FIELDING

We tailor our fielding program based on the player’s age, experience, and skill level, in order to meet each player’s needs and desired goals, while enhancing their strengths.

This program includes a variety of fielding fundamentals, fielding exercises, fielding drills, and learning mental toughness; to teach, improve, rebuild, or re-tool the player’s fielding performance. 

Through advanced and innovative instruction and training, let’s educate you on how to become a smooth infielder or a great outfielder, transform your potential, learn the formula to reach peak performance, while training like the professionals.  

I will  help you become an Elite fielder!

Young Athletes:

As part of the Youth Fielding Lessons, I will provide the knowledge and tools you will need to become a great baseball fielder.  Whether you are looking to help your child develop better fielding mechanics, smoothly and effortlessly play his position, and gain the needed confidence, I have the tools and proper guidance to contribute, in simple, easy-to-understand fielding tips and drills, so you can witness your child become a dominant defensive player, and overall well-rounded baseball player.

High School and College Athletes:

Recruiting/showcase camps are designed for coaches to see athletes' specific skills.  What this truly means is they are looking for raw hard data to evaluate you as a player. The rest of your characteristics as a player will be evaluated later.   Prospect players are graded by professional scouts on five tools:  (1) Speed, (2) Fielding, (3) Hitting for Power, (4) Hitting for Average, and (5) Arm Strength.

When you offer me the opportunity, I will help you understand what all Collegiate and Professional ball players do to become and sustain success on the field, for instance:  

    · proper conditioning  

    · incorporating strengthening weight exercises   

    · providing you with take-home workouts 

    · improving mechanics 

    · teaching you ways to reduce the risk of injury, and

    · developing a positive mindset while on the field and overall game.

By and large, you will improve your game and become a better infielder or outfielder, learn how to run routes to easily make plays, be mentally fit, have and gain a stronger and accurate arm.  In other words, become the best you can be! 

**************************************************************************************

Our Fielding Program

From experience, building a solid foundation, and having a strong understanding of the fundamentals, will take you a long way.

Youth baseball fielding drills we teach center on fundamentals.  The great thing about baseball is that if you learn and can perform fundamentals at an early age, you will be able to play the game all the way through high school.  The key thing for coaches and parents is to stay dedicated to these fundamentals and always go back to the basics every year.  Furthermore, there is no substitute for repetition aimed at fielding ground balls or fly balls - repetition makes perfection.

REGARDLESS IF YOUR ARE A YOUNG OR MATURE BASEBALL PLAYER, KEY FUNDAMENTALS AND FIELDING DRILLS WILL EITHER TEACH YOU, IMPROVE, OR RE-INFORCE YOUR DEFENSIVE AND OVERALL GAME !

Fielding is an important part of baseball and playing defense, because fielders must prevent runs and make outs to end each half-inning, so their team can get to bat. 

Fielding the ball speak of any act of catching the ball and throwing it to another defensive player to try to get a base runner out.  A player’s footwork may perhaps be the most important feature of fielding a ground ball to focus on.  Good footwork can make fielding a “tricky hop” or ball “smoked” right at you much easier. It is as simple as taking a step towards the ball with your right foot, then your left foot once the baseball is hit.

Why is fielding so important in baseball?

Fielding plays a pronounced role in the game of baseball.  Defense is involved in all plays that do not culminate in a strikeout, walk, or home run.  It is a necessary part of the game and particular teams are able to use their defensive skills to their advantage.

What is the Fielding Skill?

Fielders need to be in the proper “ready” position,  a well-balanced stance with the feet shoulder, width apart, weight evenly distributed on the balls of the feet, and a slight bend in the knees. The glove and throwing hand should be extended in front of the body at chest level.  When the ball is hit, be aggressive and go after the ball.  

 ****************************************************************************** 

INFIELDERS:

Besides the catcher, no position is involved more in the pitch-by-pitch, play-by-play of a game than those manning the infield positions on the diamond.  Infielders carry a wide array of responsibilities, including fielding ground balls, turning double plays, setting up cutoffs and relays, being in the correct backup positions, and countless others.  But for everything that falls on an infielder’s shoulders, make no mistake, those who make the routine play, routinely are valuable components to championship teams.  One of the most important parts of infield play has not to do with the hands, but rather with the feet.  All infielders are built from the ground up, emphasizing proper footwork, which will allow the hands and throw to work in naturally.  Find a player with great hands, and that is a player who undoubtedly has great feet.  

**************************************************************************************

REGARDELESS OF YOUR AGE OR SKILL LEVEL, THESE ARE THE FOUR KEY AREAS WE WILL HELP YOU DEVELOP AND MASTER TO SUCCESFULLY PLAY YOUR POSITION:

POSITIONING:

When determining where exactly infielders should position themselves on the field, understand the importance of knowing the situation (outs, score, inning), where the runners are on base, the speed of the hitter/runners, along with each guy’s individual arm strength, quickness, and range. 

Regular depth gives infielders the most range, playing back towards the outfield grass. This is the general position to be in with nobody on base, and the play going to first. 

Double play depth puts the shortstop and second baseman closer to second base to turn a potential double play, about two steps in and two steps over as compared to regular depth. The corner infielders can also move in a step or two towards home plate with the idea of getting the ball just a bit quicker to the pivot man at second. 

Infield in depth has all of the infielders playing at a spot where they can throw the baserunner on third out at home, which isn’t necessarily going to be up on the grass. 

Half-way depth is a great one-out defense with runners on first and third, or with the bases loaded, where a double play can get your team out of an inning.  A key to this depth is that the batted ball is going to dictate where the play is going: a hard ground ball enables the double play, while the softer grounder goes to home to prevent the runner from scoring.

PRE-PITCH 

Being ready to make a play is a big part of actually being able to make a play.  An infielder’s pre-pitch (or ready position) does just that, putting them in a comfortable and relaxed stance, well-prepared to get a quick first step to make a play.  Mentally, it’s also important to know what to do with the ball when it is hit your way, as great infielders anticipate plays, and want the ball to be hit in their direction.

As the pitcher delivers the ball, the infielder’s weight should shift to the balls (or front part) of their feet, timed out just as the ball enters the hitting zone. The feet are roughly shoulder width apart, with the knees bent and body in an athletic position.  Hands are slightly out in front of the body, and NOT on the knees.  Relaxed and on the balls of the feet is when infielders are at their quickest for that good first step on contact.  

APPROACH TO THE GROUND BALL 

Many youth infielders are brought up being taught to “charge” a ground ball hit to them. Charging a ball lends itself to going after the ball out of control, and a key element to becoming a good infielder is to work under control, so an “approach” to the ball is a much better mindset for players to be in when preparing to field a grounder.  Whenever possible, infielders should create an angle to get their body moving in the direction of the throw, towards the base the play is going to. This is known as “getting around the ball”, but not in a circular kind of way, but more like in the shape of a banana, just a slightly rounded angle that will get momentum towards the target, and into the throw. By approaching a ball in this manner, infielders are able to get more on their throws that actually are easier on the arm. 

FIELDING AND THROWING THE GROUND BALL

When it comes time to actually fielding the baseball, it’s as much about proper footwork as it is having sure hands  The two work together.  It begins with the approach to the ball mentioned above and continues with three basic steps to secure the ball.  For right handed throwers, the footwork is as simple as “right-left-field” the ball.  For lefties (first basemen), it’s the opposite, working “left-right-field”.  Bending from the knees, and not at the waist, infielders then want to field the ball slightly out in front of their feet, and under their glove-side eye. Think of the ball as an egg and catch it like an egg. That will help develop the soft hands that great infielders possess. 

Additionally, if they think about working under the ball, from the ground up, they are putting themselves in a good, athletic position.  It’s far easier to work from low to high than it is from high to low when fielding.  After catching the ball, it is then brought to the center of the body (ideally between the belly button and chest) from where the hands will separate to start the throw.

The throw begins with the feet working towards the target, as one replaces the other in a shuffling action.  As the feet work the legs into the throw, it’s important to make sure the glove-side shoulder is pointed to the target where the throw is going.  In essence, that shoulder acts as a guide for the throw, a good checkpoint for infielders to put themselves in a fundamentally sound position. 

Holding the ball with a four-seam grip will best keep the throw straight and on-line, making a throw through the target, instead of to the target, puts just that much more on it without overthrowing.  After releasing the ball, keep the body moving in the same direction towards the throw for a few steps, allowing all of the momentum that went into the ball to finish naturally and fully.  After the ball is fielded, the play essentially becomes a game of catch to record an out.  

Partial references and sources obtained from: usabdevelops.com

Partial Sources & References: Mike Reinold

OUR FIELDING PROGRAM:  FUNDAMENTALS OF PLAYING THE OUTFIELD

Steps to take to secure an out when a fly ball is hit your way in the outfield.

 1)  When a fly ball is catchable, outfielders must make sure they’re able to get an automatic out.  Your first focus is to sprint to the spot where the ball is going to land. As the ball is coming down, make sure to keep your feet active.  Also, make sure to get your glove extended and keep your eyes clear.  This will allow you to see the ball coming down and then make the play.  Once you secure the ball, use your body and move through the ball toward your target to make a good throw.

One drill that enforces this play is a simple toss drill.  Your instructor/trainer will get out in front of you and toss the ball up in different directions. You should practice reacting to the ball, sprint to the spot where the ball will land, while keeping your feet active underneath your body and securing the ball.  The distance does not need to be too far, but the idea is for you to work on the footwork and hand-eye coordination to make the play.  Repeat the toss numerous times, varying the throw, to build your range.   Repetition is key! 

One of the most important parts of playing the outfield is to get to the ball quickly, secure it and then get it back into the infield.   Work on this in practice and you can find success in games when it counts.  It is also crucial for an outfielder to know how to properly handle a ground ball that’s coming their way. Work on this while at practice, becoming familiar how to properly get the out on a ground ball.

Partial references and sources: protips.dickssportinggoods.com