How to Play Baseball
Coaching & Playing Middle Infielders
It can be difficult for youth baseball coaches to know how to play baseball when they have not spent any significant time around higher levels of baseball. Often to teach kids baseball it is really nice to have been exposed to college baseball or professional baseball. Unfortunely, very few volunteer baseball coaches have been blessed with playing baseball at the college or pro levels. So, we are left with observing our peers, copying other coaches in youth leagues and pure ignorance.
How to Teach Baseball: Baseball Mental Tips
It takes only an inning or two of observation to know if the baseball coaches know how to coach baseball. Just watching the dugout and how it operates. Are the extra bench players engaged and in the game? Chasing foul balls, playing catch with the outfielders, and back up catcher? Then, are the corner infielders playing correctly? Are they holding base runners on when they are supposed to or not supposed to? Then, watch the middle infielders. The shortstop and second baseman will tell you how well the coaching knowledge is. Begin by watching where they take their infield warm-ups between innings. Are they in their positions playing deep or are they playing shallow so they do not keep their baseball throwing drills properly distanced? Are they taking the proper footwork of one shuffle and throw or are they taking multiple shuffles when they throw the ball to firstbase?
Best Baseball Tips:
Teaching Baseball to Middle Infielders
To teach kids baseball playing middle infield you have to use a little common sense. Why would a baseball coach or a baseball player want to have their pitcher throw a pitch when the shortstop or secondbaseman are standing on secondbase? That should never happen. Why would a baseball team give that much room for the hitter to hit the ball through the infield? You just do not teach baseball infielders to play that way. Your baseball team is at quite a disadvantage giving up that much ground to the batter.
Baseball Skills: Defensive Middle Infield Strategies Holding Runners
Eliminate your middle infielders standing on second base when the pitch is thrown. Pitchers should either step off the pitching rubber or attempt a pick-off if the shortstop or second baseman are on second base or are out of fielding position. The simplest baseball technique is to have your middle infielders jockey back and forth alternating between the two. If the runner wanders off the bag too far unattended then the infielders begin jockeying in and out. If that does not keep the base runner honest then keep going to the bag. The pitcher can step off or proceed with a pick-off play.
Hints and Tips:
Middle Infield Baseball Techniques
• Hold the baserunner close if they are a base stealing threat and the game situation calls for a steal.• If a hitter has a tendency to pull the ball or hit to a certain field you may want only one infielder to ‘kick around’ the base runner. • Know the speed of the base runner: If the runner is not real fast then leave them alone and cover more defensive ground. • With two outs: There is not that much advantage to hold a runner close to second base with two outs because stealing third base with two outs is not that much of an advantage. It is better to play back and take away the base hit. • The lower leagues like little league do not allow for a baserunner to lead off the base. Leave the runner alone. The players will have to learn to hold runners on when they reach 13-year-old baseball leagues. • Watch college and pro baseball games. Look at the middle infielders and the corner infielders and where they play in various situations. • Encourage catchers to throw back pick-offs to second base if the runners are getting to far off base on their secondary leads. (First base too). Do not get caught with your infielders standing on secondbase during the pitch if you want to know how to play baseball like the pros.
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