Drills and Techniques to Overcome the Fear of a Bad Hop

Photo Credit: www.incirlik.af.mil

        One of the worst problems to have as an infielder is being afraid of the ball, or more specifically the bad hop. Every infielder goes through this phase at some point in their career, whether it’s when they’re in little league, high school, college, and sometimes even in pro ball. Yes, you can even see fear in the guys who get paid to play the game. Usually this fear comes from the devastating experience of getting hit by the ball due to a bad hop. It happens to everyone at some point or another, the ball takes that funny hop off a rock or catches the seam just right on the clay and jumps up and hits the fielder in the face. Since everyone has this problem at some point, the real question is how do you fix it? Here’s how I have tackled this issue in the past.

        I’ve been hit in the face a few times in my career, twice that really stuck with me. Both times it happened during practice, the ball took a funny bounce off the lip and jumped over my glove hitting me square in the mouth. Obviously you first deal with the issue at hand which is making sure that the fielder is ok, but after the fielder is physically ready to return it’s important that they get “back on the horse” as quickly as possible. Getting back on the field and taking ground balls is important for the psychological well-being of the fielder. The longer they have to think about the play the more likely that they will be afraid of it happening again. They need to realize that a high majority of ground balls will take the expected hop, and that hops like the one that scared them are extremely rare.  Once the player realizes this it will drastically help them be a better fielder.

Photo Credit: www.TampaBay.com

        For those that have not been hit before and just have a natural fear of the ball a good drill for them is to take their lower half out of the equation. The first thing players who are afraid of the ball do is to field the ball off to one side, by placing the player on their knees it doesn’t allow them to move away from the ball. There is a progression to this drill that will help the player become more comfortable. First have the player on their knees and the coach about 10 feet away, the coach will throw the ball to the player giving them a short hop. The coach should progressively throw the ball harder and consistently throw it directly at the player so they get use to fielding a ball in front of them. The player should be in an athletic position while on their knees, meaning not straight up and not sitting on their heels, somewhere in between. After the player has fielded about 30-40 of those, the coach should then back up to about 25-30 feet away and hit ground balls with a fungo to the fielder, while they are still on their knees. The player will then be forced to stay in front of the ball and trust their hands to catch it, again starting with slower grounders and building up to hard hit balls. This is great for players who are afraid because it forces them to be down closer to the ball.

        Another drill that I use often with my fielders is the step up drill. This is drill that I described in a previous post, the drill is simple. Start the infielder about 50 feet away and hit them ground balls, the grounders should be hit with some intensity. After each catch the fielder will take one step forward. This continues until the player is within 10 feet. This is a great drill to turn into a game, players get “knocked out” by missing a ball, last player standing wins.

        Many players don’t realize that they are afraid of the ball. I’ve dealt with several occasions where the player is thought to be a good player and just struggles fielding. They think that they are getting in good position when really they are in a position that hinders them from catching the ball. Often the position will have the player’s arms extended (locked elbows) and chin up too high. These players will find themselves getting handcuffed on in between hops, and having balls that stay down roll underneath their glove.  Fixing this takes time, requiring the above drills on a daily basis for months, but there is a quick fix. The quick fix for this problem and something that helps many young players (especially SS’s) is to attack almost everything. When a player is afraid of a bad hop the best thing they can do is attack the baseball. There are balls that are hit hard that they won’t be able to come and get, but the majority of ground balls the fielder will field with one hand out in front of them off to the side like an outfielder. I know that based on the drills I mentioned earlier this seems counterproductive; here is why it is not. When an infielder charges a grounder, it forces them to get low in order to catch it. It also forces them to be aggressive keeping them from being on their heels. So while the technique doesn’t necessarily look like it helps the fielder with the ground ball, it actually changes their thought process. If you watch multiple MLB games, you will find that many infielders (especially SS’s) attack any baseball that will take more than 2 hops. Most hard hit ground balls have back spin and will only take 2 hops or less, if the ball is going to take a 3^rd hop before it gets to the fielder it wasn’t hit that hard. This is not an “absolute” rule, but it’s a guideline that can help fielders determine when they can stay back.

        One of the shortstops that I coached a few years ago was very good at attacking the baseball. He was initially hesitant to change the way he fielded the ball because he was a very hard worker and thought that his technique was very good. The problem he had was the locked elbows and high chin, he often found himself getting handcuffed on balls that he should catch. We decided to do the quick fix and make him attack everything, during the first few weeks of spring practice he struggled getting the first step going in the right direction. After a few weeks of forcing the issue it began to be 2^nd nature for him. After the season we looked at his fielding percentage (.975) and realized that the errors he did make were primarily throwing errors. He only had one error on balls that he charged.

        Getting over fear of the ball is about commitment. Without the commitment of the player to first realize they are afraid, then want to make the change it won’t happen. Players should do the drills listed above and always remember to be the aggressor when it comes to fielding ground balls.  If the fielder is aggressive then they will find themselves in a better fielding position the majority of the time. I also recommend for younger players to start these drills with tennis balls, it helps eliminate their fear of being hurt by the ball and you can throw and hit the ball hard at them without them being afraid. They then learn how to catch these balls and when it comes time for the baseball to be hit at them they know how to catch it. 

Try these drills and let me know how they work for you. Subscribe to the blog and check out www.RobinsonAthleticsFL.com to see what Robinson Athletics offers. 

3 Drills That Help Infielders Extend Their Range

3 Drills That Help Infielders Get More Range

         There are several theories that believe the key to having more range is by working on agility drills, which may help some, but in the end the fielder needs to take a good angle to increase their range. Read this article by LA Dodger’s minor league strength coach Ryan Faer about agility vs. strength training. The reason I don’t stress traditional agility drills when teaching players how to get more range is because the angles that they take are more important and you can’t teach speed. You can improve speed, but you can’t turn a 7.5 guy into a 6.7 guy. That is why I’d rather have players working on the correct angle to a moving ball opposed to the random running from cone to cone, which to me doesn’t give them the same effect. When they are trying to cut off a moving ball there is a read involved, a math problem “how deep of an angle needs to be taken to get to this ball”. They will not get that effect when they are going from 1 cone to another, because the cone is not moving. As I mentioned in the previous post about reading a ground ball, putting yourself in the best position to catch and throw the ball is what makes a player a good fielder, the same is true when extending range.

A player may have a quick reaction, but if it’s the wrong angle the player will find themselves in bad position. Part of reading the ball is knowing; the speed of the ball and the speed of the runner. Based on the answer to those two questions the fielder should take the appropriate angle to first get to the ball and secondly be able to make a strong enough throw to get the runner out. I preach to my players to take deep angles on ball to their left and right (assuming the ball is not a slowly hit ball). When a player takes the deep angle they set themselves up to be moving towards first when they catch the ball, if the angle is too deep they can always cut forward and catch the ball moving towards first, where as if they were to take a shallow angle and the ball is hit harder than they think, then they will be moving in the opposite direction of their target. All that being said; here are 3 drills to help infielders take those deeper angles and there by cover more ground.

        The first drill forces the fielder to take a better angle on the ball. The drill requires several cones to insure that the player doesn’t cheat.

·        The set up: place the player in their position, and once they are set take several cones and create two triangles to either side of them. These triangles should be about 3-4 cones wide on either side depending on the size of the cones.

·        The drill: Once the player is set the coach should set up about 15 feet in front of the player and will roll balls to either side of the player, the player will then be forced to take and angle back or forwards to attack the baseball.

·        The purpose: When the player is forced to take deeper angles to get to balls they will end up extending their range. Many infielders take a very shallow angle when going after a ball to their left or right and that limits the range that they are able to get. This drill will force players into deeper angles and will extend their range. If the player gets to the spot where the ball is going to be before the ball gets there they should redirect their momentum in to towards the ball and field it on the run moving towards 1^st base.

The second drill will help with the first step for the middle infielders. This drill gets the players reacting to ball quicker and will find they are getting a better first step.

·        The set up: The player should be about 10 feet in front of the coach with plenty of space to either side.

·        The drill: The coach will tell the player to jump (a small hop like the prep step) and before the player’s feet hit the ground the coach will roll the ball to either direction, far enough and hard enough where the player must take several steps to get to the ball.

·        The purpose: This drill repeated over and over will drastically improve that first step of the player and will prove to them that the prep step (hop) is essential to getting that good 1st step. This also will force the player to take the correct angle, the coach should roll the ball hard enough that it forces the player to take a deep angle. This will help the player make the first step in the right direction, setting the correct angle to get to the ball.

The last drill is not so much a drill as it is a part of practice and is probably done quite often already. One of the best ways to extend one’s range is during batting practice.

·        As an infielder batting practice can be one of the best places to work on fielding. You are getting live ground balls off the bats of your peers and they are unpredictable. You as a fielder have to anticipate a ball being hit in your direction the entire time (much like in a game).

·        This is also a great time to work on anticipation as far as which side of you the ball is going to be hit. As a 2^nd baseman I’m paying attention to what the hitters are trying to do each round, when coach has them hitting opposite field I’m expecting the ball to be hit in my direction from a right handed hitter. The fielder can anticipate where the ball will be hit because they should have an idea of what kind of hitters their teammates are. This is where they will pick up tendencies and will be able to apply them to game action.

·        The fielders should test their range during BP, and in doing so should make every play they can.

o   Testing the range during BP is a great opportunity to see how much range you actually can cover, working on taking deep angles and sometimes fielding the ball in the outfield grass.

o   The reason for making every play that is possible is that it encourages the player to go until failure. They don’t have to worry about a runner, they are able to practice controlling their bodies and knowing where they are on the field. It also shows them that with the correct angle they can get to balls that they didn’t know they could.

Photo Credit: www.gettyimages.co.uk

            The point of these drills is to give the player the best opportunity to get as much range as possible. These drills will not turn a 13 year old into Asdrubal Cabrera, but they will help them with taking better angles and getting a better jump on the ball. That is the key to increasing the range of a fielder; the jump and the angle. A good infielder is able to anticipate the direction of the ball and take an angle that puts them in position to throw to first. The first 2 drills should take about 15 minutes with as an individual and about 20 minutes if it’s a team practice. Batting practice obviously takes as much time as needed. One note on batting practice is that as a coach I prefer to have my infielders (especially middle infielders) in the same hitting group so that they are in the field at the same time. This allows them to get use to each other’s range, this will help them play together and allow them to make decisions better based on knowing what balls their teammates can get to.

Sign up for email alerts and subscribe to this blog to learn more about infield play.

Like what you read? Have some comments or want to stay up to date on what Robinson Athletics is offering, go to the contact us tab on www.RobinsonAthleticsFL.com and give us some feedback. 

5 Everyday Drills to Become a Better Fielder

        Fielding, like everything else in baseball, requires work to achieve the consistency desired. There is a lot of focus on hitting in today’s youth game because of the old adage “If you hit, you’ll play”. Don’t get me wrong this is a game where offense is hard to come by most days; and coaches want someone in the lineup that will produce. On that same note, if you’re going to cost the team runs you become counterproductive and the coach must weigh the good and the bad. Those who saw game 7 of this year’s World Series remember the play that Joe Panik made in the 3^rd inning that changed the course of the game, an amazing diving backhand, glove flip double play. Joe Panik became a hero saving the Giants chances at another title; Joe Panik was 0 for 4 that game with the hat trick. The point is that hitting will slump no matter how much you work, but fielding can be consistent with enough work. All that being said, here are the 5 drills that infielders should do every day.

Photo Credit: www.flickr.com

               1.  Pick Drills: These are probably the most common drills and for good reason, they truly work. As a coach, these are drills I have my infielders do every day right after they throw. There are a few variations of it that I like to progress through. The best way to start these drills is by partnering the players up and getting them about 7-10 feet apart and have them get on their knees. While the players are on their knees have them shovel pass short hops to one another. The purpose of the shovel pass rather than just throwing over top is to give the players a more realistic look. A ball thrown down from the player’s arm slot will have more of a bounce than a skipping action. Hard hit ground balls skip across the ground, most balls that will bounce will be caught off the ground on a big hop. Players should position themselves in an athletic position on their knees, meaning they are not straight up and not sitting on their heels. The player should then have a good glove angle and work on moving through the ball when possible, stopping the glove in front (avoiding the scooping motion) and should then funnel the ball to the center of their body. I usually have the players do about 10 picks right in front of them, 10 to their forehand side, and 10 to their backhand side all on their knees. Once they’ve completed those they will stand up and do the same thing on their feet keeping their butt down and legs engaged. The key here is to keep the hands in front and then funneling after the catch. Players should adjust their feet for the forehand and back hand to about a 45 degree angle. The player’s legs should be burning by the end if they are doing the drill correctly, because essentially they are in the squat position the entire time. These drills should be done with some pace; ideally the players get into a rhythm and eventually will be able to knock them out every day in about 5 minutes.

                2.  Step up: The step up drill is great for forcing the players to get low and forces the player to increase their focus. This is a simple drill, but requires a coach who knows what they’re doing with a fungo. Start with all the infielders equal distance from the fungo hitter, about the distance from the plate to the mound. Once the players are set, go from left to right hitting each player a ground ball, preferably a low backspin grounder. This will force the player to get low and have their hands out in front, if they don’t they will get “eaten up” by the ball most of the time. After each player has taken a ground ball, have all the players take one step towards the coach. The process repeats until the players are about 10 feet or less from the hitter, you will see the players get lower each time by themselves because it brings out the self-preservation in them. They want to be in the most athletic position possible so they can react to the ball. As I mentioned above this drill should be run by a coach who knows how to handle a fungo, and the key to hitting the ball as the players get closer is to let the ball get low and then just putting the barrel on it. The toughest balls to field as they get closer are the low back spin grounders. Those will only be caught by players who are low at the time of the hit. Players also get a kick out this drill when coaches make a game out of it, once the player misses a ball they are out. The game continues until there is only one player left.

Photo Credit: Extreme Baseball infield drills 

                       3.  Shuffles: This drill is great for getting players use to moving side to side. Players partner up with one another and have 2 baseballs per group. As one player takes a knee with the two baseballs the other player will be about 7-10 feet in front of him. This drill should be done without a glove.The player on the knee will start by rolling the ball to the fielder’s right (or left, it does not matter which way they start). As the fielder shuffles to the ball and catches the ball he flips it back to the player on the knee, as the fielder tosses the ball back the player rolls the 2^nd ball to the player’s left, far enough that the player needs to shuffle twice to get to the ball. This repeats back and forth until the player reaches the designated number of grounders. The number of grounders usually depends on the age or talent level of the player. When I work with high school players I usually have them do a total of 100, broken down into 4 or 5 sets. When I was playing college ball we used to complete 200. The keys to this drill are that the feeder is consistent with rolling the ball and that the fielder keeps their butt low and catches the ball out in front. The players are usually not big fans of this drill because their legs will be burning if they do it correctly, but it will strengthen their legs, help with hand eye coordination, and get them used to moving low.

                    4.  Count the Hops: This is a drill that can be done all the time. Telling a player to count the hops will actually improve how they field the ball. You will see the player focusing more on the ball and they will be down in position sooner because they are anticipating the next hop. Having a player count the hops is a great drill to instill to players that always seem to get in between hops. It is a very simple concept, but very effective. As the fielder is taking ground balls have them count the number of times the ball hits the ground and then announce the number of hops after they’ve finished the play.

Photo Credit: http://article.wn.com/view/2014/03/06/Mets_easing_Wright_back_into_game_action/

                 5.  One Move Drill: For this drill the infield will be in on the grass and the coach will be hitting fungo. The idea of this drill is to get the players use to throwing the ball in one move. Players will focus on catching the ball and throwing it within one move. They start throwing it to 1^st moving their feet and throwing the ball all at once. Then after a few times through the infield, the players will start throwing to the plate. This drill forces the players to get their feet around in position to throw home. Making the players throw home in one move helps the players footwork and makes the move to first seem easier. Be sure to push the concept of following the throw to the target.

These drills can be used on a daily basis and will drastically improve the players. In a team atmosphere these should take about 30 minutes to complete, as an individual working on these drills it should take roughly 20 minutes. Fielding can sometimes be a tough thing to measure because the number of balls hit to a player each game is rarely the same and each ground ball is a little different, but coaches will see improvement in the position the players are in and the way they approach the ball. Consistently using these drills will lead to very consistent infielders.

For more information about Robinson Athletics visit our website at www.robinsonathleticsfl.com

Subscribe to this blog and look for more information about fielding and drills.