School teams have one coach who directs all play, offensively and defensively. He usually sits on the bench and gives signals to the first-base and third-base coaches, who in turn pass them on to the batter or base-runner.

The head coach of a team is responsible for planning all the pre-game strategy and the tactics during the game. He makes up the lineup, placing his hitters in the batting positions he believes will bring the most runs. In planning the lineup, he must also consider which players are hitting the ball well, which players are in a slump and which players do well against the pitcher they will have to face.

Batting Order. – Most coaches stick to the same formula in making up a batting order. The No. 1 hitter is fast afoot, an excellent judge of a ball and a strike, and a player who is hard to pitch to because he is small or has an unusual stance. This player should have the ability to draw a great number of walks, thus getting in position to start his team toward a run.

The No. 2 hitter should have about the same qualifications as the lead-off man, but he should be good as a bunter and a batter who can hit to right field. A single to right field by the No. 2 batter, if the lead-off hitter is on base, most likely will result in a first-and-third situation.

The Nos. 3, 4 and 5 batters should be the power hitters. There is really not much difference in whether the No. 4 hitter should bat third, or vice versa. However, it is good policy to have your strongest batter hit in the No. 3 spot. In this way he is certain of getting up in the first inning, and over the nine innings may get more chances to bat than the Nos. 4 and 5 hitters. It’s interesting to note that Babe Ruth, baseball’s greatest slugger, batted in the No. 3 spot throughout most of his career.

The No. 6 hitter should be a bit stronger than the No. 7 batter since he may have more opportunities to drive in runs than the No. 7 man. The No. 8 batter is perhaps the weakest hitter in the lineup, with the pitcher following in the No. 9 position.

Many school coaches who have a pitcher who is also a fine hitter, will place the pitcher much higher in the lineup. There is nothing wrong with this strategy, particularly if the pitcher is strong and physically able to carry the hitting, as well as the pitching burden.

Signals. – Each hitter should know just when to be alert for a signal. Sometimes the situation is so obvious that the hitter automatically knows he is on his “own” at the plate.

With bases empty and one or two strikes on the batter, it’s quite obvious that the coach is not going to tell him to “take” a pitch. To take a pitch means to let one go by. This signal is usually given when the batter is ahead of the pitcher in the ball-and-strike count, or if the coach wants the batter to take the first pitch from the pitcher in the hope that it will be a ball.

Don’t be discouraged if you are ordered to take a pitch as you get to the plate. There is nothing wrong with this strategy, especially if the pitcher is inclined to have a little control trouble. A pitcher who gets behind in the count constantly is in trouble, and when the count gets two balls and no strikes, or three balls and one strike, you may then get the pitch which you will be able to drive out for a safe hit.

Follow your coach in all things, and your baseball will only get better!

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In Bean Town, even coming off a World Series triumph with another awesome pitching rotation (the second World Series victory in four years after their excruciating drought) there will always be anxiety about what lies ahead in 2008.

Are the Red Sox the favorite again for the new year; and equally – if not more – important, did the Red Sox do more in the off season than the New York Yankees did to maintain their advantage in the constant arms-race? Truth be told, neither of those teams succeeded in landing the most coveted of those arms, pitcher Johan Santana. But in the broader spectrum, both did prevent each other from getting him by raising the stakes too high.

Even without Johan Santana, the Red Sox present a very formidable pitching rotation entering the 2008 campaign. At the top of the heap is Josh Beckett, coming off a stellar regular and postseason effort in 2007. While he will likely miss the opener, he should be good to go for the rest of the season. His initial move to the American League provided some doubts about whether he could hang with the long ball hitters of the power league, but last year squashed any lingering uneasiness. Josh Beckett is an ace that any team would love to have.

Red Sox Pitching Veteran The Big Schill

Pitcher Curt Schilling will miss a significant chunk of the season; he has already been placed on the 60 day DL. There is no specific timetable for his return to the Red Sox pitching rotation; however, it is likely that he will be out at least through the All-Star break. The question for him will be if, at 41 years old, he can rehab successfully enough to perform at his potential after his return. If there is one thing everybody knows about Curt Schilling though, it is to never count him out.

With Curt Schilling out of the Red Sox pitching rotation for the time being, Daisuke Matsuzaka should be the clear number 2 starter. His first year pitching for the Red Sox showed that a lot of the hype was called for, there is certainly some great potential to Dice-k’s game. However there were also inconsistencies that will need to be improved upon.

It should be expected that his sophomore run with the Red Sox pitching rotation should prove even more successful as he is more familiar with the more grueling MLB schedule and the quality of opposition.

Red Sox lifer Tim Wakefield will be returning to the mound once again offering up his swerving floaters for any that dare to hit – or catch – them. Jon Lester is healthy and will be ready for a full season of work after his battles off the mound with cancer. Clay Buchholz – he of the no-hitter in his first ever start in the majors – is expected to be the 5th man in the Red Sox pitching rotation.

However, in the interest of protecting his young arm, as well as a performance-level that will not always be no-hitter worthy, the 5th spot in the rotation will be up for grabs.

Red Sox Pitching Gets a New Man

The Red Sox acquired former Cy Young winner Bartolo Colon and thus far he has exceeded expectations. His arm seems strong and he is dealing his stuff at a high level. His fastball will no longer top out close to 100, but if it can reliably stay where it has been thus far, in the low to mid 90s, then he could certainly fill a void the Red Sox will have in the pitching rotation with injuries to Schilling and a host of young arms filling out the staff in Lester and Buchholz.

Depending on who is healthy, pitching well and ready to go, the Red Sox could deploy a six man rotation at times during the season or have Colon ready for long relief or the occasional start as needed.

However that last spot in the Red Sox pitching rotation fills out, the defending World Series champs are presenting a strong front in their quest to repeat. Of course, the Red Sox will also be aided by having some great fielders behind them, such as standout Jacoby Ellsbury covering every inch of centerfield (and helping out with Manny Ramirez’s leftfield, no doubt). The Red Sox pitching rotation are saying No Johan, no problem, and with their bevy of great arms you can see why.

So when healthy, you can expect the Red Sox pitching rotation to be Josh Beckett, Curt Schilling, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Tim Wakefield and Jon Lester, with Clay Buchholz and Bartolo Colon in the mix as well.

Jason OConnor writes for www.BestShowTicketsLasVegas.com.
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With the advent of the great American pastime, Players, Coaches, Parents and Inventors have made amazing strides in the development of baseball mitts and gloves. Advancing Player performance at all levels which is tempered by distributed cost are the challenges faced by all.

Many significant advances are protected by United States Patents. Contemporary gloves make these original designs seem obvious in their development. But at the time, these changes were ground breaking.

An early Patent, Ball Players Glove. Although not baseball specific, the abstract gives full detail on what it is used for and whom they are to protect. Filed by Edwin Loucks of New York on August 23, 1887 under Patent Number 368,724. Essentially, this is an open finger glove with leather palm and rear strap with buckle.

The ringing goal for his invention was to be ‘serviceable, cheap and extremely durable.’ Here, Player protection while participating in this new game drove its development.

As it has been said before, what is old is new again with time. Even in 1887, cost control for players was in the thoughts of their parents and equipment makers. The best mouse trap in the world is useless if the cost to acquire it outweigh the benefits of having one.

Further United States Patent 1,056,909 in 1913 by Charles M. King of Washington DC as assignor to AG Spalding & Brothers a New Jersey Corporation. In the Abstract, “The object of my invention is to produce a base ball glove or mitt in which the palm portion is constructed to present a more adherent surface in catching a base ball.”

Notice that baseball way back then was two words. But this summary pretty much starts it all; modern age of improving glove technology and the gloves ability to catch a baseball. Here creating equipment to functionally assist the Player.

US Patent Number 01,496,824 Robert F. Nixon Jr. of Philadelphia Pennsylvania took things up a notch with his patent in 1924 by most notably adding fingers to his Baseball Gloves and Mitts Design.

Through the history of baseball, design changes like these have been added to those then contemporary models. Each improvement enabling Players to stretch just a little farther or make plays during the heat of the moment not previously seen.

Another US Patent Number 2,750,594 by Henry Denkert of Johnstown NY added one of the most recognizable features still used in baseball glove and mitt manufacturing today. He created the baseball glove with a pre-formed pocket. His creativity forever solved an ongoing problem. “Gloves of conventional construction take considerable time for the pocket to form properly and since the padding can shift its position, the pocket may not retain its proper shape.” This break through occurred in June 19, 1956

From this point forward gloves look much as they do today. Changes in assembly, materials and processes still add to the equipments ability to function at a higher level then their predecessors.

One lingering question on the mind is would the historical greats have done better or worse if contemporary equipment was available to them. Would a 1924 Major League short stop have the same skill and ability if he was trained with a superior performing glove. Would he have learned to use two hands as well as he did when his glove demanded two hand performance?

It almost seems obvious that the player using a pocketless glove would have a significant in developing the use of two hands for all catching situations. When choice is provided between using two hands or clasping with one, modern players, particularly new players, opt for the single hand solution. Without great Coaching, breaking these habits is extremely difficult and could spell the demise of the Players advancement.

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We all know what the Mets got when they acquired Johan Santana this week. They got baseball’s best pitcher. And, the Phillies and MVP Jimmy Rollins are now looking up at their arch rivals again regardless of who Jimmy thinks is the team to beat. Johan is now with one of the best teams in MLB; in the Senior Circuit, he now has the ability to face a pitcher every nine at bats. Hence, Santana’s already lofty draft position in fantasy baseball is now even greater.

But what did Minnesota get besides getting rid of a salary that the small market Twins knew they would not be able to afford after this season?

Carlos Gomez is the player that fantasy managers will be happy to pick up with a low round pick in deep leagues. Gomez played the role of defensive outfielder with a lot of speed in 2007 for the Mets. And, what speed he has! The 22-year-old Dominican is said to even be faster than Mets’ shortstop Jose Reyes who led the NL with 78 stolen bases last year.

Gomez swiped 12 bases in 15 attempts while playing in 52 games and hitting .232 in 125 at bats for New York. Gomez played a similar role to what Michael Bourne, now with the Astros, did with the Phillies.

Gomez is seen to have the inside track to earn the starting center field job with the Twins in ’08. If he can hit just .250, he’ll be a nice leadoff man that can quickly get into scoring position for the big Twins bats like Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, and Michael Cuddyer. Expect Gomez to swipe 30-40 bases in 2008. We don’t expect he’ll hit for much average, but if he gets enough AB’s, Gomez can add 15 homers as well.

Kevin Mulvey is an interesting addition to the trade and should battle for the # 4 or # 5 starting pitcher spot with the Twins. Mulvey, 22, was the 62nd pick overall in 2006 when the fireballing right-hander gave up his senior season at Villanova to join his favorite team as kid. The New Jersey native has a fastball that can be overpowering and a biting slider. Mulvey was 11-10, 3.32, in 26 starts with the New Orleans Zephyrs (AA) last year in his first pro season. BallparkBob watched Mulvey throughout his career at Villanova and thinks Mulvey’s potential is enormous. Consider picking up Mulvey, especially if you play in a league that rewards strikeouts and retains players from year to year.

Philip Humber, 25, is the most seasoned of the pitchers the Twins picked up. The Rice graduate had a cup of coffee with the Mets in each of the past two seasons when he compiled 13 innings pitched. Humber had Tommie John Surgery and has never appeared to fully regain his fastball which is now in the 87-91 range. Humber’s out pitch is his curve. If the Twins decide to keep Mulvey at AAA this year, teh mroe experienced Humber could be the man to earn a starting job.

The final pitcher is Deolis Guerra. The 18-year-old Venezuelan pitched in High A last year for St. Lucie and probably has the most potential of all three, but Guerra is several years away from playing in the Show and should not be a consideration for Draft Day 2008 unless your Fantasy Baseball League lets you hold a 40-man roster for futures.

http://www.fantasybaseballdugout.com Anthony Wayne is an avid baseball fan. He’s visited the Field of Dreams in Iowa in honor of his favorite movie. He has won his fantasy baseball league 13 out of the past 15 seasons. Wayne is an editor for the Fantasy Baseball Dugout

In every fantasy baseball league, there’s always one guy who makes a surprise pick or two during the draft. He’s usually the guy who’s done his homework on Fantasy Baseball Sleeper Prospects. He’s the guy who reads Fantasy Baseball Dugout.

Fantasy Baseball Dugout is proud to present its 2008 Fantasy Baseball Sleeper Prospects. The criteria for qualifying as a sleeper prospect is that the player was not a regular for the 2007 season and that the season was his first in The Show. Most fantasy baseball sleeper players were September call-ups to The Bigs, but some you probably would not have heard of unless you were an avid minor league fan.

#1 — Joba Chamberlain, Starting Pitcher, New York Yankees.

Once a hefty 272 pound pitcher at D-II Nebraska-Kearney, Chamberlain lost weight and was simply dominating at every professional level in 2007. He’s an interesting guy–a Native American member of the Winnebago tribe.

A hamstring injury hampered Chamberlain and he did not make his pro debut until May. He then made it all look easy.

Chamberlain started at Hi-A Tampa where he went 4-0 with a 2.03 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 40 innings while holding hitters to a microscopic .181 average. He was promoted to AA Trenton where he went 4-2 in seven starts with a 3.35 ERA and a massive 66 K’s in 40 IP’s. After three appearances at AAA Scranton/Wilkes Barre where he fanned 18 in 8 innings, Chamberlain was promoted to the Yanks.

You would think that Chamberlain’s meteoric rise would have been too much to put up similar numbers with the Bronx Bombers. Nothing could have been further from the truth. Chamberlain worked out of the bullpen and appeared in 19 games. In 24 IP’s, he fanned 34 while walking just 6 and giving up 12 hits. Opponents were nearly invisible against Chamberlain at the plate with a .145 BA. Chamberlain’s ERA in the bigs: 0.38.

Chamberlain has the makings of a closer or a #1 starter. Manager Joe Girardi is going to be hard pressed to not move him quickly into that #1 starter role in 2008. Watch his status closely during Grapefruit League games. You could end up with a mid-round steal in Chamberlain.

Fantasy Baseball Dugout considers Chamberlain to be a top 20 pick among all pitchers in the 2008 fantasy baseball draft. He will win at least 15 games in pinstripes and will be a dominant strikeout machine with enormous upside potential in future years.

# 2 — Clay Bucholz, Starting Pitcher, Boston Red Sox

Bucholz is the best home grown pitcher from the Sox farm system since Roger Clemens. This guy is certainly no surprise given the fact that he tossed a no-no in just his second major league start last season against the Orioles. He likely would have made the Red Sox post-season roster had Boston not shut him down with a tired arm.

Bucholz was simply dominant in the minors last year and is another strikeout machine for leagues who take whiffs into account. Bucholz averaged 12.3 strikeouts per 9 IP last year in the minors with AA Portland and AAA Pawtucket.

All this despite the fact that Bucholz was not a full time pitcher until 2005 when he was picked in the first round supplemental draft by the Sox. Several teams stayed away from Bucholz because of an April 2004 theft arrest.

The right hander tops out at 95 MPH with his fastball and has a 12-6 curve to go along with an effective change. Most scouts would like to see him rely on his fastball more and it remains to be seen if he can hold up for an entire season as he pitched a career high 149 IP’s last year and was gassed at the end of the season.

Fantasy Baseball Dugout projects Bucholz as the # 4 starter this year for Boston behind Beckett, Matsuzaka, and Lester. He’ll get his chances to impress and will probably be the Sox # 2 man by next season.

# 3 — Jacoby Ellsbury, Outfielder, Boston Red Sox

Ellsbury is another guy who is already well known, yet still qualifies as a rookie. Ellsbury relieved a slumping Coco Crisp in the World Series last year and hit a sizzling .438 in the Fall Classic. This was after hitting .361 in September while playing for the injured Manny Ramirez. Not to mention, a Pawtucket record of a 25-game hitting streak.

Ellsbury hit .353 last year in just 116 AB’s. He won’t hit for much power, but is a force at the top of the lineup for a Red Sox team that will score a lot of runs. And, Ellsbury will help your all important stolen base totals. He swiped 9 in the Bigs last year and a total of 50 overall with his three clubs.

The ceiling is high for Ellsbury, but there’s no guarantee he will be with the club when the Sox break camp. While it is rumored that Boston is trying to move Crisp, Ellsbury may have to wait for a mid-season call up to break the starting lineup if the Red Sox can’t move Crisp.

# 4 — Ian Kennedy, Starting Pitcher, New York Yankees

Kennedy is another Yankee who benefited from exposure in a September call up. He started three games and had a sparkling 1.89 ERA while holding opponents to a .191 BA.

Kennedy rose through the Yank’s farm system like a torpedo last year moving from Hi A Tampa to AA Trenton to AAA Scranton/Wilkes Barre, before joining the pinstripers in September. His combined record was 13-3 with 178 strikeouts in 166 IP.

Kennedy’s best pitch is his changeup which has a nice run to it. He can hit 92 MPH, but is often criticized for a too slow curveball which can bottom out at a middle-schoolish 69.

Fantasy Baseball Dugout sees Kennedy as the # 5 starter in the Yankees rotation in a crowded pitching corpse that includes Wang, Petitte, Chamberlain, Hughes, and Mussina. Kennedy should win at least 12 games in 2008.

# 5 — Evan Longoria, third baseman, Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Another name you’ve heard of, but more likely because of its similarity to many men’s fantasy, and I’m not talking baseball at all here. Longoria was the third overall pick by the Devil Rays in 2006 out of a stellar All-American career with the Long Beach State Dirtbags.

Longoria, who played shortstop in college, is seen more as a third baseman in the Bigs. His lack of speed projects him better at the hot corner where he has soft hands and good body control that will likely push Akinori Otsuka over to second.

Longoria will get plenty of playing time for the Devil Rays and is the favorite to be the AL Rookie of the Year in 2008. Longoria is a .300+ guy with 30+ homers, even in his rookie campaign.

Last year, Longoria played at AA Montgomery and AAA Durham in one of the best farm systems in the MLB. He hit 26 homers while knocking in 97 RBI. Longoria also belted 29 doubles.

The knock on Longoria is that he can sometimes be too aggressive at the plate, sometimes chasing bad pitches. This led to 110 strikeouts last season.

# 6 — Brandon Wood, SS/3B, Los Angeles Angels

In 2005, Wood broke into the pro ranks with 43 home runs for High A Rancho Cucomonga. His season with the Quakes pinned Wood as a superstar, but his stats since, while good, have been a bit more pedestrian. He hit 23 homers and .272 BA at AAA Salt Lake last year.

Wood has power, but also strikes out a lot. He fanned 120 times at Salt Lake last year before getting 33 AB’s with the Angels. Critics site that Wood often tries to pull the ball too much which makes him susceptible to outside pitches.

The Angels still have Aybar, Figgins, and Izturis in the mix at shortstop, but none of these guys have the pop that Wood has. Expect Wood to be the Angels third baseman this season.

# 7 — Adam Miller, Starting Pitcher, Cleveland Indians

Miller has been dominant in the minor leagues, but has been injury prone so be sure to check his status before drafting him in March. He only pitched 65 innings last year at AAA Buffalo where he went 5-4, 4.82.

When he’s healthy, Miller can be lights out. He has hit 97 on the gun, although not as of late. Still, his slider is very impressive and clearly his best pitch. Miller has been more effective as he’s matured as a pitcher and not tried to blow his heater by everyone.

We see Miller as an eventual starter, but he’ll probably start 2008 in the Tribe’s bullpen or will battle the more experienced Aaron Laffey for the #5 starting job behind Sabathia, Carmona, Westbrook, and BallparkBob lookalike Paul Byrd. We’re thinking Laffey will earn the # 5 spot just to add a second southpaw to the Indians’ rotation.

# 8 — Daric Barton, first baseman, Oakland A’s

Barton was acquired from the Cardinals in 2004 in the Mark Mulder deal. After moving from catcher to first base, Barton had a streaky year in 2007 for AAA Sacramento where he hit .293 with 9 HR’s and 38 doubles.

He has no wheels and is not a power hitter despite weighing 205. Recently, he’s been getting more loft on his stroke, but he’s basically a line drive hitter of the Kevin Youklis mode.

A left-handed hitter, Barton will likely be the A’s starting first baseman this year unless Dan Johnson can beat him out which appears to be unlikely. He’s strong and hits the ball extremely hard so if Barton can pick up more of a homerun stroke, he could change his game and be a 20+ homerun hitter.

# 9 — Luke Hochevar, Starting Pitcher, Kansas City Royals

I know, picking a pitcher on the Royals is crazy, but this one is worth a look. Hochevar was the number one overall pick in the 2006 draft. His stats last year were, quite frankly, not impressive either–4.69 at AA Wichita and 5.12 at AAA Omaha.

But, that’s why we call them sleepers. Hochevar, 24, hits 95 with his fastball and has a late-breaking curve that can be devastating. He needs to work on his control and how well he does with his control will determine if he makes the big club in April.

Expect Hochevar to battle Kyle Davies for a spot in the Royals’ rotation behind Meche, Bannister, Greinke, and De La Rosa. Based on his less than impressive minor league stats, you’ll be able to pick up Hochevar in the late rounds and he could prove to be worth the gamble in large leagues.

# 10 — Jeff Clement, catcher, Seattle Mariners

Clement can flat out rake. But, there’s just one problem, the Mariners don’t have an opening behind the plate with Kenji Johjima there.

Clement broke Drew Henson’s national high school record with 75 career homeruns out of Iowa. Clement went on to play college ball at Southern Cal spurning the Twins offer in the 2002 draft.

The left handed hitting Clement stroked 20 dingers last year at AAA Tacoma with a .275 BA. He was streaky last year at Tacoma and his stats suffered from playing at cavernous Cheney Park in the Pacific Coast League. Clement slugged over 100 points higher while playing on the road.

With Johjima entrenched as the Mariners’ catcher, however, Clement will have to get his AB’s as a DH or when the M’s give Johjima a breather. Johjima hits righty so the left-handed hitting Clement should get some shots when the M’s face a bevy of right handed pitchers.

http://www.fantasybaseballdugout.com Anthony Wayne is an author for the Fantasy Baseball Dugout. Wayne has won his fantasy baseball league 13 out of the past 15 years thanks to his expert fantasy baseball insights.

Runners on second and third. The pitch is low and outside and passes the catcher. The scramble is on and the catcher recovers the ball quickly to find the third base runner half way to home plate. Catcher makes a throw to third as runner retreats only to have the ball bounce off the batters bat which is on his shoulder.

The hundred dollar question here is did the batter commit interference? There are several answers to this daunting question.

First, was the Batter still in the batters box? The batter is not required to leave the batters box on a passed ball unless a teammate is attempting to steal a base, then the batter is required to move out of the defenses way. So, in part 1 of this play, the batter moved correctly and there is no interference.

Has the Batter moved out of the batters box? In our scenario his teammate is attempting to steal home plate, but then retreats after the catcher recovers quickly. So, on the retreat is the batter to return to the batters box? No, the batter should stay where the ended up on the initial play of the passed ball and steal attempt.

Did the Batter move to serve an intentional purpose? If it is obvious, which I believe would be difficult if not impossible to distinguish, that the batter aligned himself to force the defender to work around his position to make the throw to third. It is unlikely that this can be determined, but if so, then yes, it is interference.

Was the Batter responding to instructions from the Umpire? Particularly in little league where players, bless their hearts, follow instructions from the Umpire without giving it a second thought, Umpires often give instructions as a good intentioned part of the learning process.

Unfortunately, any Umpire giving any instruction removes the player being instructed from any liability or penalty arising from that instruction. During the course of any game, Coaches are to instruct and Umpires are to rule on what the Players do.

If we change our scenario slightly, the runner at third has a good lead, but does not attempt to steal home plate and is walking back to the base with his back to the catcher.

With the Batter still in the batters box, there would be no interference as the Batter is protected by being in the box.

Should the Batter leave the box, then his has committed interference as there was no play at home plate and the Batter had no reason to leave the batters box.

If the Batter following the Umpires instructions, then there is no interference as the Umpire is interfering with the game.

Was the batter intentionally getting in the way of the defender, then yes, it would be interference. What is most important to remember is that the call on the field is up to the Umpire. They can only call what they witness. To argue what they witness does nothing but waste time and frustration everyone.

What you can argue are the rules and how they are applied to an event the Umpire witnessed. For a complete call, the Umpire must have taken note that the runner attempted to advance on the passed ball. This is the critical moment of the decision as it results in two significantly different decisions.

Players must also be aware of their responsibilities. In our fist scenario, as the runner made an attempt then the Batter moved correctly. The latter found the Batter at fault.

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There are several aids which can be helpful in the training of your baseball team.

Sliding Area.

The time to teach sliding is when a boy begins to play baseball. He is closer to the ground and eager to learn. Let the grass grow 6 or 8 inches high in foul territory at the end of a bullpen or outside the outfield fence. This is all the cushion the player needs.

Place a loose (detached) base in the center of the sliding area. Every boy who is physically fit should practice sliding every time he goes to the field, sliding three or four times to the right and three or four times to the left so that he forms the correct habit pattern and has no fear of sliding. He should wear sliding pads, basketball trunks, or heavy swimming shorts to avoid skin burns.

Pitching Target

The pitching strings, introduced to professional baseball by Branch Rickey, provide a target for a pitcher. Two strike zones are recommended. They are erected over home plates in the bullpen. (The bullpens, incidentally, should face in the same direction as the pitcher’s mound and home plate.) They can be built of scrap lumber, painted white, and anchored to the ground with wooden pegs for this purpose.

Poles 2 by 4 inches can be stuck into the ground approximately 10 feet apart with the 4-inch sides parallel to the pitcher’s mounds. The poles should be lined up so that cords strung between them will be directly above the front of each home plate. One string should be at the average knee-high height of Little League batters and the other string at the average armpit height of a majority of batters in each league.

The strings, which can be obtained in hardware stores, should be of strong white cord similar to a carpenter’s marking line. Once the cross-strings have been stretched, vertical strings at the width of each home plate should be strung between the cross-strings directly above the sides of a home plate to complete the strike zone.

Practice pitching mounds should be erected the proper pitching distance from the strike zones, and again practice pitching slabs can be built from scrap lumber, painted white, and anchored to the ground with wooden pegs.

When pitchers warm up, using the strike zone for a target, this practice can be made more realistic by having a batter stand in the batter’s box. In this way the batter has a chance to judge strikes and balls and become familiar with the pitched ball, and the pitcher gets used to pitching to a batter.

After a few sessions, the batter can start his swing and then pull back to get the practice of checking his swing when the pitch is bad. This is a good drill for the batter, but he should never go through with the swing because it would break the strings and might injure someone working out elsewhere.

Batting Range

If there is space near your playing field, develop a batting tee range. A net or canvas can be strung between poles or buildings. The size of the area is not too important, but an area from 8 to 10 feet high and 30 feet wide is recommended. This would take care of three batting tees and batters at one time.

By using a woolen practice ball, the batting tee area could be set up beside a building or any other barrier which would eliminate the necessity of going a long distance to retrieve the batted ball. A woolen practice ball will carry far enough in flight to determine whether the batter is hitting line drives, grounders, or high flies, and will eliminate the breaking of windows and other hazards of that nature. Again if no area is available, tees can be set up behind the regular field backstop and balls can be hit against the backstop. Use a rubber-covered baseball, plastic ball, or tennis ball if woolen balls are not available.

With these few aids, training your team can become much more effective.

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A team that has players who can throw and catch fly balls and grounders better than its opponents, and can come up with the clutch fielding play, is going to be hard to beat. The team that has the most agile fielders – those players who have fast reflexes and can change direction in a split second – will also have the better fielders. Thus, if the pitching and batting of the two opposing teams are of equal strength, the better fielding team will then be more formidable.

Good fielders, like good hitters or pitchers, do not require special physical qualifications. However, the player with the sharper reflex action will usually develop into a better fielder in a shorter space of time than a player of normal reflexes. This does not mean that the player of average reflex action cannot become a quality fielder.

The player of normal reflex should not be discouraged because he sees other players who seem superior to him as fielders. Better reflex action can be obtained by constant practice and proper conditioning of the body. By leaping, twisting and lunging for grounders, fly balls and throws, the fielder of normal reflexes will soon sharpen his reflex action and will in time work himself into a better than acceptable fielder.

Fielding in reflex action means the player performs his movements without thinking about them. His movements become natural and graceful and he is able to twist his body in any direction. Ground balls take many unexpected bounces; fly balls get caught in wind currents and may take sudden drops or carry farther than the fielder anticipated. The good fielder can adjust himself to these sudden hops and changes of ball direction.

Choosing a Position. – In choosing a position a player should select one he thinks he can play best; then concentrate on learning all the techniques involved in playing that position. Do not pick a position because your favorite major-leaguer plays it. That’s not mature reasoning and you will only hurt your chances of making the team if you can play better at another position.

Try to analyze your strong and weak points and then try out for that position where you can fit in, and also, at the same time, convince the coach that you are the best candidate for that specific fielding spot.

A player who is below average height and who can field any position equally well, should not try out at first base. It’s common sense that if you can catch a grounder while stationed at second base, shortstop, third base, just as well as at first base, you should concentrate on trying out for any of the latter three positions. This is because you would not be able to use your limited height to any advantage if you tried out as a first baseman. A first baseman must stretch high for high throws and well into the diamond for low throws. The coach would be more inclined to use a fielder at that position who has more height and reach than a player of limited height.

Infielders’ Stance. – There is a basic fielding stance for all infielders.
The infielder has good stance when his body is in a squat position, bent at the waist, knees turned out. His arms and hands are between his knees, enabling him to touch the ground without any undue strain. From this position, he is able to field a ball that hugs the ground, and he is in proper position to straighten up and grab a ball that may take a sudden bounce upward.

With practice and determination, you can become a great infielder.

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The pitcher is well known for his fastball. Your ace hitters are either knocking it foul or whiffing it altogether. There is a secret to beating a hard fastball Pitcher.

Fastball Pitchers are accustomed to having their way at the plate. Very little unravels their poise. They know their job and they know it well. Throw hard and throw strikes.

Occasionally their zest sends an unwitting batter to first on a free trip. Pitchers console themselves with the knowledge that all wounds will heal. It is merely a bruise, it will heal, well in time anyway.

They are the heroes of their team. Strike after strike, batter after batter, the offense is retired quickly. Amidst the slaps on the back and the cheers from the crowd. Yes, commanding Pitchers are revered.

Your number is called up to the on deck. A dynamite batting average you do not posses. From the on deck circle you check your swing to match his speed. Whoosh, the ball passes over the plate and you hear the pop of the catchers mitt with the bat in your hand only part way through the swing.

How can you beat this monster? What can you do to get that Pitcher to back off on his speed an accuracy. Is there anything that can be done to shake this guy up?

These Pitchers are determined to set the pace and play the game their way. A self centered approach to winning the game at the plate. If you let them own the plate they will take you as well.

On your side you have a great skill. An innate ability that will take the pride out of any fastball Pitcher. You have the cunning to rock this pitcher on the mound mid throw. A four letter word that has won hundreds of games. The most singular act of unnerving a pitcher available. You have the bunt!

Bunting a baseball does far more work against a Pitcher than what is obvious. First, you want to time your switch in stance to be a little earlier, you want the Pitcher to see what you are doing as he takes the ball from his glove.

When the Pitcher is aware the ball will be put in play, their first reaction is to prepare to get off the mound to run it down. More often then not, instead of keeping his toe dug into the mound for the entirety of their throw, the Pitcher will bring their plant foot forward in anticipation of making the dash.

By taking their foot off the mound, they loose a substantial amount of power which results in a slower ball and change in accuracy as they have changed their mechanics. Could be a strike, could hit the batter, could puff the dirt in front of home plate. The reality is you have forced the pitcher to play your game.

Now that you have made the monster move to your tune it is time to dig it in a little deeper. No matter who is pitching, when a Batter bunts, the likely hood he will make contact with the ball is very high. It may roll foul, it may bounce off home plate. But the fact of the matter is you hit a pitch from the monster.

When a Pitcher becomes used to striking out Batters, they develop the need for more strikes and less hits. Hitting the ball in any fashion wears on them. Best of all, there is nothing they can do to stop it. You are going to show bunt and aside from throwing a wild pitch, you are going to put the bat on the ball.

Every time you force the Pitcher to change his pattern you are breaking them down to play your game. Every time you put the bat on the ball you force the defense to wake up and earn the out.

Bunting is much more useful that just as a sacrifice to move a man on bases. If you get several other players on your team to play the same tune with this fire throwing monster, his rhythm will end and so will the onslaught of hard pitches. Beat the monster with a bunt.

Mr. Dowdy is an Official Distributor for NW Kelley USA Baseball you can also click over to Hirsch Group for more tips/articles or even Hirsch Group Blog for current events.
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We have all seen it, grounders, pop flies, line drives and throws seemingly placed in the defenders glove, the en gratis easy out. More often though with younger players something goes awry. Passed balls, dropped, juggling, in and outs are symptoms of a breakdown of player skills.

As Baseball Players on defense, the utmost responsibility is to control the baseball. Players can gain control by catching, knocking down or otherwise keeping the baseball put into play within their grasp between them and the base in play. Baseball control stops the offense from advancing the bases. If the offense cannot advance, they cannot score which is the object of the game.

Baseball playing skills are really a simple matter. The game itself can be broken down into a few elements as well. Pitchers initiate the play by throwing. Batters continue the play by hitting what the Pitcher hurls. Defenders execute their duties by a catch, a throw and a catch. When offensive player advancement is halted the play is over. Just five simple steps to accomplish.

What happens is steps three and five which should be automatic anatomic response can be anything but automatic. Bouncing hops off the infield, sun in the eyes, poor throws are just a few of the wrinkles in our five step game that adds variety and drama to the all time American pastime.

Skills of catching a baseball start with a good athletic stance. Knees slightly bent, weight forward on the balls of the feet allowing for quick movement in any direction. Hands are out front waiting to respond in any direction the ball may travel. When fielding, the players bottom is lowered in response to the approaching ball. The defender has already aligned themselves with the path of the ball.

To receive the baseball with the glove, the glove hand is pointed down to be perpendicular with the ground. When the glove is at this angle, a missed catch will result in the ball bounding in front of the defender. Off angle misses are simple geometry, the baseball can bounce anywhere. A great hazard of playing baseball is taking it in the teeth from a bad hop or passed ball.

When Players place their gloves off angle it is impossible to predetermine where the ball will go. Just a few near misses during practice can cause the Player to develop bad habits. Taking their eyes off the ball, twitch turn of the head to flat out intimidation of the baseball are all driven from a lack of confidence that the Player can protect themselves from the ball with their glove.

Fielders complete the catch by covering the ball in their glove with their throw hand. A common description for this catching position is the alligator. Like the jaws of this water living predator, the hands are placed heal to heal and spread apart prior to receiving the ball, as the baseball enters the glove the Players hands clamp down and cover it. This method aids in preventing the ball from bouncing out of the glove.

Concurrently with covering the ball with the alligator motion, soft hands are implemented to combat the energy within the traveling baseball. Automotive shock absorbers are an excellent example of deceleration. At impact the hands retract quickly, transferring the energy from the baseball to the glove. As the hands decelerate so does the ball. Within fractions of a second the balls energy is dissipated and the fielder is now in control.

Repetitive drills bring the basic mechanics of the fielders duties. Breaking down each motion into individual movements instill the muscle memory necessary to execute a successful play. Player technique is the compilation of the individual skills necessary used to complete the active portion of play they are engaged in at the moment.

Situational drills need to be incorporated with technical drills. The more experience a Player has with, if this happens then I do that, will transfer to the field as confidence. When Players have full knowledge of what their role is in any given situation, they tend to complete their tasks with high success. Success breads confidence, confidence reinforces success.

So, we have covered all the basics of the catch but there are still those moments when your best Player just folds in the moment. As a coach you have done the drills. Situational scenarios are a regular part of each practice. All your players can do every movement in their sleep, yet breakdowns still happen.

Whether it be Player anxiety or simply the heat of the moment, players get into a hurry to move from step one to step four. Pleasing the coach or team mates, individual Players will rush through their motions with the belief that the faster they move is the only hope of making the out.

Often overlooked during practice are the situational drills that spur player intensity. These are also the hardest to create during practice where Players are in their comfort zones. Dividing your team into team into groups of three where they compete against each other in drills will add the last element needed to develop.

Throwing relay races, round robin and pickle are good drills that add high excitement to the practice. Relay is three Players where the man in the middle catches and throws. With 3 or more teams the action gets quite brisk. Round robin uses a four man team, separate the players into fifteen yard squares, clockwise, Player one throws a grounder to Player two the runs to where Player two is standing, Player two does the same with Player three and the players progress around the square.

Mr. Dowdy is an Official Distributor for NW Kelley USA Baseball also try the Hirsch Group site more news/tips/articles on the subjects of baseball, construction, building codes or log onto the Hirsch Group Blog for free up to date info