Fielding: The Basics

          Infield play can make or break a team, it can change the momentum of the game, and yet it is often not given the appropriate amount of attention. Infield play is the difference between a good team and a great team and it can make pitchers better or worse. Catching and throwing ground balls seem like a very simple concept, but so many players get themselves in bad positions to complete this task at a high percentage.

          Fielding a ball in the infield seems like it should be very routine, but many players don’t put themselves in the good position to make it a routine play. Many fielders that I have worked with over the last few years do the same things wrong; they’re too high and bending at the waist, they field the ball too deep, and have their feet opened away from their target. The other thing that I see a lot from young players is their footwork approaching the ball and after the catch. Players don’t put themselves in the right position to make the next move efficient.

          The way that I approach fielding is nothing new, but more so a consistent and simplified approach to achieving the correct position. The best way to simplify the approach is to start from the beginning, the pre-pitch.

          Pre-Pitch:  When infielders are preparing for the play they need to consider a few things; pitch call and hitter tendencies. These two things will allow them to anticipate where the ball is hit and can extend their range. The best way for the fielder to get the best jump possible is to take a small hop right as the ball is delivered. This will leave the feet hitting the ground right after the ball is hit, allowing for the first step to be in the right direction eliminating steps that don’t gain ground.

          Approach: As the fielder approaches the baseball, they should try to get the ball just glove side of the center of their body. Many players take too many steps side to side, which is wasted movements and keep the momentum of the player from heading towards the target. Depending on the speed of the ball and speed of the runner the fielder should attack the baseball as much as necessary, breaking down early to get into the proper fielding position.

          Catching the Ball: When the fielder has made the approach to the ball, they should have a gradually lowered their body into position. Many players try to get low at the last second, often times they are late and this also creates too much eye movement, making it extremely difficult to handle the tough hop. Players should be in the proper fielding position consisting of: bent knees, low butt, hands in front with a good glove angle, good spine angle, and feet even or glove foot slightly in front. The players hands should have the ability to push through the ball or funnel to the center depending of the hop.

          The Funnel & Footwork: After the catch the player should funnel the ball to the center of their body for throwing purposes. All players should start their throwing motion from the center of their body to assure that their arms are in the right position. While funneling the ball the player should gain ground towards the target and put their feet in the proper throwing position. They should also have a good spine angle to help keep the ball on target.

          Throwing the Ball: When throwing the ball the player should have a short arm motion. This is achieved by not allowing the ball to go below the waist. The glove arm should be pointing toward the target, with the throwing hand facing the opposite direction. During the throwing motion, the throwing hand should stay behind the ball. A common mistake that players make is to drop their elbow and the throwing hand falls beneath the ball causing the ball to be thrown high. After the ball is released the arm should follow through creating extension. Along with the extension, the player should follow the throw with their feet at least 3-4 steps. This helps with the direction and distance of the throw.

          The player should attempt to achieve all of these actions on the routine ground ball. There are ground balls that will require different actions, but that is another conversation. 

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