Defensive Baseball
Drills
Baseball drills
from my playing days, books and great coaches. Emphasis is on baseball instruction, baseball fundamentals, defensive
baseball drills, throwing a baseball, catching a baseball
Name: Around The Horn
Purpose: To
teach the fundamentals of throwing and catching quickly and
accurately
How to
Conduct: The coach has a
stopwatch and 9 players on the field.
The pitcher pitches the ball to the catcher, when the ball is released
the clock starts. The catcher
throws to the third baseman who steps on third, the third baseman throws to
the second baseman at second base, the second baseman throws to the First
baseman, also on the bag, the first baseman throws back to the catcher on home
plate, the catcher throws to the shortstop on second base, the shortstop
throws to the right fielder, right fielder throws to center fielder, center
fielder throws to the left fielder, who throws it back to the catcher. Time it and see how much better your
team gets over the course of the year!
This drill is used at the 12U world series in Cooperstown as a competition
drill and was terrific when our ball club competed.
Name: Run Down
Purpose: To
teach the fundamentals of getting players out while in run down
situations.
How to
Conduct: Have a runner on first
and third while the pitcher begins the stretch. Have the player on first break before
the pitch is thrown. Teach the
pitcher to step off the mound, look the runner back at third and throw the
ball to the shortstop cutting across the infield. Have the players line up behind the
players to get the runner out, all the time checking to see that the runner
from first does not attempt to advance. If the runner does try to
advance, the ball is thrown ahead of the runner and the run down begins again
between home and third base. The
runner going to second should take that base and then stop. The team should always focus on
getting the runner back to the base they came from and throwing as few times
as possible. Even the outfielders
should be involved in the plays as backups to the throws or in the lineup of
teammates to participate in the run down. Rotate runners and fielding
positions.
Name: Cross Grounders
Purpose: To
allow multiple people to take ground balls simultaneously.
How to
Conduct: A coach and catcher stand between home plate and first base, with a
second coach and catcher standing between home plate and third base. The coach
between third and home hits ground balls to the second and first baseman and
fly balls to the right fielder.
The ball is returned to the catcher for that coach after each hit ball.
The coach between home plate and first base hits to the third basemen,
shortstop, left and center fielder.
Go for 15 minutes and each player should have had 20 chances to field a
ball properly.
I love to
receive drills that you have found to be useful. Please e-mail them to us me and we
will be sure that your drill gets posted with the others.
These are
defensive baseball drills. Emphasis has been placed on baseball fundamentals, baseball
instruction, catching a baseball and throwing a baseball.
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