Middle Infield- How do I Get Smooth!

[brian920]

I am a very small middle infielder. I am a good fielder who can make most plays, BUT there is one problem: I don't look great doing it. I want to look pretty making the plays. I want to know how to be SMOOTH! If you guys could give me any instructions advice, feedback. That would be great.

[caseyd123]

ok...my first rule of playing middle infield:

ALWAYS sacrifice good technique for the flashy play...ALWAYS

hahaha jk man. the best way is to rep the **** out of ther ground balls to the point where they become easy. this shouldnt be a major concern of yours though i must say, just make the play dawg.

[THop]

Brian,

Wall-ball, wall-ball and more wall-ball. Mistakes don’t matter there so you can consistently strive to learn not only fundamental skills/techniques, but the advanced one’s as well. And you can learn to perform each of them quicker each time, which can translate into “smoother” in a short time.

Being a great middle infielder is like being great at anything else, the more you practice the right things, the better (and smoother) you will become. I would bet good money that the Latin American infielders that dominate professional baseball (and look extremely smooth) were taught the advanced fielding skills sooner and have taken twice as many ground balls as their USA born counterparts (just my opinion).

Personally, both of my sons grew up “small” and started playing wall-ball for fun around the age of 10 and 5 respectively. Both eventually advanced on to play middle infield at D-1 colleges and both played wall ball all the way through their senior years there.

But make no mistake; you gotta also learn advanced hitting and base running skills/techniques to play that long!

Best non-baseball analogy I can offer you is that this is exactly like learning how to drive a car at age 15. The day you get your learner’s permit and get behind the wheel, not only are you not smooth, you are probably quite awkward if not downright awful! But, depending on what your instructor teaches, how clearly he teaches it (how soon he can make the light come on) and how much time you put into mastering it all, by age 16, 17, 18 you can become a better 9and smoother) driver than a lot of people twice your age.

The key is in learning 30-50 things consciously, gain confidence through experience so when you’re under pressure, you can “clear the mechanism” so to speak, and perform everything subconsciously in the 3-5 seconds you will have to make the right play.

“The more I practice, the luckier I get”- Lee Trevino 1981.

THop

[caseyd123]

wall-ball is fantastic advice. i played that every single day grades K-5 and now that i think about it, that probably led to me being one of the better middle infielders in our Little League. not to mention i domed at wallball...

[bluezebra]

I am a very small middle infielder. I am a good fielder who can make most plays, BUT there is one problem: I don't look great doing it. I want to look pretty making the plays. I want to know how to be SMOOTH! If you guys could give me any instructions advice, feedback. That would be great.

Baseball isn't gymnastics or high diving. You don't get points for form. Just keep making the plays. If you 'want to look pretty', wear a short skirt and makeup.

Joking aside, just keep making the plays, no matter how you look. There are many players who 'look smooth', but can't make the plays.

Bob

[cubsphill]

ground balls, ground balls, ground balls. ozzie smith says to cradle the ball. throw soft hands in with perfect footwork and you will be nothing but smooth

[brian920]

What do you mean cradle the ball? When you field the ball should your right foot be forward? When I break down my left foot is. Any advice on footwork?

[cubsphill]

its just having soft hands

[mudvnine]

Baseball isn't gymnastics or high diving. You don't get points for form. Just keep making the plays. If you 'want to look pretty', wear a short skirt and makeup.

Joking aside, just keep making the plays, no matter how you look. There are many players who 'look smooth', but can't make the plays.

Bob

BlueZ, unfortunately a lot of supposedly knowledgeable baseball coaches look more at form then results. Heck, how many hitting posts do you read on this forum where a unsuspecting dad comes on here to say his 9 y/o kid is "hitting great", but wants the "experts" here to analyze his kid's swing, only to have a 9 y/o dissected, chastised and held to the same criteria of an MLB player.

I think that Coach Scotty got it right in another post (http://www.baseball-fever.com/showpost.php?p=1257086&postcount=90) about giving young kids to just the slightest adjustments to make them successful to have fun and leave the complex MLB swing science, biomechanics for older players.

So Blue, I agree with you about success versus pretty, but that's not the general rule here . . . it’s too bad there’s not a minimum age rule for when a kid can start “lessons” at all of our local batting cages; but I guess that would put fun over profits and egos, and we all know how wrong that would be.

[JJA]

300-400 ground balls per week for 10 years and you'll be smooth. That's what a lot of guys do, that many reps.

[BaseballOC2]

Is there anyway to gett all of these ground balls without playing "wall ball" or having them hit to you? What are other ways to get ground balls? Mabey a pitching machine?

[THop]

Brian,

I quit teaching traditional “soft hands” in 1999-after coaching a high school fall season with a man who grew up playing with Roberto and Sandy Alomar (and being coached every winter by Sandy Sr). He signed with Cleveland on his 16th birthday but unfortunately he didn’t advance past Triple A. For him anyhow. It was a real blessing for my two sons and every infielder I’ve coached since.

Today I teach a variety of things in a wall ball setting to prepare kids for the 60/90 diamond (offensively and defensively). This is one of the shortstop’s defensive plays that I would cover in a typical wall ball session (approximately one hour/150-300 grounders).

Routine grounders-

Field routine grounders “out front”, and outside your left ear (out front so the bill of the cap never deters vision and “outside your left ear” to force your body “through the ball” (toward 1B).

Instead of “soft hands” and gathering the ball into your mid section” (like I was taught in the 70’s), I now teach “attack the ball” from the ground up, on the short hop, with both palms simultaneously and immediately take the ball to throwing shoulder height. This enables you to field the ball crisply and close off your front side (and feet) all at the same time. All you have to do is land and throw. This not only enables you to get rid of the ball sooner but also create momentum to get more on the throw.

This is also what enables MLB shortstops to play on the edge of the dirt (to increase their side and outfield range too) and still be able to get fast runners by a step. Obviously if they have time, they can take traditional shuffle steps to keep momentum while gaining a 4 seam grip.

The following is what I teach shortstops in a wall ball setting
1. Mental: Know the situation of the game. Know the batter and base runner’s speed. Watch the coach give signs to his catcher for pitch and pitch location and shade accordingly. Pinch the middle with runner at 1B and less than 2 outs. When to leave base and block bad hops with mid section. Bunt coverages-especially the one where he’s gotta keep the 2b runner close and then get to 1b if they get the bunt down. Back up pitcher on all throws from the catcher with runners on base. Cover third base on all throws to the plate from left field (third baseman becomes the cut off man).
2. Forehand and backhand picks (scoops) on short hopped, thrown balls only.
3. Back hand with and/or without crossover step.
4. Gloved and/or bare handed do or die plays (must throw off right foot)
5. Double play feeds (short, medium and long).
6. Receiving short, medium, long and wise throws on double plays
7. Catching sky high pop ups
8. Catching foul and outfield pop ups.
9. Diving and sliding catches (only with foam padded mats).
10. Receiving long relay throws from the outfield
11. Tandem relay. Double cut off men are used when a ball is hit past the outfielders. You are conceding a double and preparing to make a play at 3B or home (whichever the team/coach yells for during the play). Example: A ball hit to the right center field fence, the second baseman is the first relay man and the short stop backs him up (approximately 30 feet). Both are in line with 3B or home if the coach changes it. The outfielder will not take the time to crow hop or make a perfect throw. It’s quicker for him to just pick it up, step and throw at the first relay man. If the first relay man can catch the ball in the air, he should other wise he should allow it to travel to the second man (no picks/scoops on tandem relays). If the first relay man catches the ball in the air, the second relay man should immediately lay on the ground to avoid being hit.
12. How to limit 2B runner’s lead
13. Field and throw to 1B on balls hit up the middle
14. Field and throw to third baseman (off right foot) on ground balls in the hole.
15. Tagging techniques on sliding runners.
16. 1st and 3rd plays: “Cut” by second baseman, “throw through” is the exact same play only the 2b fakes a catch to freeze the 3b runner.
17. Defending the “forced balk” or “walk off play”.
18. Zero to one throw rundowns.

Hope this gives you some good ideas.

THop

[brian920]

THop, what do you mean wall ball setting, this seems like stuff you would need to do on a diamond.

[THop]

Brian,

If you have unlimited use of a diamond good for you. If you don’t and still want to get your work in, find a good brick wall with no cars around. Preferably one with lights.

THop

[cubsphill]

...
Instead of “soft hands” and gathering the ball into your mid section” (like I was taught in the 70’s), I now teach “attack the ball” from the ground up, on the short hop, with both palms simultaneously and immediately take the ball to throwing shoulder height...

your definition of soft hands is different from mine. its possible to attack the ball out front while having soft hands.

[brian920]

Thop, how would I do the things listed, by myself off a wall.

[yanks614]

Hello brian920
I currently am an atlantic league shortstop for the long island ducks. My name is Dennis Donovan.
When fielding i dont think if i look smooth, i just make the play and i am not even smooth
quite frankly its not weather you look smooth its weather you make the plays
I am not a big guy just a guy from ct who was signed by the royals and an average hitter
My best advice is take as many ground balls as you can when i was a kid i watched videos of cr jr talkin balls for hours and i emulated him
Also i try to be as mentally stable as possible, always just having fun

PS id like u to send me a message back and tell me more about ur baseball prediciment
perhaps i can assist you

[TG Coach]

I am a very small middle infielder. I am a good fielder who can make most plays, BUT there is one problem: I don't look great doing it. I want to look pretty making the plays. I want to know how to be SMOOTH! If you guys could give me any instructions advice, feedback. That would be great.

There aren't any shortcuts or magic pills. My son takes 250 grounders a week in a slow week. Preseason he'll take 250 a day. If you take enough reps every play seems ordinary. You'll eventually look smooth.

[brian920]

I understand, practice, practice, practice.

[korp]

Practice practice practice till its natural. Who cares about looking good though ... I know people who try and look good all the time and they don't get at least 1/4 of the plays because they care more about looking good then getting the job done.

[brian920]

Now, after all of this, I completely agree with you.

[Death to Crawling Things]

ok...my first rule of playing middle infield:

ALWAYS sacrifice good technique for the flashy play...ALWAYS

hahaha jk man. the best way is to rep the **** out of ther ground balls to the point where they become easy. this shouldnt be a major concern of yours though i must say, just make the play dawg.


Yeah, practice, generally.

But, remember that Honus Wagner was one the great SS of all time. And descriptions of his fielding techiniques is rather comical. But, he got the job done.

Substance over style and all. :)

[Death to Crawling Things]

Brian,

Wall-ball, wall-ball and more wall-ball. Mistakes don’t matter there so you can consistently strive to learn not only fundamental skills/techniques, but the advanced one’s as well. And you can learn to perform each of them quicker each time, which can translate into “smoother” in a short time.

Being a great middle infielder is like being great at anything else, the more you practice the right things, the better (and smoother) you will become. I would bet good money that the Latin American infielders that dominate professional baseball (and look extremely smooth) were taught the advanced fielding skills sooner and have taken twice as many ground balls as their USA born counterparts (just my opinion).

Personally, both of my sons grew up “small” and started playing wall-ball for fun around the age of 10 and 5 respectively. Both eventually advanced on to play middle infield at D-1 colleges and both played wall ball all the way through their senior years there.

But make no mistake; you gotta also learn advanced hitting and base running skills/techniques to play that long!

Best non-baseball analogy I can offer you is that this is exactly like learning how to drive a car at age 15. The day you get your learner’s permit and get behind the wheel, not only are you not smooth, you are probably quite awkward if not downright awful! But, depending on what your instructor teaches, how clearly he teaches it (how soon he can make the light come on) and how much time you put into mastering it all, by age 16, 17, 18 you can become a better 9and smoother) driver than a lot of people twice your age.

The key is in learning 30-50 things consciously, gain confidence through experience so when you’re under pressure, you can “clear the mechanism” so to speak, and perform everything subconsciously in the 3-5 seconds you will have to make the right play.

“The more I practice, the luckier I get”- Lee Trevino 1981.

THop

Yeah, while not the actual game, I used to go out and throw a tennis ball against the wall of my house all the time during the summer as a kid. Used to have fictional games and everything. In my backyard there was even a crack in the staircase side that looked roughly like a K zone. That helped my control. One thing I found though throwing against the steps rather than on the cement side of the steps. I found that sometimes it would hit a corner just right. ANd well, that really helped hone my reaction time. Which would always be good for an IF


No

[Death to Crawling Things]

Is there anyway to gett all of these ground balls without playing "wall ball" or having them hit to you? What are other ways to get ground balls? Mabey a pitching machine?

Well wall-ball is way more cost effective. All you need to do is get some tennis balls. Wal-Mart should be stocked. I'd go get one of those plastic tube things with 3 tennis balls in it and throw'em until the yellow-green covers came off (literally, though they didnt have the bounce by then). Heck I played som much there is a couple places in the backyard that still doesnt have much grass growth on them.

[Quiz]

My advice would be working with one of these http://baseballtips.com/pancake.html and trying to improve overall flexibility, like maybe even trying to learn a split. Key is to get your butt down as far as possible.

[toomanyteesbroken]

Does it make a difference playing wall ball with asphalt or grass? All i have is a wall around asphalt and want to know if ill mess up how i judge the ball.

[brian920]

Along with that, would a tennis ball be acceptable to use?

[korp]

I think those pancakes listed might be a bit pricey I mean alls it is is like a foam pad .. probably somewhere has them cheaper. They are a good tool for soft hands and using both to field the ball.

If you play wall ball on asphalt you will get a true bounce everytime unless its not a level surface. I would prefer grass if you want the true experience because it will cause friction and some hops that aren't true like in a game. I don't see any reason using a tennis would cause a problem.

[nychamps2k7]

One of the things you guys arent looking at is the fact that when scouts are looking for players they want a player who looks good on his plays and can always make a play. When you watch college and pros, you dont see some clown out there who is tripping over his own shoes, you see a player who is a great fielder but also makes the play look good.

[brian920]

Nychamps, many kids want to be smooth and look good, but I have realized that smoothness is the result from loads of practice. Once you can make the plays with ease, looking good should come naturally. Prospects are prospects because of all the hard work they in. When they catch the eye of a scout with a smooth play, that play is the result of years of hard work.

Also, being smooth is really just a matter of flow. The smoothest fielders just flow, if you know what I mean. If you don't flow that doesn't matter in the end. I don't particularly flow. That doesn't make me from making the plays, and yes, scouts like smooth players, but only if they make the plays.

[korp]

One of the things you guys arent looking at is the fact that when scouts are looking for players they want a player who looks good on his plays and can always make a play. When you watch college and pros, you dont see some clown out there who is tripping over his own shoes, you see a player who is a great fielder but also makes the play look good.
Looking pretty and making the play smoothly are two different things. You will look smooth if you use good mechanics and practice alot .... trying to look pretty will keep you from getting some balls. Scouts want players that have sound fundamentals and look natural not some kid being a hot dog looking good. BTW when it comes down to it they want the player who will make the plays period because they can most of the time fix mechanics but can't make a player who has good mechanics but no skill much better. They want players with upside because if they can't improve chances are they won't ever be good enough to play major league ball.

[Horns]

i have some david matranga batting practice clips however i was wondering if anyone had any gifs of pro shortstops fielding hard strati on ground balls, backhands, and forehands.

much appreciated