- Baseball is a Game of Movement -
Skill Building Warm-up
Dynamic drills for the team prior to playing catch. Maximize limited practice time. Build skills, starting with the first minute of practice, while warming up players’ bodies.
Most of the drills in this section are applicable to other parts of practice, most specifically as part of 'Three Groups Drills' in the TEAM DRILLS segment of a practice. The unique feature of all these drills is the player's arm does not need to be warm to execute these drills. All throws made in these drills are an underhand toss. Many of the drills do not involve throwing, but focus on footwork and receiving throws.
Players who need to improve a part of their game can have drills in this section suggested to them by their coach and work on them at home with a parent, sibling or friend. Alert all your players and parents of this page of the site.
Many if not all drills found on the Skill Building Warm-up page can be used on days where the weather (or league field scheduler) keeps you from getting on a diamond. These drills can be run on any level patch of grass, on a concrete school yard, in an empty parking lot, in a gym, etc. They are also great activities for getting a club ready to go prior to a game - we can run a pre-game 'practice' before every game.
Table of Contents
MINI DIAMOND
BASE RUNNING
DEFENSIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
FIELDING
GROUND BALLS
FLY BALLS
PITCHERS FIELDING
Third Base Side
First Base Side
RECEIVING A THROW AT A BASE
Additional Drills
Base Running
Fielding Ground Balls
Pitcher Defensive Plays
MINI DIAMOND - Super Tool
One of the most valuable tools a coach can use is the Mini Diamond. Any drill in which the focus of the teaching is something other than working on full on overhand throwing technique can be run on a Mini Diamond. Use of the Mini Diamond is referenced throughout the Coaching Guide.
A Mini Diamond is 20’-25' square, but can be modified larger or smaller depending on the activity. It is constructed using cones, throw down bases, ball caps, extra shirts that are laying around, a leaf, anything. Anytime we compact the teaching/learning environment we reduce distractions, improve communication and the players get many more repetitions during a drill.
Examples of drills that can be run using a Mini Diamond include relays, backing-up and base coverage responsibilities, and first and third defense. Keep in mind that for most activities the throwing and catching aspect is the last skill that needs to be mastered (and we take care of that during 'Playing Catch Practice'). Proper movement, positioning and communication need to be understood and mastered to some extent before be add the throwing aspect to cement the execution of the activity.
The Mini Diamond is also useful for teaching how a drill is supposed to run before going to the full size diamond.
BASE RUNNING
Turns & Touches - Base Running
The drill diagram below illustrates running the drill with the entire team (12 players). When running the drill during the Skill Building warm-up, we have 3-5 players. In the SBW we run the drill with one group using just one base. Which base should we choose. My suggestion is Second Base. The impact on the defense when a runner can go from first to third on a ball hit to the outfield is significant. The result is a First & Third Situation, which is difficult to defend.
The other drills on a given day’s SBW set-up may force us to run this group at first base or third base, which is fine.
Also, given the current needs of the team, practicing this drill at first or third base may be preferable on the day this drill is incorporated into the SBW.
Touch Point on the Base
DEFENSIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
Infield Base Coverage
Backing-Up Bases (P & OF) - Ball Hit to the Infield
Middle Infielders & P Movement - Balls Hit to the Outfield
FIELDING
Ground Balls
Fly Balls
PITCHERS FIELDING
Third Base Side
First Base Side
RECEIVING THROWS AT A BASE
Receiving a Throw at a Base - Positioning and Footwork
Throws to a base at the 12u level (especially with kids ten and under) are off the mark quite often. In order for kids to consistently catch throws at a base, they will need to leave the base a fair amount of the time in order to catch the ball.
Before we can teach kids how to receive a throw at a base we need to understand what is going on in their minds. Young players' exposure to this play is dominated by seeing the game at high-levels and seeing most plays being made at first base.
The result is kids develop two misconceptions about what is involved in receiving a throw at a base:
1. One foot is anchored to the base before their teammate makes a throw.
2. The other foot is extended out towards their teammate making the throw. They think the player at the base is supposed to stand in a 'Stretch' position (even on tag plays).
These invariably lead to kids not being able to adjust to, and catch, off-line throws. The info below address reprogramming our kids perception of what is going on in preparing to take a throw at a base and how to properly prepare to receive a throw at a base.
We do not want players at the 12u level to straddle the base. Given their misconception of what is going on in this situation kids often (subconsciously or consciously) place a higher priority on being at/on the base than on catching the ball. They see the game played at higher levels and come to believe that all thrown balls will be on target at the base. The fact is that in many instances throws are not on target, which requires the player at the base to leave the bag to get to the ball.
The problem is the base serves as a ',magnet' and kids are resistant to moving away from the base ("How am I supposed to get 'em out if I'm not on the base?").
Solution
At this level of play we instruct our players to stand on the side of the base the ball is coming from (if the balls is coming straight to the base in line with the base line they stand on the side of the base that places their glove between them and the base). We teach: "The Base is for the Runner, The Ball is for the Defense"
One they understand where to position their feet they follow this sequence when receiving a throw:
1. "Move Your Feet to Catch"
2. "Ball First, Base Second"
3. After making the play at the base -move feet towards the middle of the infield in a 'Power Position',
prepared to throw and they "Look for Other Runners". (see the diagram below in 'Receiving a Throw -
Tag Play'
Wild Pitch / Passed Ball Communication Drill
It is important to maintain discipline in the kids' actions when running this drill. There is a correct way to position the feet and body in relation to the ball. There is a specific technique in picking up the ball and when it comes to the throwing aspect of the drill and, as with all throws, the feet must be moved properly.
This drill deals with the situation of a runner trying to score from third base on a ball that gets past the catcher. However the actions of the catcher in this drill are the same they would use when a runner is attempting to advance to second base or third base on a wild pitch or passed ball.
When a catcher veers away from using proper technique in picking up the ball and proper footwork throughout the action, remind them that while they are not making the longer throw to the other bases in this drill, the good habits they are reinforcing will enable them to make a strong throw to any point on the diamond following a wild pitch or passed ball.
Additional Drills
Base Running
Fielding - Ground Balls
Pitchers Defensive Plays
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