I have seen and heard too many different coaching methods for fielding ground balls in the outfield. And most of the methods I hear are wrong. Some coaches teach players to field the ball off to one side of the body, and others say get a bigger glove and just snatch everything with one hand. But, hands down, the worst mistake coaches make in teaching young players is neglecting the lower body and its proper movements.
In this post, I give you another excerpt from my new book, How To Play Baseball Outfield: Techniques, Tips, and Drills to Learn the Outfield Postion. Today, we will explore the correct way the player should position his feet, knees, arms, hands, and head. Too much you say? Without all these body parts in the correct position, the player’s chances of consistently fielding ground balls is slim and none – and slim left town. Read on and enjoy.
“Fielding: Non-Urgent Throw
While every throw an outfielder makes should be accurate and strong, not all throws are urgent. Urgent means the throw is used to put out a base runner.
Those throws where the outfielder has more time to field the ball are called Non-Urgent. These are throws back to an infielder or a base and are used to prevent base runners from advancing. The typical example is where a batter gets a base hit and the outfielder returns the ball to second base. This prevents the base runner from advancing beyond first base.
One Knee Block Technique
This is just like it sounds. The outfielder positions himself in front of the oncoming ground ball, drops one knee to the ground, and fields the ball. Sounds simple right? Not so fast, there’s more to it than that!
The outfielder should be ready to field the ball as it gets closer. He should be in an athletic stance:
• feet outside shoulder-width
• knees bent (not too far)
• head up
• torso bent slightly forward
Figure 2-1 shows the outfielder prior to the One Knee Block Technique. Notice that his hands are not on his knees, his head is up and alert, knees are bent, and his torso is slightly bent forward. This position gives the outfielder the best chance at not only fielding the ball cleanly, but also getting good jumps on the ball. More on “Jumps” later in the book.
As the ball approaches and the outfielder is sure he is positioned directly in front of it, he drops one knee to the ground. This reduces the size of the hole between his legs. It also brings his chest lower to help block the ball in case of a bad hop.
The fielder’s glove hand should be extended out in front of his body, but his elbow should not be fully extended. The fielder should bend his wrist back just far enough to expose the glove’s entire pocket to the ball. Too many outfielders keep their wrist straight, which points the glove pocket skyward. Bad wrist position reduces the size of the pocket and contributes to the ball glancing off the heel of the glove.
The other problem is not getting the glove out away from the body far enough. While keeping the glove closer to the body allows the pocket to be easily exposed, it also prevents the player from seeing the glove. A player can’t “look the ball in to the glove” if he can’t see his glove. Figures 2-2 (a) and (b) show the incorrect and correct ways to position the glove.
His throwing hand should be two to six inches above his glove, facing out and open. His throwing hand will help knock the ball down and also help prevent a bad hop from striking him in the face.”
There is much more information in my book on all aspects of playing outfield. If you are interested, visit the Bookstore at www.stevenemichael.com. You can also read about my experience and qualifications for the book. Thanks for reading!
