Fielding with two triangles

This post can now be found HERE.

Footwork for 2nd basemen on the flip

This post can now be found HERE.

Second basemen – Back up first base!

This post is now HERE.

Double-Relays

This post is now HERE.

Infield footwork

This post is now HERE.

The Delayed Steal (Part 3)

This post is now HERE.

Middle infielders: Backing up return throws

Middle infielders need to pay
attention to this throw ...
and return properly. 
(Photo by FourSeamImages)

By the time kids get to the high school varsity level, most middle infielders  know that when there are runners on base, especially one at third, they should be taking a step or two up the middle after each pitch in order to back up/check the throw from the catcher to the pitcher.  Should a throw by the catcher get past or go over the pitcher, someone needs to be on it quickly enough so nobody advances or scores.  If a middle infielder is not doing it, they need to start immediately and do it after every single pitch.  No exceptions.

Today’s tip involving this basic responsibility has more to do with what the two middle infielders do after backing up the throw from the catcher with a runner at first base.  The next time you are at a high school game, first notice if the middle infielders actually back up at all.  If they do, watch what happens next.  Many of them will check the throw and then turn around to return to their position.  If they don't actually turn around, most will take their eyes off the runner.  Both of these are bad habits.  Never turn your back on or take your eyes off a runner in this situation.  A sharp, fast runner might notice this and may take off towards second base while both middle infielders’ backs are turned.  There aren’t many more embarrassing plays for a middle infielder than to have this happen to them.  A middle infielder, having checked the throw, should walk backwards to his original position with his eyes on the runner at first.

If you are a runner, look for this mistake.  If you are a middle infielder, make sure this mistake never happens.

Tips for diving after ground balls

Being a defensive minded baseball person by nature, I love watching highlights of great defensive plays by infielders.  For me, a player diving for a ball and getting up to throw a strike to first base is better than watching a batter hit a game winning home run. 

Although some of these Major League infielders have extraordinary physical abilities that cannot be taught, there are some technical aspects of making a play like this that can be learned.  The key of course is make time to practice them.  Some might argue that practicing “Web Gems” is fluff and a waste of time.  I disagree.  It not only adds some spice to the monotony of practice but may even lead to an unbelievable play to save a  game!

When practicing your diving, work on including the following: 

Dive with both arms out.  If you dive with only your glove arm extended, it will be very hard to get up after the catch.  Having both arms outstretched on the dive allows you to push up with both arms instead of just one.

Twins shortstop JJ Hardy dives with both arms out.
(Photo by Mike Carlson, AP)

Angle towards the outfield.  When you dive, try to get into the habit of diving slightly towards the outfield.  This allows you a little more time to reach ground balls because the ball is traveling a few feet farther before you touch it.

Bring your feet to your hands.  After catching and landing with both arms outstretched, plant your hands on the ground and bring your feet up to where your hands are.  Your momentum on the dive should allow this to happen fairly easily.  What players don’t want to do is try to do a pushup with their arms.  That will require a player to stop his momentum before doing the pushup to get up.  Use your momentum on the dive to your advantage.

Land wide.  When you bring your feet to your hands, be sure to land with your feet wide – slightly more than shoulder width.  This will immediately put your body in a strong base which is better suited for a long, strong throw.

Land with your front side facing your target.  This takes some body control but try to land not only with your feet wide but turn your body as you are coming up to enable your front side to point to the target when you land.  This is not always possible depending on where the ball is hit but it can be a big help in saving time before throwing.

One hop the throw. Especially on long throws, don’t be shy about throwing a one hop throw to first base.  A low, line-drive throw that bounces once will usually get to first base more quickly than a big, slow arcing one.


This clip shows all the above tips in action except the one hop throw.  Keep pausing it to see each step of the process.

Tips for an underhand toss

There are a number of plays in baseball that require an underhand toss:

Ranger pitcher CJ Wilson

• A first baseman tossing the ball to the pitcher covering first.
• A pitcher fielding a hard hit bunt on the first base side and tossing it to the first baseman.
• A pitcher tossing the ball to the catcher on a squeeze bunt.
• A shortstop tossing the ball to second base on a double play or force out.
• A second baseman tossing the ball to the shortstop on a double play or force out.

Like everything else in baseball, there are a lot of little things that go into a simple throw like an underhand toss.  Here are a few to make it the best it can be.

Yankee first baseman Mark Teixeira

Get your glove out of the way. Some players make the mistake of keeping their glove too close to the ball when they throw a ball underhand.  This makes it tough for the receiver to see where the ball is coming from.  After catching the ball, put your glove on or near your hip so the fielder clearly sees your throwing hand and where the ball is coming from.


Step to your target when you toss.  Standing still and tossing underhand tends to make your arm swing too high or not high enough.  Catch the batted ball, step towards your target, and underhand while you are moving to the target.

Former Tigers shortstop 
Adam Everett

Don't let your arm go above parallel.  When you swing your arm up to toss, make sure your arm doesn't go too high.  Stop it at the parallel mark.  An arm that stops before that will tend to toss the ball too low.  An arm that stops higher than that tends to put too much arc on the ball or throw it too high.


"Shake his hand." Recoiling after letting go of the ball screws up your accuracy.  After tossing the ball, stop your arm at the parallel mark and keep it there as you move to the target as if you are going to shake the hand of the person you are throwing to.

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard

No arcs.  Firm, line drive tosses only.  A toss with too much arc will get there slower and usually is too high to handle easily and quickly.


Keep your head still.  By "still" I mean do not lift it up as you are throwing.  From the start of your toss to the finish, keep your head at the same height from the ground.  Picking your head up brings your arm up as well which creates an arc.


Chest high.  Aim for the chest.  It is more easily seen and handled by your teammate.


Throw and go.  Continue moving in a straight line towards your target after tossing to improve accuracy.


As you can see, even a simple play like an underhand toss involves a lot of little things that must be done consistently to get the most out of it for you and your teammate.

Catching tip for middle infielders

The concept “As you get older the game gets faster” has been written numerous times on this blog in many different forms.  Careers are ended when a player’s abilities cannot keep pace with the speed of the game at a particular level.  For some, it’s Little League.  For others, it’s high school, college, or a level within pro ball.  This entire blog (and my reason for creating Baseball By The Yard!) is designed to teach players how to make their game better and quicker so they can keep moving up the ladder.

Quick actions are important for every position, especially shortstop and second base.  A middle infielder cannot survive very long in baseball without having quick glove work during the process of catching and throwing.  Fielding and throwing to first, turning double plays, and tagging runners all require fast hands.  There are many tips to help players do these responsibilities more quickly.  Future posts will deal with many others but here is a quick tip that can decrease the time it takes to catch and throw.

Catching and throwing quickly is the foundation 
for success on defense.  Chase Utley, glove 
open, throwing hand nearby.

Don’t close your glove unless you have to.

This tip applies to fielding and throwing ground balls as well as turning double plays.  Closing the glove around the ball every time a player catches adds a little time to the process of catching, taking the ball out, and throwing.  A small amount of time is added because the player has to open the glove before reaching in.  It’s not much time but it all adds up.

To practice this, when playing catch middle infielders should try to catch the throws without closing their glove.  This requires soft hands and having the throwing hand close by.  Instead of catching the ball, a player should try to redirect the ball into the throwing hand.  It takes practice but if a player learns the feel of it, he usually does it by habit from there on after.

This tip isn’t going to take a player from high school right to the major leagues but it’s another little thing that a player can do to help keep pace with the game as they get older.

Hitting: Watch the middle infielders

Paying attention to these two guys can
sometimes pay off big for hitters.
(Photo by Post406)

In a couple previous posts, one for shortstops and one for third basemen, I mentioned the need to adjust positioning based on the batter and what pitch was being thrown.  As a hitter though, sometimes you can notice these adjustments if the infielders make their movements too early or too obvious.  A good tip for hitters is to watch the middle infielders after the pitcher gets the sign from the catcher.  Some infielders who sees a fastball called may move a step towards the opposite field thinking the batter may be late on a fastball.  An off-speed pitch may make the infielder play the batter more to pull.  These scenarios certainly can vary depending on who is pitching and who is hitting so understand that there is never one way that it's done.  The point is, observing middle infielders can sometimes pay off big for the offensive team if one or both of those middle guys are tipping off what is being thrown.  Of course, this all depends on players being very observant to things that are oblivious to most people watching the game.  These are great things to look for if a player is a bench guy and looking for something to do.  Pay attention.  You might be surprised with what you see. 

Infielder tips for shallow fly balls

We've all seen these plays ...

• An infielder goes out on a shallow fly ball and collides with an outfielder charging in to make the catch.    or
• An infielder goes out, both the outfielder and infielder call for it, everyone stops, and the ball drops in between them.

Communication is always important in baseball but especially during plays like these.  Here are a couple tips for infielders to help avoid these two problems:

Give a verbal and non-verbal signal.  Sometimes it comes down to just not hearing your teammate calling for the ball.  This happens more in big, noisy stadiums at the higher levels but it can be a problem at any level.  An infielder goes back into shallow outfield, faces the infield, and calls for the ball.  Because he is facing the infield, his voice is projected away from the outfielder.  When the wind is blowing in from the outfield, this becomes even more of a problem.  To combat this, you'll see many MLB infielders use both a verbal and non-verbal signal to let the outfielders know that they are calling for the ball.  They not only yell for the ball but they will hold their arm(s) out to the side as they yell for the ball.  This gives the outfielder a chance to see and/or hear that the infielder is calling for the ball.

Run out of their vision.  When an infielder is called off by an outfielder, it is important for the infielder to run out of the outfielders line of vision.  If the outfielder is moving in and looking up at the ball he can still see the infielder in his line of vision.  Even if the infielder has conceded the play the outfielder may think the infielder is still going for the ball and may slow down or back off.  That's when the ball bounces in between them.  When called off, an infielder should run away from the play by going left or right.  This takes the infielder out of the outfielders line of sight so the outfielder clearly knows that the infielder is no longer going after the ball.

How to tag base runners

On the surface, it seems pretty basic.  Catch the ball and make the tag.  However, like everything else in baseball, there's a lot of little things going on under the surface if you dig a little deeper.  Here are 10 tips to make sure your tagging of runners is more successful. 

1. Footwork.  In a previous post on second base mistakes, I talked about footwork issues like getting to the base and straddling the bag.  Those same principles apply to any base.  Check it out to get keys about footwork before receiving the throw.

2. Keep it in front.  Also stated in the previous post was the idea of making sure the ball does not get past you.  A coach will not get too upset if a runner is safe at a bag.  He will get very upset if the ball gets past the fielder and all runners move up another base.  Of course, the ultimate goal is to try to make the catch and apply the tag but fielders also need to know when to cut the losses, forget the runner and the tag, and just make sure the ball doesn't get past them.  There are certainly going to be times when the throw is just too bad to stop but try your best

Evan Longoria does whatever he can to keep
the throw from getting past him.[DIRK SHADD | St. Petersburg Times]

3. Let the ball come to you.  For this tip, we'll start by assuming that the throw to you is a good one.  If it isn't, remember tip #2.  Fielders sometimes make the mistake of reaching out too far with their glove to catch a thrown ball before making a tag.  They then have to bring the glove back and down to tag the runner.  A thrown ball will travel faster than your ability to do this.  Let the ball travel to you so that after the catch you are able to just go straight down instead of back-and-down to apply the tag.


4. Glove above the ball.  When possible, position your glove above the thrown ball so that you are catching the ball with your glove on the way down.  If your glove is below the throw, you'll have to raise the glove to catch and then change direction to bring the glove down to tag.  Keeping the glove above the ball allows you to catch and tag in the same downward motion.


5. Capital V.  This tip is connected to #3.  Reaching out to catch a ball promotes a "sweep" tag.  Since you are allowing the ball to come to you, tag with a straight down and straight up motion.  Think capital "V" instead of a capital "U"  It's a little quicker.

   Glove fingers forward.
(AP Photo/LM Otero)

6. Fingers tips forward.  Many fielders tag sliding runners with the back of their glove so the runners foot doesn't knock the ball out.  The problem with this is that the back of the hand and sometimes the index finger are exposed to the spikes.  Try tagging with the fingers of the glove facing the runner.  This still protects the ball but also protects any exposed parts of the glove hand.


7. One hand.  Two handed tags are usually reserved for catchers and also little kids who are still learning to catch the ball safely and properly.    One handed tags are quicker so as players get older, they should be using one hand.


8. A dead out.  Occasionally, a runner will be out by quite a distance.  If the ball gets to the bag well in advance of the runner, catch the ball and place the glove straight down on the ground in front of the bag.  Don't assume the runner is going to give up.  If he slides, he'll do it right into your glove.  If he gives up (more likely), move forward towards the runner and bring the glove up to tag him.  Just bringing the glove up - without moving forward - may allow the runner to quick slide at the last moment and get under the tag.  

9. Stay low.  This mainly applies to catchers because of a possible collision at the plate but it's good advice for all fielders on a tag play.  Should a runner lose his mind and try to run over a fielder on a tag play, the fielder is much safer if he is lower than the runner.  This type of collision will almost never happen to a fielder but you never want to assume it won't.  


10. Re-tagging.  We've all seen this play .. a runner slides and is tagged.  The runner continues sliding past the bag and the fielder, seeing that the runner has slid past the bag, goes after him again.  The runner beats the second tag and the umpire calls him safe.  Why?  Because when you re-tag a runner, you are sending the message to the ump that you missed him the first time.  Resist the temptation to re-tag unless you are positive the runner will be out again on the re-tag.




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Shortstop Mistakes



Figure 1: Omar Vizquel: Proper
footwork and momentum.

Part 4 of 12 that takes us around the field to look at common mistakes by position. 

Charging straight at the ball. This mistake is understandable since that is what younger kids are correctly taught to do at the lower levels.  However, as kids get older the game gets faster. Eventually, charging straight at the ball creates problems with timing, footwork, balance, and momentum.  All these prevent players from keeping up with the pace of the game.  This is true for all infielders but especially for shortstops since they generally have longer throws and less time in which to do it.  The correct way is to get to the right of the ball when you charge.  Additionally, the last two steps before catching the ball should be right foot then left foot, in that order.  A fielder should not be back in front of the ball until the left foot lands.  Staying to the right allows for proper footwork and also creates momentum towards your target.  Stepping right foot then left foot puts the ball back in the center and also shifts the body’s momentum to the player’s left (towards 1^st base) even before catching the ball.  This is what’s happening with Omar Vizquel in Figure 1.  Fielders can “move through the ball” and never have to stop to catch a grounder and then waste time getting started again.  Staying to the right isn’t always possible depending on where and how hard the ball is hit but the best shortstops have practiced it and are quick enough to do it more often.

Figure 2: Jeter across the bag, away from the
runner, side arm throw.  (SI Photo)

Catching the ball over the bag on a double play. As stated earlier, the game gets faster as you get older.  Turning two a little faster is one of the many little things that can take a shortstop from good to great.  Many young shortstops get to the bag on a double play and then stop to receive the feed from the second baseman.  They catch the ball right over the bag and then turn to throw to first.  Eventually, this isn’t good enough.  When the ball is hit, the shortstop should sprint to within 5 feet of the bag.  He then “sneaks up on the bag” using shorter, more choppy steps to read the throw.  If the throw is on target, he then steps across the bag with his left foot to catch the ball.  In effect, he is catching the ball about 2-4 feet on the right field side of second base.  This enables him to catch the ball 2-4 feet sooner than if he caught it over the bag.  He also has decreased the distance of his throw to first by a few feet.  As Figure 2 shows, Jeter is farther away from the base path making the play safer as well.  The most difficult part to this play is the “sneaking up on the bag” and reading the throw.  Shortstops have to be careful not to assume the throw is going to be on target and come across the bag too soon.  Slowing down (not stopping) to read the throw and then speeding up to get through the bag takes a lot of practice and timing but the better ones do it.

Only one arm angle. To be a premier shortstop, a player needs to practice and be comfortable with throwing with every possible arm angle.  From throwing right over the top all the way down to practically scraping his knuckles on the ground, different situations call for different arm angles in order to maximize the combination of quickness and arm strength.  Throwing at one arm angle all the time (side arm, ¾, over the top, etc.) limits a shortstop's ability to handle any play that comes along.  Generally speaking, when a shortstop needs a longer or stronger throw (relays or plays in the hole), an over-the-top arm angle should be used.  Short throws (like feeds to 2^nd base) that require more quickness than arm strength allow for lower angles.  Turning a double play calls for a combination of arm strength and quickness so a ¾ angle or side arm works best (Figure 2).  Practice and train your arm to be comfortable with every angle.

(MLB Photo) Cal Ripken.
The master of anticipating
and "leaning."

“Dropping an anchor.” Too many shortstops pick one spot where they are comfortable playing and position themselves there virtually every pitch.  That's called "dropping an anchor" because the player doesn't move from that spot.  Some may have two spots – one for a lefty hitter and one for a righty.  Premier shortstops (and other fielders as well) consider many variables and change their positioning as a result, sometimes changing every pitch.  This is especially true for a shortstop since they have a lot of ground to cover.  The movements may not be extreme but they do occur.  For a fantastic visual of this, click here.  Premiere shortstops also develop the ability to “lean” depending on who is batting,  the count, and the pitch.  Here is an example.  A right-handed pull hitter swings and misses badly on two slow curveballs in the dirt low and away.  The next pitch called for is a hard fastball on the inside corner.  99.9% of the time, that hitter will never pull that pitch in that location.  The shortstop might “lean” up the middle on the pitch to account for this.  In doing so, a shortstop can pick up an extra step or two of range if they lean correctly.  This, of course, takes practice, experience, and a good awareness of what’s going on around you.  This is what coaches and scouts mean when they say a fielder has “good instincts.”  However, it is not all “instinct.”  It can be practiced, learned, and developed like any other skill. 

Tomorrow:  Third Base

Second Base Mistakes

This is the 3rd of 12 posts related to common mistakes by position.  Today I address common mistakes by second basemen.

Late getting to the bag.  A second baseman has to master the area around the second base bag.  A big part of that is getting to the bag on time for double play pivots, steals, and pick-off attempts.  Slow footwork in their approach to the bag and positioning themselves too far from the bag are two big reasons why this happens.  Know your foot speed and position yourself accordingly.  If your footwork is slower, cheat closer to the bag before the pitch.  If your foot speed is quicker, you can afford to position a bit farther from the bag.  Tip: Stand where you would normally be if there were no runners on base.  Now take three good size steps towards home plate and then three steps towards second base.  That’s “double play depth.”  (Note: The same is true for shortstops).  A faster player could get away with 2 steps in and 2 steps over.  The point is…know thyself and do what you need to do to get there on time.

(AP Photo)
Orlando Hudson doing it right!

Straddling the bag too soon.  This applies to covering the bag on a steal attempt.  Many second basemen get to the bag, immediately straddle it, and wait for the throw from the catcher.  This works as long as the throw is right on target.  If not, and at the lower levels it usually isn’t, the second baseman is stuck in a horrible position to go get bad throws.  (Note: This applies to a shortstop covering as well.) If the throw drifts towards the first base side of the bag, the second baseman will have to contend with catching the ball while trying to avoid a sliding runner.  Many times the ball ends up in centerfield.  The correct way is to get to the bag a little sooner (see "Late getting to the bag" above) and position both feet on the home plate side of second base.  If the throw is on target, drop your left foot back over the bag (now you’re straddling it!), catch the ball, and apply the tag.  If the throw is off-line, being in front of the bag allows you to move in any direction to go get a bad throw without worrying about contacting the runner.  (Orlando Hudson does this correctly in the picture.)  A coach will not be upset if the runner is safe.  He will get upset if the ball ends up in centerfield and the runner gets to third.  It takes a lot of practice but it needs to be done.

(AP Photo)
Scott Rolen.  Every second
 baseman's nightmare.

Using the same double play pivot.  Too many second baseman find a double play pivot they are comfortable with and only use that one.  Different situations call for different approaches to turning a double play.  Who is giving you the feed?  How far away are they? How hard is the throw? How fast are the runners?  Is it a good throw?  How strong is your arm?  All these questions get computed and the best second basemen adjust accordingly.  Coming across the bag is best in certain situations.  Coming back off the bag is better in others.  Straddling the bag sometimes works as well.   Knowledge of the varieties that exist and the work ethic to master them all makes you a more versatile second baseman.  It also helps with your safety.  The last thing I want is to have a runner like Scott Rolen know for sure where I’m going to be on a double play turn.  If he does, he can put his head down at contact and run directly for the spot where he knows I’ll be.  Advantage Rolen. If I show multiple varieties, he has to wait to see where I am going before he slides.   Advantage me.  It could be the difference between turning two and being knocked into left field.

Poor timing when jockeying runners.  I admit, this may seem a little trivial but I tend to be a stickler on the little things.  In an attempt to hold runners close, too many second baseman jump around and jockey the runner on second before the pitcher is even looking at them.  All the second baseman is doing is wasting energy.  Even worse, when the pitcher does finally come set and look back at the runner, some second basemen have already returned to their fielding position.  The timing should be as follows:  Move to within 15 feet or so of the bag and just wait still.  The pitcher will get the sign from the catcher and should look back at the runner as he is coming to his set position.  Start your jockeying only after he has come set and is looking at you.  The runner will be on higher alert because you are jockeying close to the bag and the pitcher is paying attention.  The tough part is breaking back to your position when the pitcher throws to the plate.  Great players have better timing and get back quicker as well.  Read this related post on that topic.

Tomorrow:  Shortstop