Receiving pick-off throws at second base

I recently did a post on throws to second base by pitchers on pick-off moves.  This one deals with the footwork around the bag at second on the part of the shortstop.  If you are a reader of Baseball By The Yard, you are probably aware that I am a firm believer in proper footwork.  […]

Throwing on the run

Head still, eyes level and locked on the target There are many situations in baseball when fielders will need to catch a ball and throw it “on the run.”  Slow rollers are usually when you see this the most.  Throwing on the run is one of the more difficult plays because it requires quick hands […]

Ladder of Accountability

About a year or so ago, I was flipping through the TV channels and came across a speaker who was speaking at a conference.  It turned out that the speaker was a gentleman by the name of Bruce Gordon, who served as the CEO of the NAACP for a stretch.  What caught my attention was […]

Pick-off throws to second base

One of the more demoralizing things that can happen to an offensive team is to have a runner picked off.  This is especially true when the runner is at second base and thus taken out of scoring position.  A pitcher has a couple different ways to perform a pick-off at second base.  One is the […]

Base running with two outs

I have always told my players that base running should be the easiest part of the game.  In no way am I implying that base running is less important than the other facets of the game though.  Many games can swing one way or the other simply because of good or bad base running.  I […]

The push-bunt (Part 2)

In Part 1 of the push-bunt, I talked about the value of a push-bunt for right handed hitters over a traditional base hit bunt down towards third base.  Today I list and explain the mechanics of the push-bunt so that players can do it more effectively. Before getting into any of the specifics of how […]

The push-bunt (Part 1)

When a right handed batter bunts for a base hit, you’ll usually see him direct the bunt down the third base line.  There are a number of situations that call for this kind of bunt and a variety of little things associated with doing it correctly.  What you don’t see much of at any level […]

On your own (Part 2)

Yesterday, in Part 1, I spoke about the value of letting runners decide for themselves when to steal a base.  Today, it gets more specific on what runners should look for and provides some tips for coaches who might be interested in giving it a shot. What are some things a runner should look for? (Photo by […]

On your own (Part 1)

There are a lot of advantages to the runner deciding for himself when to steal and when not to.(Photo by Josh Geer) I was watching the Phillies the other night and the two announcers discussed something that is not well known at the lower levels of baseball.  They were talking about how the straight steal sign […]

The slide step

Let me say right off the bat that I am not a big fan of the slide step.  In my opinion, it is way overused at the younger levels and even at the high school level.  I even think some arm injuries are at least partly caused by too much slide stepping.  I’m sure there […]

The slow roller (Part 2)

Yesterday, I listed the mechanics of fielding the slow roller.  Today it’s tips for teaching and practicing the play.Practice tips When I work on this play with infielders, especially those just starting out, I usually do it in steps.  It starts off very easy in order to learn and get comfortable with the footwork and […]

The slow roller (Part 1)

One of the toughest things an infielder has to do is field and throw on the run.  This usually occurs on slow rollers, swinging bunts, sac bunts, and base hit bunts.  The player has to charge, field the ball (or barehand it), and normally throw off the opposite foot.  It requires a tremendous amount of […]

Putting runners in motion

Aggressive base running is a valuable weapon for any offense.  Putting runners in motion in all its forms puts a lot of pressure on a defense because they are forced to deal with multiple things at the same time – throwing, covering bases, chasing and fielding grounders, pop-ups, etc.  The more things you make a […]

Fielding in "less than ideal" conditions

Note: For the past two days, Blogger has not been allowing writers to add/edit posts due to maintenance issues with the site.  Sorry to those who check in daily.  Hopefully Blogger will not let that happen again. In my area of the country (Pennsylvania), the second week of May is usually when the weather begins to […]

What to do IF you are picked off by a lefty.

The other day I did a post on How NOT to get picked-off by a left-hander at first base when the steal is not on.  Of course, when a runner does have the steal sign, he can be in for a real challenge with a left hander on the mound.  Especially when the lefty has […]

Team Climate

A player’s perspective on thingscan be very valuable to a coach. If you are a coach, there is a technique that is rarely used but can offer some very valuable information with regards to team chemistry and how your players think of your coaching.  We all know that what kids say to a coach and what […]

How NOT to get picked off by a lefty

A while back I wrote three posts called the Cardinal Sins of Baseball that got a lot of positive feedback.  One of the cardinal sins I listed on the Offense post was getting picked-off first base when there is no steal on.  There are quite a number of things that can get a player a […]

The mini tee

The Schutt Tee In yesterday’s post called hitting the low pitch, I mentioned that exaggerating the low pitch when you train is a great way to improve.  Practicing getting to a pitch correctly at your shins makes a pitch at the knees not look so difficult anymore.  The problem with this is, how does a hitter practice […]

Hitting the low pitch

If you want to keep moving up, youbetter learn how to handle this pitch. Every now and then I get a laugh from a TV baseball announcer when he says “this guy is a good low-ball hitter.”  Although some guys are certainly better at it than others, there is more to that story.  As you […]

Act as if …

The “Gentleman of baseball” isn’tso gentle once the game starts,especially in his own mind. To piggy-back off of a recent post on Fear and Arrogance, a problem sometimes arrives with regards to arrogance.  Some players find it difficult or even might reject the idea of a need to be more arrogant.  Many have been taught to […]

The forbidden conversation

Having pitched at the college and professional levels, I think I have a pretty good idea as to what makes a pitcher successful enough to pitch at those levels.  Although I did not make it to the major leagues, I played with and against many pitchers who did.  We have had many conversations with our […]

Fear and Arrogance

Given the number of times I have referred to the film Bull Durham, you can probably guess by now that I’m a fan of the movie.  Even though there are some exaggerations in the film, just about every scene has some element of truth to it when it comes to the game of baseball.  In […]

Snap throws to third base

One of the more demoralizing things that can happen to an offensive team is to have a base runner picked off third base.  I’ve written a post or two on base running and taking leads but this post is for the defensive team and mostly for the third baseman and catcher. Watching how this guys […]

Fast paced practice drills for defense

The following are defensive drills that are great for keeping everyone moving and working on game-like situations.  Each sequence is intended to be run for about 5 minutes to keep focus high.  Some of the situations require a coach to either throw or hit balls but many can work by players rolling or throwing each […]

Pitching: Using both sides of the plate

As pitchers move up through the various levels of baseball it becomes increasingly important to have command on both sides of the plate.  Hitting is a very difficult skill.  However, a pitcher who uses only half the plate – say the 8 ½ inches of the outer half – is making things much easier for […]