Prepare a Practice Plan to Use as a Guide. The players will understand the drill and the expectations when performing it.
Before practice, write down what areas of the game are going to
right drills to use.
be covered and the drills to cover them. Determine how long to 11. Take Time to Recreate and Practice Game Situations.
spend on each drill, and keep track of how long it actually took to get the benefits out of the drill. Having Before games start and throughout the season, simulate game situations during practice. Individual skills
this information will help plan the next practice. will naturally be in every practice whether planned or not, but the more experience and knowledge players
Be prepared to utilize some extra drills if the practice you have planned moves quicker than you expected. have at handling different situations when they arise will determine the team’s success.
Prioritize what areas are most important to work on that particular day and do not leave them to the very At first, players will have a difficult time with decision making on the field because they have very little
end. Remember, this is only a guide, and often a plan may take longer than expected. experience. But players will be much more comfortable and prepared for game situations they have worked
on in practice.
7. Utilize Controlled Reaction Drills.
Here are some game situations that should be covered: Cut off and relay positioning, what to do with runners
Time and space are always an important factor when developing a player’s skills at practice. Controlled
on first and third during a steal attempt, how to defend the bunt with runners on first and second, and
reaction drills take up less space than practicing skills at game speed. Numerous drills can be done at the
different baserunning situations.
same time during practice, because there is more space to practice them. Most importantly, players will be
more active at practice, get in more repetitions and will often be in better fundamental positions than game Baserunning illustrates this point well. Some players get on base very few times throughout a season. When
speed. (Refer to Chapter 1, “Coaching Philosophy” for more on controlled reaction drills.) they do reach base in a game, they need to have the experience from practice on how to be a good
baserunner.

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12. Before Your First Game, Have a Couple of Intrasquad Games.

This is very important for several reasons. Pitchers need experience throwing to live hitters. Conversely,
hitters need the same experience of facing live pitching. This gives everyone the opportunity to experience
Practice Plans
a game atmosphere. Coaches can use this to evaluate what needs to be worked on and which players are Here are some examples of different practice plans. Obviously, drills and simulated game
confused and need guidance. situations should be planned out according to time of season and the players’ skill
The beauty of a scrimmage is that the coach can stop the game and instruct to show players correct positioning development.
when they are confused. Intrasquad games will prepare a team as much as possible for the first real game. Our goal is to give you a core practice plan in length
and structure that would be appropriate for the different
13. Where Should Players Play? Should They Play Multiple Positions?
Most players have a desire to play a specific position. Try to age groups. We are also guiding you on what areas need
to be covered fundamentally throughout the year.
Expert Advice on
accommodate or at least expose the player in practice to the position
they prefer. This will not always be possible. Safety must be given Expert Advice on Remember pre-season practices will be different from a Coaches Persona
consideration when determining a player’s position. Coaches mid- to late-season practices. Refer to the coaching Players feed off a coach’s
should attempt to place players in positions where they can have Playing Multiple Positions philosophy chapter for more clarification. Most
energy level and
success. importantly, write practice plans based on how the team
Attempt to place players is developing. organization. Come
Your league may have requirements on players playing different
positions. Players benefit if they can learn more than one position. in positions where prepared and exude
Each practice can last 60 to 120 minutes depending on
Having said that, don’t move players around too often because they can have success. age and skill level. Keep in mind that having a solid positive energy to get the
they will get confused and won’t be able to grasp the responsibilities Don’t move young players throwing and receiving routine is important for any youth most out of your players.
that go along with each position. This is not putting the player in
around too often because league team. The game of baseball is an exaggerated
a position to have success. Don’t expect the average player
they will get confused and game of catch.
to successfully play more than three positions.
won’t be able to grasp the Throughout the season, your core practices should cover the following areas: Throwing
14. Take Time to Bring the Team Together to Formally Begin and
responsibilities that go and receiving skills, catching ground balls and fly balls, pitchers and catchers practice,
End Practice.
hitting and base running. Continue to work in game situations, so that players understand
This is a good time to talk with players and connect with the team. along that position. where to go and how to handle the games.
Utilize this time to go over any points you want to make from the
last practice or game. Be positive and try to address something Sometimes you may want to have specialized practices. Possibilities include offensive
good they have done or are improving on. This improves morale and confidence. Tell them what to expect practice, defensive practice, game-situation practice, pitching practice, scrimmages or 6-on-
in the current practice and what should be accomplished. 6 baseball games. As practices proceed and skills improve it will be important to spend
Also try to end practice in a group. Let players know about the next practice or game. This is another additional time on situations and to incorporate more game-like environment into your
opportunity to connect with the team or individuals. Let players know about something positive they did practices. Sharpening the focus of practice will help your team get better in responding to a
or are improving on. given game situation. Remember, you can always go back to the skill teaching and drills for
15. Always Stretch and Warm Up as a Team Before Players Take the Field. those who need them.
Take the time to stretch and warm up before every practice or game. This will help prevent injuries and aid
in ones flexibility. Refer to the stretching and warm-up section for more details.
Ron Wotus on Using your Assistant Coaches:
“Utilize your coaches wisely.
Find out what areas of the game and drills they are comfortable teaching.
Let them be in charge of those areas, and lead those drills when you use them.
The more you coach a particular skill the better you become at teaching it.”

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PRE-SEASON Practice Plan (Ages 7-9)

You will not have a lot of time to cover everything before your first game. At your first practices, cover the basic Read through this practice plan even if this age level doesn't apply to you. This plan spells out a core
skills. Begin with responsibilities of positions, recording outs at first and getting the ball in from the outfield. practice in greater detail.
Start developing your pitchers and catchers so they will be better prepared for the first real game. Before the A. 5 minutes – Stretching Routine
first game, get your players into a preseason scrimmage or two. Scrimmage against another team or, if necessary,
Light jog around the bases
scrimmage among yourselves by using a defense on the field and three extra men as hitters. Rotate fielders in
to hit once the first three hitters get two at-bats each. This game should be played with your pitchers pitching Jumping jacks
in pre-season, but it is also very effective to play during the season with the coach pitching. It is a great Arm circles
opportunity to stop play and correct mistakes on defensive decisions, cutoffs and relays, etc. After each Shoulder stretch
scrimmage, write notes on plays the team was having trouble with and review them at the next practice. Wrist and forearm stretch
Keep things moving. Have your practice set up before you start, even if you have the players wait a few Trunk twists
minutes to set up your stations. This is important. Do not rush or look unprepared. Have everything set up so Toe touches
you can transition through each phase of practice. Make sure all players have their gloves, batting gloves, batting
helmets and bats outside of the dugout, resting against fence. This allows you to keep players moving. Players Reach through
waste a lot of valuable practice time looking for their equipment. If each player took an extra two minutes to Hamstring stretch
get their gear that is 24 minutes of wasted practice time. Quadriceps stretch
The tempo of your practice can make it more enjoyable. Get players jogging from station to station. This Groin stretch
approach helps to develop the proper mindset of what it means to be in athletics. Younger age groups are not Sprint to fence and back
ready for this but for the older age groups, 11-16, it sets a tone for how you want things done. It can be
B. 20 minutes – Throwing Drills (This is the most important part of practice for this age group)
empowering for your players to be accountable for their team’s philosophy on how to practice and play the
1. Grip: Demonstrate and have each player show their grip to you. (This needs to happen every three
game the right way.
practices throughout the year)
2. Dry-Drill Routine for Throwing
PRACTICE PLANNING: AGES 7-9 (75-90 Minute Practices) NON-PITCHING a. Arm-Action Break.
Priority areas for this age group during the year: b. Arm-Action Throw.
1. Throwing and receiving skills. c. Catch, Block, Break, Throw.
2. Ground balls. 3. Coach Catch Drill: Block and Throw Drill
3. Receiving skills above player's head. 4. Coach Catch Reaction Drill
4. Batting. 5. Warm-up Drill: Coaches control the first three minutes to make sure players are blocking their feet and
5. Base running. crow-hopping correctly during the following progressions.
6. Situational baseball play. Primarily infield situations. 6. Have Players Play Catch and Progress to Long Toss
7. First-base receiving skills and tagging technique. a. 30 feet: 2-3 minutes.
Additional areas that need to be covered as the year moves forward: b. 45 feet: 2-3 minutes.
8. Outfield relays on routine singles to outfield. c. 60 feet: 2-3 minutes.
9. Relay technique on transferring the ball. d. 80 feet or to players’ maximum distance. 5 Throws.
10. Base running knowledge on pop-ups and fly balls. e. Move back to a routine game-throwing distance and toss for one minute.
Note: Length of time throwing and throwing distance should vary according to age group and arm
condition of each player. But this is the standard for this age group. First three weeks throwing is
roughly 7 minutes. Once arms are in shape extend throwing program three more minutes.

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7. Throwing and Receiving Games to Play after Long Toss Other Game Situations You Need To Cover During The Season
a. Accuracy Throwing and Receiving Game. 1. How to get the ball in from the outfield.
b. Foot Ball Game. 2. Pop-fly responsibilities.
c. Four-Corner Game. 3. Tagging runners between bases.
d. Game. F. 10 minutes – Team Drill: Base Running
Note: Pick one or two of these games for each practice. 1. Home-to-first drill.
C. 10 minutes – Dry Hitting Drills 2. Making-a-turn drill.
These drills are recommended every other practice. If you see your team struggling then incorporate them 3. Reading fly balls.
every practice until you see improvement Base-running drills should be done at most every practice, even if it’s just 5 minutes covering just one of
D. 30 minutes – Stations above base-running drills. Once players understand technique, they need to continue to get repetition on
(Four players per group with 8-minute rotations. Allow two minutes between stations to get players to next reading balls and making decisions.
stop.) If you only have two coaches, use only two groups with two different stations. You may do two sets Remember to adapt to the situation to the intelligence of the team. If your team understands these skills,
of stations to cover four different skills. Keep the coaches at their teaching station and just rotate the players. then advance to the next lesson. But always make sure they are strong in these three base- running drills by
Group 1: Glove-work drills: First drill — Toss fly balls to themselves. Each player throws ball 10 feet the time they complete their season.
above their head and tries to catch it in the correct fundamental position (see: outfield section). Ball should G. 2 minutes – Bring Players Together for Conclusion of Practice
be caught in front of head with two hands. Second drill: Football Drill or tossing fly balls and throwing to 1. Give next practice time.
a base or coach.
2. Positive feed back on practice.
Group 2: Split-hitting station. One coach throws golf-sized wiffle balls to two players. The other coach
is working with two players hitting off batting tees or soft toss. Switch and rotate players within the group.
Group 3: Ground ball station: Drills: Ready position and triangle drill. Coach rolling ground ball drill and
PRACTICE PLANNING: AGES 8-10 (90-120 Minute Practices) WITH PITCHING
coach Short-Hop Drill. End with Live Fungo Drill.
Priority areas for this age group during the year:
E. 12 minutes – Game Situation: Recording Outs
1. Throwing and receiving skills.
Make two six-person teams. You need two sets of bases or cones. Make two fields away from each other.
Put each six-man team at its own separate field. Put six players at the various infield positions, including 2. Ground balls.
catcher. At the first practice or two you will have to walk players through these situations. We strongly 3. Receiving skills above player's head.
recommended you do this before you start hitting the ball. It might take a little time, but you want players 4. Batting.
to know what to do when this arises in the game. Focus on one position and one play at a time when you 5. Base running and sliding.
explain and walk through. You have to explain and re-create situations for them in order for them to learn
6. Situational baseball play (Infield situations).
and retain the information. Keep instruction clear and simple. Do not complicate things.
7. Situational baseball play (Outfield relay situations).
1. First Situation: No one on base. Recording the out at first base. Perform for all infield positions. One
position and one play at a time. (First two or three practices.) Have players communicate out loud before 8. Proper tagging technique.
each play. For example coach yells out Runner at first and no outs: Where can you make the play? The 9. First-base receiving skills.
team yells back, first or second. 10. Pitching and catching position skills.
2. Second Situation: Man on first base. Force out at second base. Same procedure in terms of walking Additional areas that need to be covered as the year moves forward:
players through situation without hitting the ball right away. This cannot be stressed enough.
11. Base-running knowledge on pop-ups and fly balls.
12. Bunt coverages.
13. Covering bases on steals and throws from the outfield.

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Practice Plan (Ages 8-10) Other Game Situations You Need To Cover During The Season
A. 5 minutes – Stretching Routine. 1. Infield in, play at the plate
B. 20 minutes – Throwing 2. Base hit to outfield, no one on base
Same routine and games as 7 to 9-year-old non-pitching, except add accuracy drill game from throwing 3. Base hit to outfield, runner on first base
routine. 4. Runners at second base ball hit to the infield
C. 7 minutes – Dry Hitting Drills
H. 15 minutes – Catchers Practice and Sliding Practice: Catchers are off to the side with catching coach
These drills are recommended every other practice. If you see your team struggling, incorporate them into working on stance and receiving pitches. Also working on footwork for throwing to bases or for fielding
every practice until you see improvement. bunts. All others are with coach practicing sliding.
D. 33 minutes – Stations (Four players per group, 10 minute at stations and 1 minute to move to each station.) I. 2 minutes – Bring Players Together for Conclusion of Practice
If you have only two coaches at practice, split into two six man groups, with one coach working infield and
one coach working outfield for 8 minutes. After the groups switch and cover both areas, do hitting all
together. Perform dry drills as a group for 5 minutes. Then split into two groups again and work a soft-toss
PRACTICE PLANNING: AGES 9-12 (90-120 Minute Practices)
station and a tee or live-hitting station for 6 minutes each.
Priority areas for this age group during the year:
Group 1: Hitting tees/Soft toss: One coach soft tossing with two players and two players hitting off tee
with wiffle balls or hard balls. Each player hits 20 balls off the tee and 20 balls from soft toss. 1. Throwing and receiving skills with a quicker glove-to-hand transfer.
Group 2: Drop step and communication: Drop-Step Drills 5 minutes, Communication Drill for the 2. Ground balls.
remainder of time. After catching balls during the drills, make a strong throw to a base. 3. Batting.
Group 3: Ground balls and tags: Coach rolling Ground Balls Drills, Cross-Over Step Drill and Live 4. Judging fly balls.
Fungo Drill. 5. Base running when ball is put in play in various situations.
E. 15 minutes – Pitching Practice and Ground Balls 6. Situational baseball play: Extensive cut-offs and relays, balls in alleys and down the lines.
Bullpens: Each pitcher throws for 5 minutes. Three pitchers at a time and the others catch for them with Runners on first base and first and second base.
mask on. Also, utilize your catchers here in full gear to get them familiar with their equipment. After 5 7. Covering bases and making tags.
minutes switch players and have the other three pitchers complete their bullpens. Throwing bullpens must 8. Pitching and catching.
happen once a week. Never the day before a game.
9. Offensive plays: Sacrifice and base-hit bunting.
Ground Balls: While the six pitchers are participating in pitching practice, the other six players are fielding
10. Covering bases on steals and throws from the outfield.
ground balls from their positions in the infield and throwing to first base. Or do any other of your favorite
drills or games, such as the triangle-rotation drill. Additional areas that need to be covered as the year moves forward:
F. 10 minutes – Game Situations: Recording Outs 11. Bunt coverages.
These two fundamental skills need to be covered once a week. Use base runners in the drill. You can 12. Understanding throwing lanes in rundowns and on plays in general.
substitute situational baseball play the other day you have practice. 13. Understand first-and-third stealing situation, defensively and offensively.
1. Man on first base: Getting the force out at second base
2. Man on second base: Hitting ground balls to various infield positions with players recording the out Practice Plan (Ages 9-12)
G. 10 minutes – Game Situations: Base Running A. 5 minutes –Stretching Routine
Cover what to do in the following situations based on how many outs there are. Set up an infield and have B. 20 minutes – Throwing
the rest of players as runners at second base. Coach hits ground balls and runners play the situations live. 1. Review Throwing Dry Drills and perform Coach Catch Drill
When players react incorrectly, explain the play and have player repeat the situation. (Once these drills are performed well and not needed routinely, start your throwing practice with the
1. Runner at second, ball hit to left side of infield. Warm Up Drill progress into Long Toss).
2. Runner at second, ball hit to right side of infield. 2. Warm-up drill.
3. Runner at second, ball hit to all outfield positions. 3. Long toss.
4. Move back to routine game distance and throw for one minute.
5. Quick toss drill.
6. Quick toss speed game.

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Throwing Games to Play after Long Toss

PRACTICE PLANNING: AGES 10-12 (90-120 Minute Practices)
a. Accuracy game.
Priority areas for this age group during the year:
b. Relay-drill game (this game is described in the infield section).
1. Throwing and receiving skills with a quicker glove-to-hand transfer.
c. Reverse four-corner speed game.
2. Ground balls and introducing how to turn a double play.
C. 5 minutes – Dry Hitting Drills 3. Batting drills.
D. 45 minutes – Stations (Four players per group, 12 minutes per station with 2 minutes to rotate between 4. Judging fly balls to side and directly at the player.
stations). 5. Base running when ball is put in play in various situations.
Group 1: Coach rolling balls or partner-roll drills. All types, regular, short hop, backhand and forehand. 6. Situational baseball play. Cutoffs when runners are on first base and first and second base.
Crossover-Step Drill and Live Fungo Drill (throwing to first base, second base and home)
7. Outfield relay on balls hit the in alleys and down the lines.
Group 2: Hitting in batting cages. If you have a fourth coach, he can run the soft-toss station and make
8. Covering bases and making tags.
this a split group.
9. Pitching and catching.
Group 3: Start with the drop-step drill then progress to hitting fly balls and line drives at players. Have
one player act as second baseman catching throws from outfielders. Rotate players at second base. Hit balls 10. Pitchers fielding practice (PFP).
from 100 feet away and work balls slightly over their heads. Watch for proper drop step. 11. Infield and outfield pop-fly responsibility.
E. 25 minutes – Game Situations Additional areas that need to be covered as the year moves forward:
1. Put players at each infield position. Leave the remaining players in to be base runners. Vary runners at 12. Bunt coverage.
different bases for different situations. There is always a runner at home running to first base. Coach 13. Covering bases on steals and throws from the outfield.
hits balls to various infield positions. Rotate runners with defense after 15 minutes. 14. Rundowns and understanding throwing lanes in rundowns and on plays in general.
2. Load bases with runners. Hit balls to each infield position, making an out at home plate or possibly a 15. Understand first-and-third stealing situation. Both offensively and defensively.
double play by throwing home and then to first base. Make sure you bunt balls to the catcher and pitcher
so they stay involved. Practice Plan (Ages 10-12)
3. Substitute these other team-drill situations A. 5 minutes – Stretching Routine
a. Man on second base, base hit to outfielder, play at home.
B. 18 minutes – Throwing
b. Man on first base, base hit to outfielder. 1. Follow same routine as age 9-12 practice; add four-corner game in a different direction.
c. Introduce rundowns. C. 2 minutes – Infield Drills
d. First-and-third defense. 1. Partner ground balls with a throw back. After 1 minute, switch and other partner tosses ground balls
e. Bunt defense. from 40 or so feet away. Player catches and throws ball back.
f. Defensive passed ball drill with pitcher covering home plate. D. 33 minutes – Stations (10 minutes each group with 1 minute between to rotate groups)
g. Pitchers fielding practice (PFP). Group 1: Outfield: Drop-Step Drill and Foot Ball Drill. Then hit or throw different fly balls when
F. 5 minute – Team Drill: Sliding performing the Communication drill.
Group 2: Partner rolls, short hops, backhand and forehand drills, 1 minute each. Then hit ground
G. 15 minutes – Pitching Practice and Ground Balls
balls and have players throw balls across diamond. Turn double plays for the last two minutes.
Each pitcher throws for 6 minutes. Three pitch at a time and the others catch for them with a mask on.
Group 3: Base running: Explain rules for tagging up from second base and third base on all types of fly
After 6 minutes switch players and have the other three pitchers complete their bullpens. While the six
balls. Then re-create groundball and fly-ball situations for the runners to execute from those bases. End
pitchers are participating in pitching practice, the other six players are fielding ground balls from their
station with the Ball-In-The-Dirt Drill.
positions in the infield and throwing to first base.
E. 12 minutes – Pitching Practice
Throwing bullpens must happen once a week, never the day before a game.
Each player throws a 5-minute bullpen. Utilize your catchers with their gear on. Players who are not a catcher
pair up and one acts as a catcher. The receiving player semi-squats down with a mask on as his partner
executes his pitches. Pitchers work on throwing to a specific location for roughly 1-minute intervals. Example
would be: outside fastball (first minute), inside fastball (second minute) and change-up (third minute).
Players not involved with pitching or catching perform the Triangle-Rotation Drill with another coach.

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F. 34 minutes – Batting practice (three groups of four players)

10 minutes each group with 1 minute allotted for rotating. Remember to tell players to get helmets, bats and Specialized Practices
batting gloves out of bags and in front of dugout so transition in between groups is smooth. These next series of practice plans are subject-specific. They are built for you to narrow the
Group 1: Soft toss. Also, have two tees set up for players waiting their turn to soft toss. focus of practice when you want to work on specific skills or when the facility for practice
limits what you can accomplish. These practices are different from your core practice and
Group 2: Bunting. Practicing both sacrifice and bunting for a base hit.
sometimes a change in the routine will help spark the interest of your players. One thing we
Group 3: Live hitting group on field. Have one player hitting and the rest shagging balls. If you have know from working with teams and coaches is that you need to keep things fun or
another coach, he can hit ground balls between batting practice pitches to a shagger. competitive to keep the attention of players. And at times players like to come to practice
G. 15 minutes – Game Situations: and experience something new and exciting. We feel you can achieve this by changing your
(Cutoffs and relays, first-and-third defense, bunt defense coverage, covering bases on steals and catchers routine periodically.
throwing runners out, performed with live base runners.) Pick one or two situations each practice.
DEFENSIVE AND BASE RUNNING PRACTICE
Other Game Situations You Need To Cover During The Season
This practice is set up for those coaching 9-12 year-olds. If your age group is older or younger, adjust the drills
1. Pitchers fielding practice. and game situations to apply to the correct level. This is just a sample of how to set up a defensive practice.
2. Base-running situations for different scenarios. A. 5 minutes – Stretching Routine
3. Passed Ball Drill with pitchers and catchers.
B. 20 minutes – Throwing
4. Rundowns. 1. Follow same routine, as 9-12 practice except add Relay Game.
5. Other cutoffs and relay situations that occur in games.
C. 20 minutes – Position Specific (utilizing four coaches)
1. By now, the coaches should have a feel for where players can play. If players are at multiple positions,
do not move them from position to position too quickly. If you do, they may not retain their
responsibilities at each position. Try not to do too much too fast. Players have trouble retaining too
much information in a short period of time.
a. Catchers with coach doing catching-routine practice (receiving balls, working on catching ball
correctly and teaching blocking skills).
b. Outfielders with coach doing outfield drill practice (Drop-Step Drill and Foot Ball Drill).
c. Infielders with coach doing infield drills (Triangle-Rotation Drill and Game and Live Fungo Drill).
D. 20 minutes – Infield Situations
Work on infield in with a runner at third. Runner at second no outs, and runner at third base executing play
on a passed ball. Make sure players know what to do when a ball is hit to them. If players have difficulty,
we recommend that you walk through the situations without balls and runners first. Then you can proceed
to hitting the balls and having live runners.
1. Group 1: These players are running.
2. Group 2: These players are at their infield positions. This includes a pitcher and a catcher.
3. After 10 minutes have runners and defenders switch.
E. 10 minutes – Rundowns
Set up an infield defense with a couple of pitchers and have the rest of the players as base runners. Put base
runners at first, second and third and re-create a run down between each base. Start by picking a runner off
first and recreating a rundown between first and second. Then pick a runner off second and third. The
pitcher needs to assist in these rundowns after they pick the runner off. Rotate base runners and defense after
5 minutes.

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F. 15 minutes – Base Running and Sliding WHEN COACHING ALONE

1. Work on secondary leads from all bases. This is a situation a coach can find himself in more than once. It is important you are always prepared if your
2. Progress to Ball-in-Dirt Drill. assistant coaches do not show up. Below are drills for an effective practice even if you are alone. It contains
3. Put runners at second base and call out number of outs. Hit ground balls and fly balls as runners read drills that can keep all players active. This is just an example of which drills you can use to devise a practice
situations and play them accordingly. plan. When you are alone this is a great time to work on different team drills and game situations, which will
4. Sliding practice. keep all players involved. You can also use this time to scrimmage if you find yourself alone.
A. Stretching Routine
G. Base Running Drills and Games
B. Throwing and Receiving Drills and Games • Home-to-first drill
OFFENSIVE AND BASE RUNNING PRACTICE (60-90 Minute Practice) • Arm-action dry drills • Making a turn
This practice is set up for those coaching 9-12 year olds. If your age group is older or younger, just adjust the • Extension forward and backward drill • Turns reading the play
drills and game situations to apply to the correct level. This is just a sample of how to set up an offensive • Block, break, throw dry drill • Balls in the dirt (catchers can get in work at same
practice. • Warm-up drill time)
• Long toss • Picking up the coach
Practice Plan (Ages 9-12) • Four-corner games • Reading fly balls
A. 5 minutes – Stretching Routine • Four-corner speed game • Reading balls at second base
B. 20 minutes – Throwing C. Infield Drills and Games • All sliding drills
Follow same routine, as 9-12 practice except add relay game. • Partner ground ball drill and game • Relay race game
C. 10 minutes – Pepper • Partner short-hop drill • Stopwatch games
Break into three or four groups and play pepper. • Triangle-rotation drill H. Team Drills and Games
D. 5 minutes – Dry Drills of Hitting and Bunting • Four-base tag drill • Cutoffs and relays
• Relay-drill and game • Infield and outfield practice
E. 34 minutes – Batting practice (three groups of four players)
10 minutes each group with 1 minute for rotations. Remember to tell players to get helmets, bats and batting D. Outfield Drills and Games • First-and-third defensive drills with base runners
gloves out of bags and in front of dugout so transition between groups is smooth. • Drop-step drill • Bunt play fundamentals with base runners
Group 1: Soft Toss. • Football drill and game • Pop-up responsibilities
Group 2: Bunting. Practicing both sacrifice and bunting for a base hit. E. Pitching Drills • Scrimmages
Group 3: Live hitting group on field. One player hitting live, one is hitting off a tee and the rest shagging. • All pitching dry drills • Six on six baseball
Rotate from Shag to Tee to Live. F. Hitting Drills and Games
F. 15 minutes – Situational Hitting and Bunting • All hitting dry drills
Split the team into three even groups. Set up one group in the outfield, one in the infield and one hitting. • Shadow swinging drill
Each group hits and runs the bases for 4 1/2 minutes. Then rotate the groups. Outfields go to infield, infield • Pepper
to hitting and hitting to outfield. The coach is throwing batting practice and calls out different situations for • Situation hitting game
the batter to perform. Or play the situational hitting game, line drive game or contact game with your hitters. (Put players in field to play balls live off the bat)
This is also an opportunity to have a coach at third base giving offensive signs to the hitters for practice. • Coaches batting practice
(Put players in field to play balls live off the bat)

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T-Ball (5-6 years Old) Joe Millette on T-ball Practice

“Recruit as much help as you can get.
This level obviously stands alone and is a real challenge when it comes to finding out what players are ready Even without an understanding of baseball,
for and how to help them with the game. At these ages it is about the activity and introducing players to the parents can be extremely helpful to you at your practice.
game. You want practices and games to be a fun experience. This level is mostly about keeping their attention The smaller the working groups the easier the players will be to manage.”
with some activities of throwing, hitting, fielding and running. Without overdoing it or placing expectations,
you can help most of these kids with some very basic body position alignments.
Here are a few thoughts to keep in mind as you prepare to help the players in this age group. First of all,
D. 10 minutes - Coach Catch: Catch, Square up, Break-and-Throw Drill. Then proceed to The Reaction
the more parental participation you can get the better. This allows for smaller working groups, which equates
Drill.
to fewer chances for the player to lose interest. Keep all drills short, use your imagination to keep players
engaged and utilize different activities often. Play games when performing drills to help maintain their interest E. 2 minutes - Partner Catch.
and establish some fun routines in the core areas of the game. F. 2 minutes - Play the Accuracy Game.
During the games, be organized and have coaches assigned to different duties, such as one coach controlling G. 30 minutes – Stations (Four players per group with 8 minute rotations and two minutes between
the dugout and another the batting order. Even the task of players putting the catcher’s gear on will need some stations to get players to next station)
assistance. Pick up some squares of carpet and put each player’s name on them. Then set the squares down on Group 1: Infield Drills: Ready position and Triangle Drill. Coach rolls ground ball and Crossover Drill.
the bench as the batting order and a place for players to put their equipment when they come in the dugout. This Have players throw to first once they catch the ball on the Crossover Drill.
will help eliminate the confusion of the batting order and help locate someone’s hat or glove.
Group 2: Tee Hitting: Set up a tee or two (if you have enough coaches) and hit off the batting tee.
Be patient and don’t over coach the players. Let them be kids and enjoy the experience. Lastly, be energetic,
Group 3: Game Situations: Set up an infield defense and practice getting the force out at first base and
positive, patient and enjoy the kids.
second base.

Other Game Situations You Need To Cover During The Season

PRACTICE PLANNING: AGES 5-6 (75 Minute Practice) 1. Tagging runners out between bases.
Priority areas for this age group during the year: 2. Getting the ball in from the outfield.
1. Throwing skills 3. Base running with multiple runners.
2. Receiving ball below and above the waist 4. Pop fly base running rules.
3. Ground balls H. 8 minutes – Base Running
4. Hitting Practice swinging a bat, then setting it down, running through first base and turning to the right. Have some
5. Base running fun by timing the runners to see how fast they can run.
6. How to get a force out I. 2 minutes – Review practice and let parent know what drills they can do at home with their kids.
7. How to get the ball in from the outfield
Additional areas that need to be covered as the year moves forward:
8. How to tag a runner between bases
9. Base running rules when the ball is hit in the air
10. Catching pop flies

Practice Plan (Ages 5-6)

A. 5 minutes – Stretching Routine
B. 5 minutes – Receiving and Throwing Dry Drills
C. 10 minutes – Receiving Drills with Coach
Break into as many groups as there are coaches and do High-Low Receiving Drill and Clock Drill.

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 Chapter 15: Game Coaching

GAME COACHING
The game is a time when players’ minds
should be clear to focus on the competition.
During the game, do not fill their thoughts Expert Advice on
with too many fundamentals that will cloud
their concentration. Allow the players a chance to
Game Coaching
compete confidently. Let them know you believe they can The game is a time when
succeed, encourage them, and be there for them when players’ minds should be
their failures occur. clear to focus on
Attempt to keep all players focused on the game, the competition.
especially the ones who aren’t in the game at the time. A
During the game,
lot can be learned by watching from the bench. Give
substitutes small responsibilities to help keep their do not fill their thoughts
focus on the game until it is their turn to play. For with too many
example, have one player in charge of tossing the first fundamentals that will
baseman and outfielder a ball as they come off the field. cloud their concentration.
Also, create a competition to see who can pick up a
Allow the players a chance
tendency of the pitcher or who can pick up the other
teams signs. to compete confidently.
It is a coach’s responsibility to create an atmosphere
that is positive and enjoyable. Encourage players to be supportive of each other by
congratulating teammates when they perform well, hustle or give good efforts. Attitude and
morale can be improved by giving every player an opportunity to contribute to the team.
Know the league’s substitution rules and find ways to put players into situations where
they can succeed whenever possible. Remember, parents come to watch their children
participate, not to watch you coach or manage.
Treat umpires, the opposing team and the game with respect. Your actions and comments
are being watched and heard by your players, parents and fans.
Make notes during the game on areas where individuals and the team need to improve.
Address these notes at the next practice.

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Pre-Game Routine
How well the team plays depends largely on how well the team is prepared, each player’s athletic ability and
some luck. Preparation definitely outweighs luck. Prior to every game, prepare the team physically and mentally
for the competition. Have players arrive at least 1 hour before the game in Majors and AAA (10-12), at least
40 minutes before game for AA, A and Farm (7-10) for a solid pre-game routine. Having players warmed up
properly will insure optimum performance early in the game and help prevent injury.
Perform game-specific drills during your pre-game routine. The following routine covers basic skills
required during the game. On hot days cut back a little and use common sense. Make sure players get plenty
of fluids, such as water, before, during and after games.

40-Minute Pre Game Routine

1. Jog and stretch: 8 minutes
2 Three wind sprints. 1 minute
3. Play catch and long toss as a team, concentrating on blocking to throw, then crow-hopping to throw
as the distance increases: 8 minutes
4. Divide team into three groups, 8-minute rotations.
a. Group 1: Partner ground balls, 10 each player. Coach hits balls to players after they have finished
partner ground ball drill.
b. Group 2: Soft toss into net or short toss with wiffle balls if no net is available. Live batting practice in
cages if available.
c. Group 3: Fly balls thrown or hit by a coach with players throwing to the cut-off man or an extra coach
5. Starting pitcher does not have to do all stations. Let the pitcher hit and then sit down to conserve
energy. Starter goes through pitching routine 10-12 minutes before start of game.
6. Take infield and outfield practice if available and time permits.

COACHES CHECK LIST BEFORE GAMES

• Be organized. Have your line up already done and in your coaches bag so you can read it to the team when
you have your meeting before you start your pre game routine.
• Have your line-up card completed for umpire and opponent.
• Have your clipboard mapped out with substitutions you are going to make during the game.
• Have pitch count clicker ready for an assistant coach.
• Score book ready for scorekeeper with line up completed.
• Tell your non-starters their role for the game and when you intend to use them if possible.
• Assign a non-starter to warm up the left or right fielder in between innings depending on what dugout
you are using.
• Give assistant coaches their roles during the game. Keep these roles consistent from week to week so your
coaching staff has continuity.

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 Chapter 16: Warming Up

PROPER WARM-UP
Establishing a warm-up and stretching routine is important at all
levels of the game. Prior to every practice and game, time should be
allotted to properly warm up and stretch the body. First, it sets the tone by bringing the
team together and preparing as a unit for the given practice or game. It also gives different
players a chance to lead the team. Perhaps a player who doesn’t get much recognition
would be a good choice to lead. Most importantly, it gets each player physically ready to
play the game.
Even before stretching, it is important to warm up. This may be done with a light jog,
jumping jacks or some light baserunning drills. Once the body is warm, have the team line
up or form a circle and have them stretch. Have between one and three players lead the
stretch, or have one player responsible for each stretch and go around the circle with a
different leader for each stretch. A stretch should be held for 5 to 10 seconds and should be
a steady stretch with no bouncing action. The stretches listed below are priority stretches
and should be done at every team get together. These are a minimum. Feel free to add more
stretching to the program. It’s also wise to perform a light stretch after a strenuous practice
or game to enhance muscle recovery.

UPPER-BODY STRETCHES:

Arm circles (big and small) Shoulder stretch Triceps stretch

Wrist and forearm stretch Trunk twist

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LOWER-BODY STRETCHES: AGILITY DRILLS:

Note: Lower-body stretches are all shown in standing position. They may all be performed on the ground as After the stretching program is complete, it’s also wise to run the team through some different agilities. Line
well. up in a few lines and have one player from each group perform an agility the coach calls out. Perform the agility
drills at a distance of 30 to 90 feet depending upon the level of play. The following are different agility drills
that can be performed: High knees, butt-kickers, backpedal (running backwards), karaoke shuffles, form jogging
and sprints.

Toe touches Reach through Hamstring stretch

Butt-kickers High knee

Quadriceps stretch High hamstring stretch Side groin stretch

Groin stretch

Karaoke Back peddle

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 Drills & Instruction for Coaching Youth Baseball Chapter 16: Warming Up

Jump Rope Pepper

Jumping rope is an excellent activity for players at any age and level but is ideal for youths. It Pepper is a fun and effective drill for enhancing bat control, fielding and throwing skills. It
helps develop coordination, agility and foot speed. Foot speed is an attribute that all can be played with as few as 2 players or as many as 6. We recommend playing in groups of
position players should have. The program below is not geared for conditioning but is 3 for ages 13-16 or advanced players and groups of 6 for ages 10-12 or beginners. This is a
designed to develop coordination, agility and foot speed. The routine should be done a challenging drill, and players younger than 10 will have a difficult time performing it. The
minimum of three times per week. The length of the exercise isn’t as important as coach can help in this drill as well. Have the coach hit if the desired result is quality fielding
the consistency. It’s much easier to jump rope on dirt or a hard surface than on grass. Ropes practice. The coach can field if the desired result is hitting and bat control.
are relatively inexpensive and last a long time. Bring a rope to practice and encourage the
players to jump rope at home. HOW IT’S PLAYED
Place one hitter 10 to 15 feet away from the fielders. The fielding players are
FIVE-MINUTE JUMP ROPE PROGRAM side-by-side arm’s length apart and in ready position to field a ground ball. The
• Warm-up: Normal jump with feet together, 15 seconds. hitter is choked up on the bat for control. The drill begins when a fielder throws
• Alternating feet skips: Land on right, land on left, land on right, land on left, etc., 30 seconds. the ball softly to the batter. The hitter, using a half swing for control, hits the ball
• Jumping-jack skips: Two feet together, two feet out, two feet together, two feet out, etc., 30 seconds. back to the fielder. If there are more than two players, the batter should attempt
to hit the ball to each fielding player in succession. Fielders should attempt to get
• Skiing skips: Two feet together jumping from side to side, 15 seconds.
in front of every ball, not just reach for them. The drill continues with each player
• Reverse jumping-jack skips: Feet are splitting forward and backward instead of to the side, 30 seconds.
taking 10 swings. (picture 16-1)
• High-knee jump: Bring knees up as high as possible, 15 seconds
• Butt kicker jump: Kick heels up behind legs as high as possible, 15 seconds. Pepper, The Game
• Repeat high-knee jump, 15 seconds. The game is set up as stated above. The object of the game is for the hitter to stay
Note: Between each different jump pattern, skip rope roughly 10 seconds with the player’s easiest jump. That at bat as long as possible by hitting ground balls under control back to the fielders.
16-1
gives him a chance to catch his breath and prepare for the next jump pattern, which the coach yells during this RULES:
10-second break. Begin each jump pattern at a regular speed and rhythm. Progress in each jump pattern so the
1. If the ball is hit in the air to a fielder, whoever catches the ball becomes the hitter. The batter takes their place
last 5 to 10 seconds of jumping is done as quickly as possible.
in the fielding line farthest to the left. Play continues.
2. Hitters do not have to swing at bad pitches, and there is no penalty to the fielder for a badly thrown ball.
3. If the hitter doesn’t swing at a strike or swings and misses, the fielder who is furthest to the right becomes
the hitter. The previous hitter takes their place in line farthest to the left. Play continues. Note: For players
ages 12 and below allow them 3 swings and misses before they loose their turn at bat.
4. If a ball is not fielded cleanly by a fielder, that player changes position in line with the fielder to their left.
Play continues.
5. Fielders are responsible for fielding balls in their area. The hitter will judge who should have caught the ball
if it goes between two fielders.

Whiffle Ball Pepper

The game is set up and played as stated above. Instead of a real baseball players use a whiffle ball. Players
remove their gloves and work on fielding the ball with their bare hands. It will be difficult to catch the whiffle
ball with one bare hand, and will force players to utilize two hands in the fielding process. This is a productive
game for all ages, and add an element of safety for younger players.

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