Some questions on ground balls

[tip184]

I have a few notes on the techniques of fielding grounders that I will be adding to that 4/5 year old clinic I run. I would like to verify the following points:
*Should the back be almost parallel to the ground when reaching down to field a grounder?
*Should the feet be almost double shoulder width apart in both the stance and when fielding the ball to make it easier to get low to the ground?
*How much weight should the fielder place on the balls of their feet?
*When watching the ball into the glove, how early is too early in "showing the top of your cap"? Obviously you don't want to look down before the ball is there, so how do you ensure that players are not looking down too early?
*Finally, I know a lot of MLB players do this one; what are the benefits of practicing fielding ground balls from your knees?

[HYP]

I have a few notes on the techniques of fielding grounders that I will be adding to that 4/5 year old clinic I run. I would like to verify the following points:
*Should the back be almost parallel to the ground when reaching down to field a grounder?
*Should the feet be almost double shoulder width apart in both the stance and when fielding the ball to make it easier to get low to the ground?
*How much weight should the fielder place on the balls of their feet?
*When watching the ball into the glove, how early is too early in "showing the top of your cap"? Obviously you don't want to look down before the ball is there, so how do you ensure that players are not looking down too early?
*Finally, I know a lot of MLB players do this one; what are the benefits of practicing fielding ground balls from your knees?


Almost parallel, yes, but IMO if you say parallel they may bend over to much you want a slight angle I like chest up but that can be interpreted wrong as well.

Don't know about double shoulder width but a good start, what's comfortable and athletic for the individual player.

Again when I use balls of your feet I get kids to far forward. I use get off your heels.

If your player is looking down, see the top of the cap, to field a ball then they're letting the ball get to deep. If you teach fielding the ball out front reaching to the ball, if they have a good base, they should have a pretty good weight balance front to back and you won't have to worry about them dropping their head. If they learn to field out front you can minimize head movement and tracking the ball becomes easier because you are seeing the ball come in all the way to the glove.

Fielding ground balls off of the knees is a great drill. At young age just roll the ball from about 5yards away. As they get older you can move back and increase the velocity. My son is 16 and we hit grounders at him with him on his knees. I have them use one hand and field out in front. It is a great drill for glove control and to learn to trust the glove.

Hope this helps,

HYP

[soceric]

I have a few notes on the techniques of fielding grounders that I will be adding to that 4/5 year old clinic I run. I would like to verify the following points:
*Should the back be almost parallel to the ground when reaching down to field a grounder?
*Should the feet be almost double shoulder width apart in both the stance and when fielding the ball to make it easier to get low to the ground?
*How much weight should the fielder place on the balls of their feet?
*When watching the ball into the glove, how early is too early in "showing the top of your cap"? Obviously you don't want to look down before the ball is there, so how do you ensure that players are not looking down too early?
*Finally, I know a lot of MLB players do this one; what are the benefits of practicing fielding ground balls from your knees?

For 4 and 5 year olds, i'd mostly roll the ball flat, and teach them to move towards the ball, and then step/step right/left to breakdown to field it. Teach them the triangle, and center the ball into their belly. Make it real fun.. lots of high fives :clapping

[Chris O'Leary]

Here's a link to pictures of what the pros do...

- Pictures of Fielders (http://www.chrisoleary.com/projects/Baseball/Coaching/Resources/PicturesOfFielders.html)

[Knights Baseball]

what do yall think about getting into a regular fielding position, like most everyone does, except with the glove close to parallel to the ground, it is perpendicular by bending the wrist down. I saw a college coach teach this and he said to him, it made sense. He said in a regular fielding position, you only use like two or three inches of your glove. In the position he teaches, it is easier to transfer the ball and you use all 11 or 12 inches that the glove is.

[Knights Baseball]

The hands position he teaches is like pujols in the third picture in the link above

[glorydays]

i tell my 7's to get wide and low and some flex in their elbows. back of the glove needs to get dirty but not lay flat, we scope up and break the glove and ball before it gets past their knees...

[HYP]

what do yall think about getting into a regular fielding position, like most everyone does, except with the glove close to parallel to the ground, it is perpendicular by bending the wrist down. I saw a college coach teach this and he said to him, it made sense. He said in a regular fielding position, you only use like two or three inches of your glove. In the position he teaches, it is easier to transfer the ball and you use all 11 or 12 inches that the glove is.
I agree with this I teach them to cock the wrist which will put the glove in the position you said. Not only does it allow you to use more of your glove if the ball comes up on you it will not roll up your arm it will get knocked down in front of you so you will still have a play.

[Knights Baseball]

It is so easy to teach too. I just get those flat fielding paddles. That teaches kids the exact movement i like. I like for kids to use the glove as a pad and not close the glove. I like them to keep the glove open the entire time and trap the ball between their glove and throwing hand.

[callyjr]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhl1rtejLGg

I have been to this camp and also have the DVD, I wish I had this info when my boys were playing tball. There is a lot of stuff you won't use until there are older but they have a 5yr old on the video that gets into the triangle position perfectly. My boy started doing some of the drills this last week and its night and day already.

Cally

I would say start them learning right foot/ left foot and proper glove position from day 1.

[Knights Baseball]

Those kids have son great hands on them, look how easy the transfer is during the slow roller. Where did you buy the Dvd, the camp or can u order it?

[callyjr]

Those kids have son great hands on them, look how easy the transfer is during the slow roller. Where did you buy the Dvd, the camp or can u order it?


I took my boy to his camp and they made him look silly. He has been doing the drills for about 2 weeks now and we go back up for the next camp date on the 3rd. you can tell he wants to show coach Stubbs he has been working at it. You can order it at their website. Its worth every penny. Check out the camp prices once your at his website. Kinda hard to swallow at first, but I promise you its like no camp you have ever been too.

http://specializedbaseballcamps.com/dvd-purchase.php

[Knights Baseball]

Does this guy do just infield or is it all positions?

[callyjr]

Does this guy do just infield or is it all positions?

Just infield. regarded as one of the top infield coach's in the nation.

[Knights Baseball]

Def. going to check this out. I bought that Dr's position dvd's a while ago. He did a good job going over how to properly play all of the positions but wasn't especially great on fundamentals

[kylebee]

I took my boy to his camp and they made him look silly. He has been doing the drills for about 2 weeks now and we go back up for the next camp date on the 3rd. you can tell he wants to show coach Stubbs he has been working at it. You can order it at their website. Its worth every penny. Check out the camp prices once your at his website. Kinda hard to swallow at first, but I promise you its like no camp you have ever been too.

http://specializedbaseballcamps.com/dvd-purchase.php

Some of those kids have extremely quick releases to go with their good hands. Looks very solid; thanks for posting.

[Ursa Major]

Cally Jr. said: I took my boy to his camp and they made him look silly. He has been doing the drills for about 2 weeks now and we go back up for the next camp date on the 3rd. you can tell he wants to show coach Stubbs he has been working at it. You can order it at their website. Its worth every penny. Check out the camp prices once your at his website. Kinda hard to swallow at first, but I promise you its like no camp you have ever been too.
http://specializedbaseballcamps.com/dvd-purchase.phpCally, thanks for the tip. I looked at the video and the web site, and it made me realize that I've gotten a little too fixated on Ursa Minor's hitting at the expense of his fielding. I've gone ahead and ordered the DVD -- I know he won't sit down and listen to me lecture about fielding, but maybe he'll be inspired by a DVD by someone with those credentials and that track record.

Chris, I also appreciate the gallery of clips with the big leaguers using the alligator style of holding their hands over their glove. Kids are taught that at an early age, but somehow at around age 11 they seem to decide that it's "baby" stuff and try to glove everything one-handed .... or even worse with the "ole'!" matador style. It'll be nice to just shove a page of pictures of these guys in their faces to remind them what the really good fielders do.

[LAball]

The scariest thing about grounders is if the ball pops up and hit them in the chest ... face. This fear keeps kids from getting down on the ball. Emphasis the nonglove hand to protect the face and help scoop the ball in. I heard some call it the fangs of a snake.

A cue that has helped for set up and squat down a little and get your elbows to touch your knees. once there, relax the arms.

[dominik]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhl1rtejLGg

I have been to this camp and also have the DVD, I wish I had this info when my boys were playing tball. There is a lot of stuff you won't use until there are older but they have a 5yr old on the video that gets into the triangle position perfectly. My boy started doing some of the drills this last week and its night and day already.

Cally

I would say start them learning right foot/ left foot and proper glove position from day 1.

Great. I love to see great fielders like for example Evan Longoria. It's much more fun to watch than some old guys like jeter who are only in the league because of their good hitting(not that I not like him but a rangy infielder like longoria is just great to watch).

[gwynnfan]

Cally, thanks for the tip. I looked at the video and the web site, and it made me realize that I've gotten a little too fixated on Ursa Minor's hitting at the expense of his fielding. I've gone ahead and ordered the DVD -- I know he won't sit down and listen to me lecture about fielding, but maybe he'll be inspired by a DVD by someone with those credentials and that track record.

Chris, I also appreciate the gallery of clips with the big leaguers using the alligator style of holding their hands over their glove. Kids are taught that at an early age, but somehow at around age 11 they seem to decide that it's "baby" stuff and try to glove everything one-handed .... or even worse with the "ole'!" matador style. It'll be nice to just shove a page of pictures of these guys in their faces to remind them what the really good fielders do.

The head instructor at the facility where I used to work, every time we held kid clinics he used to yell "ALLIGATOR, ALLIGATOR" to all the real young ones. Made me laugh remembering him. But seemed to work well with the kids.

I tried to find the free link to this http://hrbaseball.com/ozzie-smith-video.html I used to have the 10 to 14 year olds watch it, they were amazed by Ozzie. Who wasn't! Does anyone have this link?

[BallCoach06]

Here's a link to pictures of what the pros do...

- Pictures of Fielders (http://www.chrisoleary.com/projects/Baseball/Coaching/Resources/PicturesOfFielders.html)

Sorry, but some of these pictures do not show a very good fielding position. Some are decent with the body, but poor glove position. Some are fielding on the wrong side of their body (Nomar), etc.

Here are a couple that I feel show everything very well.

[BallCoach06]

I took my boy to his camp and they made him look silly. He has been doing the drills for about 2 weeks now and we go back up for the next camp date on the 3rd. you can tell he wants to show coach Stubbs he has been working at it. You can order it at their website. Its worth every penny. Check out the camp prices once your at his website. Kinda hard to swallow at first, but I promise you its like no camp you have ever been too.

http://specializedbaseballcamps.com/dvd-purchase.php

I first saw materials from Coach Smart and Coach Stubbs last January when Coach Cheff from Lewis and Clark spoke about them at the ABCA last year.

Since then I have communicated with coach Smart several times and received the DVD. Great stuff! I now utilize a lot of the techniques, drills, in the infield lessons and camps I run.

The one thing I have done that is a little different, is that I have my kids always practice in a size 9.5 infield training glove. It is a lot smaller and really helps to promote the deflection of the ball to the throwing hand. I like these gloves much better than the pancake gloves, but I still use those on certain drills.

[callyjr]

Some of those kids have extremely quick releases to go with their good hands. Looks very solid; thanks for posting.

thats one of his focus points. He works everything on getting the ball above the fingers on grounders and below the fingers on regular catches. Everything is geared towards deflecting. He had a timer and pulled out a kid and timed him from catch to contact to the 1b glove. The time was 1.5, he then times one of the kids you see on the video and he hit 1.15. This is one part that I can say that if your kid can master this he will play in HS. I know TG says it doesn't matter until they get to the big field, but I think coach Stubbs would disagree. It was interesting listening him talk about college and the pros to these kids.

[HYP]

Sorry, but some of these pictures do not show a very good fielding position. Some are decent with the body, but poor glove position. Some are fielding on the wrong side of their body (Nomar), etc.

Here are a couple that I feel show everything very well.
The one thing i talk about with my kids is you don't want your hands at 12 and 6, which is what I see a lot of youth coaches stressing, especially with the alligator. Notice how Pedroia is more of 1 and 7, sometimes 2 and 8. Nice shots.

HYP

[callyjr]

The one thing I have done that is a little different, is that I have my kids always practice in a size 9.5 infield training glove. It is a lot smaller and really helps to promote the deflection of the ball to the throwing hand. I like these gloves much better than the pancake gloves, but I still use those on certain drills.


interesting, I may give it a try.

[HYP]

thats one of his focus points. He works everything on getting the ball above the fingers on grounders and below the fingers on regular catches. Everything is geared towards deflecting. He had a timer and pulled out a kid and timed him from catch to contact to the 1b glove. The time was 1.5, he then times one of the kids you see on the video and he hit 1.15. This is one part that I can say that if your kid can master this he will play in HS. I know TG says it doesn't matter until they get to the big field, but I think coach Stubbs would disagree. It was interesting listening him talk about college and the pros to these kids.
Cally,

I agree quickness is just about everything. My son, 16, does not have the arm strength as some of his peers. He is a 2nd baseman, but he is extremely quick with his hands and feet around the bag. He has turned more DPs then the kids with stronger arms. We are working on the arm strength, but I stress quickness and an acurate throw.

Thanks for the link,

HYP

[BallCoach06]

interesting, I may give it a try.

Let me know if you need any help finding one. They are pretty easy to find though. I know Akadema, Mizuno, Valle, and a few of the Mexico glove companies make them. They range from around 9-10 inch. I have the 9.5 Akadema.

They really do make the fielders use palm more on groundballs to deflect instead of trying to get it in the fingers of the glove.

[kylebee]

Cally,

I agree quickness is just about everything. My son, 16, does not have the arm strength as some of his peers. He is a 2nd baseman, but he is extremely quick with his hands and feet around the bag. He has turned more DPs then the kids with stronger arms. We are working on the arm strength, but I stress quickness and an acurate throw.

Thanks for the link,

HYP

Raw arm strength at second base, while useful, is not all that important. Your son's fast release and technical proficiency with the pivot around the bag are the biggest thing that coaches tend to look for defensively from a keystone defender (and his range, of course). Good luck! :)

[BallCoach06]

Cally,

I agree quickness is just about everything. My son, 16, does not have the arm strength as some of his peers. He is a 2nd baseman, but he is extremely quick with his hands and feet around the bag. He has turned more DPs then the kids with stronger arms. We are working on the arm strength, but I stress quickness and an acurate throw.

Thanks for the link,

HYP

One other thing to mention about quickness. Getting the ball out of the glove is important (deflection), but also make sure to emphasis the short arm arc. I teach my infielders to think about leading with the elbow when bringing the ball up and not leading with the hand. When I use this cue it really shortens up that arm arc.

Also, on DP turns I tell my guys to remember two things. 1.) never take the ball below where they caught it when making the throw and 2.) to throw from where you catch it. So, if you catch it low, you throw from down low (don't come up). Remember the Joey Wong DP at the CWS.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR7CCvrZAt4


We do several drills that we call "clock drills" that help re-enforce the different arm angles that and infielder will throw from.

[Knights Baseball]

Any body remember the Baseball World Videos on fielding, those kids were unbelievable.

[tip184]

Great advice and information so far guys! Much appreciated.

Could someone describe to me what the deflection is? It sounds like a technique that would be great to introduce into a baseball program.

[BallCoach06]

Great advice and information so far guys! Much appreciated.

Could someone describe to me what the deflection is? It sounds like a technique that would be great to introduce into a baseball program.

Here is brief description of how I define it.

Deflection is simply deflecting the ball into the throwing hand instead of fielding the ball in the web of the glove (fingers) and then trying to find it and pull it out with the throwing hand.

Basically you try to field the ball above the fingers (with the palm). Think of it as trying to field with the glove open at all times and not closing to catch the ball.

Now, sometimes you will have to field more with the fingers and pinch it. Something like a play to the extreme left, a player will probably have to pinch that ball and not deflect.

[gwynnfan]

When I taught my son ( 15 yrs ago ) I made a 10 inch circle piece of wood with a strap on the back to use as a glove. I used to throw or hit grounders at him. really taught him soft hands and quick deflection. Now I use the training gloves too. A little safer with other parents kids and works great too.