Coaches: Practice FUNDAMENTALS

Instructional, Farm, Minors and Majors

PLAYING CATCH

Start with players about 10 feet away from each other. Their throwing knee should be on the ground with their glove side foot on the ground … in other words, one knee on the ground and one knee facing their target.

• Place the ball next to their throwing hand…have them push down a little bit and drag the ball straight back and show the ball to an imaginary friend behind them with their palm facing in a downward position.
• Bring the throwing arm up to an “L” position…Remember to keep the elbow above the throwing shoulder.otherwise the throw may swerve. The throwing arm should finish on the outside of the opposite leg of the throwing arm.

Have the receiver place his throwing hand next to his glove and step to the ball

Shift hands to where is received

For beginners, It’s ok if this is not done

• Always try to throw with “4 Seams”, this will keep the ball going straight rather than veering from side to side.

Try to emphasize catching an egg. Don’t let them slap at the ball, but gently receive it instead.

When playing catch in a standing position always align the feet first

• Start in the “X” position
• Slowly rock back, with shoulders level, show the ball to the imaginary friend, up to the “L” position, elbow above the shoulder, and follow through with the shoulder and front foot pointed DIRECTLY at the target.

FIELDING

Stay OFF the heels of your feet

• Fielders are much more agile on the balls of their feet. This makes it much easier to go from left to right in a quicker fashion.
• Move to the ball calmly with hands out in front. Each elbow should be inside of the respective leg. The hands should be out in front with butts down
• DON’T bend from the waist!! Remember that an egg is rolling and not a ball
• Bring the egg right into the belly
• Prepare to throw by squaring off the back foot and setting the throwing foot and glove shoulder DIRECTLY at the target. The glove arm should be straight ahead in a “LEATHER OVER LEATHER” position…In other words, glove over front foot.
• The follow through should be just like throwing drills\
• ALWAYS remember..the more it is done correctly, the better the will get. The quicker they develop a correct muscle memory, the better they will be.

HITTING

Keep it simple

• Even the big leaguers don’t complicate things too much
• I prefer the 3 keys: eyes, hands and legs
• Watch the ball with BOTH eyes as soon as the pitcher starts his wind up
• If the eyes watch the ball the whole way, the head will not move. This will help in a proper swing.
• Once the pitcher winds up, get ready to hit, some people call this a “load” position. I prefer calling it getting ready. As the pitcher winds up, the hitter should rock back just a little bit, remember, you have to go back to go forward. Consider it a little dance with the pitcher. He makes the first move by winding up, the hitter makes the second move by getting ready.
• Get the hands in a good hitting position, see the ball thrown, take a short stride, keep the front shoulder in(by this I mean don’t YANK it toward the closest base.)
• See it before you hit it
• Hit the ball out in front with good arm extension and FOLLOW through so the bat lands on the back of the opposite shoulder. This is called, finishing “high”.
• By finishing this way, it should ensure that the hips and back foot turn through the baseball during the swing.
• BAT SPEED and LEG DRIVE(hip turn) are what drive the ball off of the bat.