Teaching Baseball: Introducing Tips Good Coaches Teach

One can just look at the little things like how the players get on and off the field. How do the players conduct themselves around the dugout and between innings transitioning during the pitcher and catcher warm-ups.

When you are mentoring baseball coaching tips keep in mind how teams and players in higher levels of baseball do things. The professional baseball players are taught how to play baseball the right way. The pro coaches know how to manage their players and know how to build confidence.

Baseball Tips for Coaching Baseball Infielders and Outfielders

Catch the ball in the upper pocket and web of the glove. That is the softer part of the glove. The heel is the hard part where balls might bounce out of the glove. The Pro’s call it a ‘goat head.’

Only put about half your palm inside the glove. This way the players’ fingers are intertwined in the glove but not the hard palm part of the hand.

Firstbasemen: Hustle out between innings so you can give each infielder at least two practice/warm-up plays. You may be frustrated from you at-bat. Put your frustration aside and get yourself out to 1B and begin tossing warm-up grounders to your infielders.

Youth Coaches: When giving your instruction teaching baseball, DO NOT ‘huddle up’ with your team prior to taking the field. This wastes valuable catching and throwing time and opportunities to have your infielders get their practice throws in and to stay properly warmed up during the game.

You want each infielder to get at least two warm-up plays throwing to 1B from their deep position. There is no baseball instruction you can say to them during this time that is more important than physically getting their warm-up throws in between every inning.

Fielders: Do not ‘take your bat out to the field’. What ever frustrations you have with your batting leave the bat in the bat rack. In other words, you have to forget about your last at bat and concentrate on your defense. You don’t want to have a mental lapse out in the field that is caused by excessive agonizing over your previous at bat.

Infielders between innings: throw from your number one position using the one-shuffle throwing footwork.

Infielders put your gloves together—outfielders put you gloves together in the dugout so when players are stranded on the bases after the third out the other players take their gloves to them between innings.

Baserunners: hand your batting helmet to the nearest base coach and have you teammate bring your glove and hat to you.

Centerfielder and firstbaseman always put a ball in your glove when you come in the dugout between innings. The first base coach is usually in charge of getting the ball to and from the first base man.

Pitchers and catchers often sit near each other in the dugout. Catchers are talking and building self confidence in their pitchers. Baseball catching includes helping to build mental toughness along with pitching instruction. Catchers go over the signs in the dugout so you are prepared before taking the field.

Never throw the ball on the run unless it is absolutely necessary. When ever you can get your feet gathered under you and make a good, strong, accurate throw. Throwing on the run is a too much of a high risk play and should be avoided if possible.

Slow rollers: Often fielders are forced to throw on the run when charging a chopper or drag bunt. Catch the ball with two hands just inside the glove side foot. Transfer the ball to the bare hand and throw it on the next step off the right foot. So it is ‘catch it with two hands on the left—throw it on the right’. It should be a continuous running action without stopping momentum.

Teaching Baseball: Stuff All Players Should Know

A professional baseball person can smell a baseball coach that has been around a mile away. Teach your youth baseball players the right way to play the game. Teach them Stuff all players should know.

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