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Infield Practice Drills When practicing
with all infielders in their defensive positions,
the key is to keep everyone active. Combination
drills with throws to various bases keep everyone in
the game. Drills should be fast paced so there is
little standing around. Use a catcher and a hitter
on both sides of home plate to double the amount of
balls hit, but be sure to make it clear which base
each fielder is throwing to.
When hitting to the infield have the catcher place
the next ball in the hitter’s extended hand. This
allows the hitter to keep her eyes on the infield
play and replaces a toss that too often ends up in
the hitter’s face. Create pressure through
competition to make the drills more gamelike, and
add runners to allow the defense to develop the
timing and game speed that is required. Use a
variety of ground ball drills and specific game
situations to make sure all techniques are covered,
and don’t overlook drills that improve conditioning.
The following combination drills add variety to your
infield practice while accomplishing several goals.
Short Throw to First
Purpose: To practice pivot footwork while
saving the pivot player’s arm.
Procedure: A feeder has a bucket of balls
from which to feed the pivot. One pivot or a
single-file line of several players can perform the
drill. The feeder throws to the pivot from a
distance of about 15 feet, from either the shortstop
or second-base side of the infield. (You can also
include feeds from the pitcher’s position to the
shortstop, who makes the pivot.) The receiver is
several steps from the base facing the feeder. She
catches the ball, turns the pivot, and makes a short
throw to the first baseman, who is set up on the
base line midway between first and second. The
emphasis is on making the pivot, so the pivot player
can save her arm by throwing to the first baseman at
half the normal distance. The pivot player returns
to repeat the drill or goes to the end of the line.
Variation: Set up obstacles in the base path
directly in front of second base to make the pivot
more difficult and realistic. A football dummy or
stuffed equipment bag can simulate a sliding runner.
Turning the Double Play
Purpose: To turn double plays as in a game.
Procedure: Infielders assume normal
double-play defensive positions. The shortstop and
second baseman shade several steps toward second.
The hitter at home hits ground balls to all
infielders so that they can practice proper angles,
feeds, and pivots. Don’t forget to include the
pitcher and the catcher fielding and throwing to
second base. Include all types of hits—slow
grounders, high bouncers, and hard shots—to all
parts of the infield.
Variations:
- Practice the pivot with a runner coming to
second, first standing and then sliding.
- Use two runners, home to first and first to
second, so that you can gauge the time element.
Rotating Infield
Purpose: To work on throws from the four
basic infield positions and the first baseman’s
technique for tagging the base. This is an excellent
tryout drill. It is also an effective conditioning
drill when using no more than five infielders.
Procedure: Draw lines on the infield at the
four positions where you want the players to field
the ball. Five infielders line up behind line 1 at
third base. All field a ball at that spot, throw to
first, and then run to wait their turn behind line 2
at the shortstop position. Have the hitter hit to
all fielders in line before going to the next spot
and the new line. At each line, fielders throw to
first and run immediately to the next spot, where
they can rest. Position 3 is near second base. Here,
the emphasis is on showing the ball and using a
three-quarter or sidearm throw so that the first
baseman can always see the ball. Position 4 is a
slow roller toward first base. The fielder charges,
fields the ball well in front of the base, throws to
first, and then runs behind the hitter to the
third-base line to continue the drill. The first
baseman does not field any balls, working instead on
proper technique at the bag, always tagging the base
for the out. She returns each ball to a catcher at
home, who feeds the hitter. The first baseman should
ignore all balls that she cannot catch so that she
is ready for the next throw. The hitter hits the
next ball as soon as she hears the previous ball
smack the first baseman’s glove. This drill should
be done quickly.
Safety Reminders:
- The first baseman ignores all throws she
cannot catch cleanly so that she can be ready
for the next throw.
- Infielders must make sure the first baseman
is ready to receive the ball. This is good
practice in looking to see the target before
throwing, a routine infielders should always
follow in a game.
- Infielders must run to the next line so that
they are not in the way of the hit or throw.
From first base they run behind the hitter.
Merry-Go-Round
Purpose: To warm up or work on conditioning
while fielding ground balls.
Procedure: Players form two fielding lines at
opposite corners of the infield—one to the left of
second base and one at home. Be careful that the
players in line at second do not trip over the base.
Two hitters hit or throw from the pitching-circle
area, one to each line. Players field and run to the
end of the opposite line. Hitters hit ground balls,
fly balls, range balls, line drives, and scoops.
Players return the ball to their hitter or place it
in a bucket at the line they are running to. Hitters
should have a bucket of extra balls to replace balls
that fielders miss so the drill can be done at a
steady pace.
Four Corners
Purpose: To work on conditioning and on
making accurate throws to first and third.
Procedure: A hitter hits to an infielder at
second base, who is first in a line that players
have formed there. One fielder is at first base. The
fielder fields the ball, throws to first, and
sprints to third base to receive a return throw from
the player at first. The fielder must be at third in
proper receiving position (left foot against
home-plate side of third), where she catches the
ball and applies a tag. The fielder then sprints
home to give the ball to the hitter and runs behind
the hitter on the way to first, getting there in
time to catch the throw to first on the next hit
ball. The fielder catches the ball at first base,
throws back to the next fielder at third base, and
goes to the end of the line at second base to wait
for her next turn. Use no more than five players so
that there is not a lot of standing around. Have an
extra bucket of balls at home and first in case of
errant throws.
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