Chapter 2. Baseball Fielding Hints

Each position has its own peculiar requirements. Baseball fielding: the first baseman has to learn things no other player need bother about. Ditto the shortstop, catcher, pitcher, or out-fielder.

There are a number of points about catching and throwing the ball, however, that apply to all players. A fielder, for example, should always try to use both hands when making a catch. The hands should "give" and be "soft" when the ball strikes them. If the ball is being received above the waist, the thumbs should be together with the palms facing the ball, fingers spread and pointing skyward. If below the waist, the little fingers are to be together with the fingers pointing to the ground. Whenever possible, the ball should be caught at shoulder-height, so that the fielder can throw without loss of motion.

Proper movement of the hands, however, represents only one part of the fielding technique. To make a good, clean catch a player must get to the ball and, if possible, receive it in front of the body at a point that is in line with the middle of the body. This means the fielder must move his feet!

On balls that are not very wide of a player's baseball fielding position, the "boxer's" step can be used. This involves shifting one foot to the side and closing with the other so that when the ball is received, the feet are at the width they were before the ball was hit or thrown. It's quick step right, close left, step right; or step left, close right, step left.

On balls hit very wide, however, the player should make his first move a "cross-over" step. Try this experiment:

With the feet a little more than shoulder-width apart, assume that a ball is hit wide to your left. Take a step with the left foot. You really haven't moved very much, have you? Take the original baseball fielding position again. This time, throw all your weight left, pivot left on the balls of both feet and step out with the right foot. You have not only covered ground, but you are in good baseball fielding position to race to the ball. Try it to the right.

Infielders and outfielders can start working on the cross-over and boxer's step in the gym, long before the season starts. This simple drill will help in baseball fielding:

Players pair off and face each other with about 10 feet between them. They roll a ball to each other, first to one side, then the other.

WATCH THE HITTER

As the pitcher takes his windup to deliver the ball to the plate, the fielder's eyes should be on the batter.

Prior to the pitcher's move, the fielders should be relaxed with the body bent forward at the waist, hands resting on the knees. As the ball reaches the plate, the fielder should take a short forward step and straighten the body. If the batter hits the ball, each fielder is moving and no matter where the ball goes, the defense has a "jump" on it.

Here are the major points involved in baseball fielding ground balls:

1. Prior to the pitch, be sure the weight of the body is distributed evenly on both feet.
2. Get the heels off the ground as the ball reaches the plate and take a short forward step.
3. Be aggressive in baseball fielding. "Play the ball, don't let the ball play you," is a good axiom to remember
4. Move so that the ball can be fielded well in front of the body and in the middle of the body.
5. Keep the hands low.
6. Try to catch the ball just as it leaves the ground or at the top of the bounce.
7. When receiving the ball, have the feet parallel, but wide apart. Keep the tail down. If the tail is high, the player's feet are too close together, a common fault.
8. Watch the ball until it is in the glove and "catch it soft."

"SHOW THE BASEBALL FIELDING BUTTON"

For all-around baseball fielding practice on ground balls, managers will find this to be a good outdoor drill:

Put a boy at normal infield depth. Put a second boy 20 feet behind him to back up. Off to the left of the fielder, at about 15 feet, place a third boy. Have a fourth boy stand next to the hitter, but also to the fielder's left, to feed balls to the hitter. Get six or a dozen baseballs and constantly hit to the right and left of the fielder. Have the baseball fielder put his right hand in his back pocket and field the ball with glove only. And, still with the glove hand, instruct him to shovel the ball to the boy waiting at his left. This boy tosses to the one assisting the coach. After several hits to either side, the fielder takes the back-up position, the others rotate clockwise.

The coach wants to compliment when compliments are in order, correct defects when they appear. He should keep telling the fielder to "show the button of your cap show the button of your cap." If the coach sees the button, which is right on top of the head, he can be sure that the baseball fielder is watching the ball go in the glove. On the other hand, if he sees the letter just above the peak of the cap, he knows the boy has his head "up". "Don't show the letter," he should say. "Show that baseball fielding button!"

Boys enjoy this drill and it serves to develop the important habit of keeping the glove low and the eyes on the ball.

FLY CHASING

When chasing a fly, baseball fielders should... [Chapter Incomplete]

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