Indoor Hitting Drills

Yesterday's post dealt with some indoor practice tips.  Below are some drills specific for those hitting stations that allow you to maximize the time and space available.  Of course, these tips and drills are also great for individual players who are looking for ways to improve their hitting when they are stuck indoors at home.


Hitting drills for station work:

No stride drills – I’m a big fan of these drills because they stress to players that you don’t need a big stride to hit.  Live hitting, short toss, soft-toss, and tee work are all options for no-stride stations.

High pitch Tee – set the tee to the highest position to work on the highest pitch a batter can hit.  Placing the tee on a chair works great.  This forces the batter to work on getting on top of the ball.

Low pitch Tee – Set the tee to the lowest position.  As kids get older, more pitches will be down there so they better learn how to hit it.  A future post will show a video clip of this one which has a different twist to it!

Soft toss – Options for stations include normal bats and indoor balls, broom handles and tennis balls or golf Wiffle-balls, inside pitch, outside pitch, high pitch, and low pitch.

Stand in – Great option for a station if pitchers are throwing as well.

Wall 1 – Often called the fence drill where a hitter faces bat-distance away from a wall or fence and swings.  Works on keeping the hands inside the ball so the bat doesn’t contact the wall.  A padded gym wall helps in case the player does make contact with the wall.

Wall 2 – Batter stands as if the wall is where the pitcher is.  His front foot is proper stride distance from the wall.  He strides to the wall and completes a fundamentally sound slow motion swing until the bat gently taps the wall.  This works on swing mechanics, proper stride length, and prevents lunging.

Soft-toss / Top hand – The batter places his back knee down on the ground and extends his front leg out towards the wall or catch net.  Batter swings using only his top hand on the bat.  Tiny Little League bats are good for this drill.  Works on proper top hand performance on the swing.

Soft –toss / Bottom hand – Same as above but with the bottom hand.

Mirror swings – Slow motion or full speed swings where the batter can watch their own mechanics and make adjustments.  Windows work very well also depending on the reflection.

Bunting -  Stations may include bunting to first, bunting to third, suicide squeeze, base-hit bunts to first, and base-hit bunts to third.


There are many more so please add if there are some you use frequently!

Indoor practice tips

With flood warnings in effect for my area over the next few days, it appears we will have to endure the wonderful "indoor workout" nightmare.  If you live in one of the warmer, drier states, I hope you appreciate it.  In Pennsylvania and certainly areas more north, we usually start the season in, shall we say, less than ideal conditions.  A few years ago our very first day out on a field ended up being our first league game.  The weather prevented us from getting even one day of practice on grass beforehand.  Baseball is not alone.  At our high schools, the spring sport season consists of softball, boys and girls lacrosse, boys and girls track, boys and/or girls volleyball, boys and/or girls tennis, and possibly other sports as well.  When poor weather arrives, all have to fight for indoor gym time to practice.  To make matters worse, many times you don’t know when or where your time slot and location will be until the last moment.  It becomes a logistical nightmare at times.


It is what it is.  


To keep your sanity and also get the most out of your indoor practice it becomes essential for coaches to plan and run an indoor practice on the assumption that you will not have a lot of time or a lot of space.  

Unfortunately, high school coaches and players usually
become very intimate with spaces like this.

Here are some tips for your indoor work that can allow you to maximize the time and space available.  

Indoor Coaching Tips:

Plan ahead.  Meet with your coaches early on and discuss options for any scenario.  Come up with plans in advance for a 30 minute practice, 60 minute practice, 90 minute practice, etc.  It’s also good to plan for hitting only, pitching only, infield only, outfield only, etc. practices which can help alleviate the amount of kids you have to deal with indoors on that day.  Quickly pull out these plans as needed in a pinch.

Use stations.  Standing around on the field is bad enough for players.  A whole team standing around waiting for one kid to get out of the indoor batting cage is not only torture, it’s a waste of time and space.  Break them up into small groups and rotate them around to a variety of drills.

Keep them moving.  Boredom kicks in very quickly indoors.  Limit each station to 5 minutes or less.  It will force players to focus more on each drill since their time is limited.  Go around the stations a few times if necessary but don’t keep them in one spot too long.

Use every possible space.  Gyms, hallways, cafeterias, and classrooms are all fair game if managed correctly.  If you use indoor appropriate equipment to prevent damage and return everything to where you found it, most administrators and teachers will be very accommodating.  Don’t be afraid to ask.  Or just do it and apologize afterward if needed!

Bring out the gadgets.  Tennis balls, Incrediballs, mini-golf balls, superballs, fielding paddles, broom handles, and such are great indoors to break up the monotony of indoor work.  Be creative and improvise to keep drills fresh, challenging, and interesting.

Avoid full length BP.  If you are fortunate to have an indoor batting tunnel, divide it in two halves and have two stations going at the same time.  More players are able to work simultaneously.  Short-toss, soft-toss, and tee work are usually more productive options than one pitcher throwing and one player batting in a tunnel.

Bank it.  Keep files on indoor drills for pitchers, catchers, hitters, base runners, outfielders, and infielders.  Keep thinking and searching for new ones and add them to your bank of drills.  Pull them out when needed.

Coaching is not easy.  Failing to plan and organize practices just make things worse for everyone!

Indoor drills for outfielders

Of all the positions on the field, the outfield positions tend to get shafted the most with regards to indoor practice.  I'm based outside of Philadelphia so we routinely have to spend many practice days indoors because of rain or snow.  Farther up north is certainly worse so don't feel the need to shed tears for me.
If it is not possible for outfielders to find a clear, dry area to practice on (other field, parking lot, etc), try these indoor drills that work basic outfield skills.  As always, if you have other drills, pass them along!

Pass drill:  Each outfielder gets a ball and stands in line.  One at a time, an outfielder jogs towards a coach and flips the ball to him.  The player runs around the coach and goes out for a pass.  The coach throws a pass with the ball and the outfielder runs it down.  The next player than goes and the drill continues.  This works on running technique, glove technique, catching on the run, keeping your head still when running, eye-hand coordination, and timing.  After each player has gone twice, have players approach the coach from the other side so the player is running and looking over the other shoulder this time.

Corner drill: This drill replicates a ball hit to an outfielder's left or right.  Players line up on one side of the gym (to the left or right corner of a base-line on a basketball court for example).  A coach rolls a ball towards the other corner of the gym.  The outfielder cuts the ball off (running down the base-line towards the opposite corner) before it hits the wall, turns, and throws to a middle infielder who acts as a cut-off man at the other end of the gym.  This works proper angles, footwork before and after catching the ball, and hitting the cut-off man.

Wall drill:  An outfielder stands in the center of the gym and sets up as if a pitch is being thrown.  The coach tosses a ball over the outfielders head so the ball rolls to the wall.  The outfielder turns and chases the ball, fields it off the wall and throws it to a cut-off man at the other end of the gym.  This works the footwork going back on the ball, reading balls off the wall, getting to the proper side of the ball before catching (right side if right-handed, left side if left-handed), and throwing accuracy to the cut-off man.

Zig-Zag drill:  Outfielders line up next to and to the left of a coach at one end of the gym.  A player runs straight ahead and looks over his right shoulder for the throw.  When the coach yells "now" the player whips his head around to his left shoulder as the coach tosses the ball over that shoulder.  The outfielder tracks it down and catches the ball.  This drill mimics a ball hit over the outfielders head that curves or is wind-blown to the other side of the outfielder.  Players should quickly whip their chin/eyes around to the other shoulder (yes, they will lose sight of the ball for a split second) so that they continue running with the same forward mechanics.  After a few turns apiece, have players line up on the other side of the coach to practice the other side as well.

Come-up throwing drill:  Players line up on one side of the gym facing the other side.  A coach starts the process by throwing a ball at the far wall.  The first player in line charges the ball that is now bouncing towards him, gloves it, and throws it to the far wall.  The ball bounces off the wall and the next outfielder then charges and does the same.  The round-robin drill can continue as long as the coach wishes.  This drill works on charging balls, footwork before and after catching, being aggressive through the ball, proper arm angle (over-the-top) when throwing, and accuarcy.   

First-step drill:  Place four cones on the four corners of the basketball court.  One outfielder stands in the middle of the court - the others off to the side.  The player sets up as if a pitch is being thrown and a coach points to a cone.  The player reacts as if a ball is hit towards the cone.  A coach could even toss a ball towards a particular cone for the player to try to catch.  This works on first step quickness to the ball, proper angles, and aggressiveness. 


Note: All the drills mentioned above certainly work outside as well.  Modify them for your needs and the ability level of the players you work with.  Create some new ones of your own!

All you need is a ball and a wall

My elementary school playground.
There is no telling how many hours I
spent there practicing by myself.

I was fortunate to grow up in a house right next to an elementary school.  Anytime I got bored I would walk up and throw a ball against one of the brick walls that were part of the school.  The picture to the right shows two of the walls I would use.  With the amount of balls that I threw up against those bricks, it's amazing the walls are still standing.  Hugh Alexander, a famous scout, once said the best thing a father can do for his son in terms of baseball is to build him a wall to throw against.  I could not agree more.  I mentioned in a previous post that a friend of mine at Mississippi State created a video called Wall Ball.  In it are suggestions and drills for using a pitch-back screen.  Below are some advantages to using any type of wall and also tips to getting the most out of it.


Advantages:

A great indoor option if you have
access.  Do not hurt the wall
or the floor with the balls!

• You can practice by yourself
• Every position on the field can be practiced - just use your imagination
• Develops arm strength
• Not much space is needed
• Develops pitching accuracy
• If there are lights (mine did), you can throw day or night 
• Can practice year round.  A few times I brought a snow shovel!

Perfect!  Even has a strike zone.

Tips to using a wall:

• Throw at varying distances - short toss to long toss if space permits
• A rubber pitching machine style ball works best.  Leather balls get torn up.
• Use different sizes and types of balls to develop soft hands, quick reactions, and eye-hand coordination. Tennis balls, racquet balls, super balls, Super Pinkies, and golf balls are all fair game and work great against a wall. 
• Use your glove and just your bare hands at times too.
• Use a training glove or pick up a paddle at the dollar store to develop proper two-hand fielding.
• If you are able to use an indoor gym wall, be sure to use balls that do not mark up the wall or the floor.

So if you are looking for something to do that is productive, challenging, fun, and FREE ...  go find a wall!

Base running tips for the indoor off-season

As winter kicks into gear, many players around the country are stuck indoors for much of their practice routine.  Hopefully this includes some base running as well.  Here are five tips to get the most out of your indoor running.

A base runner's off-season best friend.

1. Run distance and sprints.  Using a stationary bike and/or treadmill can help with the distance.  A long hallway in a school is good for sprints.
2. Master your leads.  Indoors is great for practicing your leads off each base.  All you need is one base and pretend its whatever base you need.  Get comfortable with the distance of your leads until you don't have to look at the bag as you are moving off.  A good base runner never has to look back.  He knows how far off he is and where the bag is.
3. Master your starts.  Spend a lot of time on your jumps at first base, especially if you are a base stealer.  This can be a little tough on a slippery gym floor or hallway so you may have to improvise with your traction.  Work on your second base starts as well using a walking-lead-then-sprint technique.
4. Read as you run.  This technique works best for longer sprints or base running on a field but it can also work in a long hallway as well.  Here is what you do.  Pick out a sign, word, symbol, number, etc. somewhere down the hall and as you are running keep your eyes on the sign.  This helps in two ways.  First, it teaches you to run with your eyes up.  Second, if your eyes are bouncing around a lot and you cannot read the sign well, your running technique needs to be smoothed out a bit - probably running on the balls of your feet more to keep your eyes still.
5. Use game-like situations.  Incorporate the things you would have to do in a game.  A hit-and-run is an example.  After your quick start, look to your left for a second or two like you would do in a game to see what the batter did with the pitch and then continue your sprint.  Work on your technique if you deviate from your line when you look in.  To make this more challenging, pretend the ball is hit down the right field line.  After looking in at the plate, turn your head to the right for a second or two to "see" the ball down the right field line.  Then look forward as you continue to run.  Great runners should not deviate from their straight line sprint even though their eyes are not looking straight ahead for the first few seconds.

Although the weather outside may be frightful, there is much to be done indoors if you have the desire and an imagination to improvise.  Get to work!