Infield Play

1
Infield Play

• Lets Make the Play

2
Basic Catching Technique
3
Pre-Pitch Routine

• As the pitcher delivers to the plate take a right
  left
• step towards the plate if you are a
  playing 3B, SS, or 2B.
• First baseman should also utilize this pre-pitch
  technique however, if you are left handed, the
  action would be
• left, right.

4
Groundball Basic Fundamentals

• Pre-pitch momentum
• Jab step right or left
• Stay low as ball approaches
• Get around the ball
• Field the ball off your inside foot of your glove
  side
• Reach out and field the ball in front of your
  body
• Keep feet moving

5
Throwing to the Bag

• Keep feet moving through the play
• Shoulders square to the base
• Four-seam grip on ball
• Correct arm angle

6
Normal Ground Ball ApproachAngles

• In most ground ball situations, an infielder
  should
• attempt to always get in front of the
  baseball.
• For ball hit to the right or left, the approach
  should
• be for a slight banana type rounding
  action.
• Using this rounding technique, an infielder
• can position his body so that he will
  better
• aligned to first base in order to make a
  strong and
• accurate throw.

7
Other fielding Techniques

• Back- Hand
• V-Cut
• Slow Roller
• Diving Play

8
The Backhand Play

• Jab step and take an angle of approach that will
  allow you to get behind the ball.
• As you approach the baseball, stutter step to
  come
• under control and field the ball in the
  pocket of
• your glove.
• Your glove side foot should be slightly in front
  of your throwing side foot.
• As you field the ball, allow your momentum to
• carry you forward until you can plant
  your throwing
• side foot.
• Transfer the ball from glove to throwing hand and
• get into a proper throwing position.
• Get on top of your throw. Remember, that you need
  
• not have to make a perfect throw to 1st
  base, you can one
• hop your throw.

9
V -Cut

• - The V-Cut should be used when a ground
  ball
• is to the throwing side of the infielder
  and the
• following situations exist
• The ball is hit too slowly to allow the
  infielder to round
• the ball normally
• or
• - The ball is hit too slowly to execute
  a traditional
• backhand play.
• Technique
• Go directly to the ball.
• 1.Field the ball in your pocket.
• 2. After securing the ball, take a step behind
  with
• your non-glove leg to allow you to establish
  a good throwing
• position to 1st base.

10
Slow Roller Ball Is Moving

• Charge the ball quickly.
• As you approach the ball, stutter step to come
• under control.
• Always field the ball with two hands
• Secure the ball and continue to make the throw to
  1st base.

11
Slow Roller Angle of Approach

• On a ground ball that is rolling, an infielder
• should execute a banana approach to
• the baseball in order to allow a more
• efficient body position towards 1st base.

12
The Dead Ball

• Attack the ball in a direct
• line approach.
• Stutter step as you approach the ball to come
• under control.
• Throwing side foot should
• slightly forward.
• Secure the ball in a palm
• down fashion.
• Plant the glove side foot
• and complete the throw.

13
Dead Ball Approach Throw
14
Diving For A Ball

• Always attempt to knock every ground ball down.
• Attempt to take a diagonal approach to the
• ground ball get behind it.
• Field the ball in your pocket.
• Keep the fingers of your throwing hand pointed to
• the sky. This will prevent you from
  inadvertently
• jamming or dislocating your fingers.
• Notice The infielder in this pictures has his
  fingers
• down!

15
Double Play Rules

• Always attempt to get the lead runner.
• Secure the ground ball first before beginning
  your feed.
• Be quick but do not hurry!
• Shortstops and Second Baseman should always
• alert the pivot man of the type of feed they
  are
• executing. They should verbally yell either.
• Toss or Flip

16
Shortstop/Second Baseman Feeds

• Underhand Flip Use this technique when the you
  are shading towards the bag and/or if the ground
  ball takes you
• towards second.
• Overhand toss Use this technique
• if the ball is directly at you or slightly
• towards your left.

17

Shortstops Normal DP Throw

• For balls hit directly or slightly to the right
  of the
• shortstop this technique provides the
  following
• advantages
• 1) SS can open hips and shoulders more
  effectively
• to second base
• 2) The Shortstop can establish a ¾ arm slot for
  a
• more accurate throw to the
  second baseman.
• 3) Never throw sidearm to second base since this
• type of throw is harder for the
  second baseman
• to see. A sidearm throw will
  also tend to sink into
• the approaching runner sliding
  into second base.

18
SS/2B Underhand Flip

• This technique can be used when the SS or
• 2B is within approximately 20 feet
  of the bag.
• Ball must be clearly in the bare hand.
• Underhand the ball toward the pivot man at
• second base with a stiff wrist with
  the elbow
• of the throwing arm in towards the
  body.
• As you flip the ball, step towards the bag
• with your right foot.
• Keep the flip throw flat and aim for the chest
• of the pivot man.

19
Second Basemans Throw To 2B

• This technique is used when the ground ball
• is hit directly at the second baseman or
  slightly
• to the right or left.
• Field the ball first, then drop to your left knee
• while squaring your body towards second
  base
• as you secure the ball with your throwing
  hand.
• Yell toss, while executing a firm chest high
  throw
• to the shortstop.

20
Shortstop Pivot - Normal
21
Shortstop Pivot 3rd Base Side Of Bag
22
2nd Basemans Pivot

• Prior to the pitch, you should be in a double
  play
• position 2 to 3 steps in from your
  normal
• fielding position, and 2 to 3 steps
  towards second
• base.
• Hustle to the bag when the ball is hit.
• Place your left foot on the 3rd base side of the
• bag.
• Step to the feed from either the SS or 3rd
  baseman with your throwing side foot.
• Catch the ball, square your shoulders and relay
• the ball to first base.

23
Tag Plays

• Tag _at_ Second Base No runner _at_ 3rd
• Cheat to the bag. Whether the SS or 2b baseman
  covers should have been
• determined prior to pitch.
• Stradle the bag prior to catching the
• throw.
• Catch the ball and quickly place the
• glove directly in front of the bag. Let
  the
• runner slide into the tag.
• Tag _at_ Second Base Runner _at_ 3rd
• The covering infielder should position himself
• in front of the bag in the event he

24
First Base Fundamentals

• With no one on base, the first baseman should be
  in
• a good defensive position when the ball
  crosses the
• plate.
• Depending on the hitter (lefthanded vs.
  righthanded) the
• first baseman may be required to guard
  the line or shade
• more towards second base.
• The closer he plays towards home plate, the lower
• his ready position (glove) should be when
  the ball
• crosses the plate.

25
Covering 1st Base For A Throw

• On a routine play which requires the first
  baseman to cover 1st base, he should quickly
  approach the bag, come under control and assume a
  good fielding position in anticipation of the
  throw.
• Feet should be parallel to the approach of the
  throw, knees slightly bend, and feet directly
• in front of the bag.
• Once he has identified where the ball is in
  relation to his body, he should step to the ball
  with his glove
• side foot.
• His throwing side foot should touch
• the bag on the infield side.

26
Stretching For The Throw

• The Rules For Stretching At First Base
• 1. Right handed first baseman should stretch with
  the left foot.
• 2. Left handed first baseman should stretch with
  the right foot.
• 3. Regardless of whether you are right or left
  handed, NEVER STRETCH UNTIL YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED
• WHERE THE BALL IS!

27
Handling Poor Throws

• Remember
• The ball is always more important than the bag.
  Always keep the ball in front of you in order to
  preserve the double play!

28
Throws In The Dirt

• Throws That Will Short Hop You.
• With throws in the dirt, the first baseman should
• step in the direction of the throw.
• As the ball approaches, the first baseman should
• attack the throw using a short hop
  approach to the
• throw.
• Throws That Will Long Hop You
• If the throw will exhibit long hop approach to
  the
• first baseman the first baseman simply
  tracks the
• hop and may need to funnel the throw into
  his
• body.

29
Holding Runners _at_ 1st Base

• Square your body toward the pitcher.
• Hold the runner until you are absolutely sure
  that
• the pitcher is delivering the pitch to
  the plate.
• Right heel should be in a position equal to the
• the inside front corner of first base.
• If a pickoff attempt is made. CATCH THE BALL
• FIRST before attempting to apply a tag on
  the
• runner!

30
Tagging The Runner

• After catching the pickoff throw from the
• pitcher, apply a snap tag.
• Smart base runners will always slide to the
• outfield side of first base since it is
  at a greater
• distance from the first baseman applying
  the
• tag.

31
Coming Off The Bag

• Once the pitch has been delivered to the plate,
  the first baseman should take an aggressive
• shuffle to position himself for a
  potential ground ball at him.
• Depending on the hitter, (left vs. right) the
  foot action can be right, left, hop step (right
  handed hitters) or a left, right, hop step for a
  left handed hitter.
• Note With a left handed hitter, a first baseman
  should be less aggressive off the bag in
• in order to guard against a double down
  the line.

32
Feeds To Pitchers Covering

• Two Types
• 1. Underhand Feed
• 2, Overhand Toss
• Note Always lead the pitcher an throw the toss
• directly over the bag. The throw should be firm
• and approximately chest high.

33
Communication
Infielder Colliding With An Outfielder 1. Always
yell BALL, BALL, BALL when calling for fly
ball priority. 2. Infielders are coached to go
out until they are called off by an
outfielder. 3. If the outfielder takes control
of the play, he should yell RED, RED, RED
to alert the infielder.
34
OF/IF Priority System
General Priority Rules Outfielders
Have Priority Over Infielders. The
Centerfielder Has Priority Over The Left and
Right Fielders. SS Has Priority Over 3B and
2B. 3B and 1B Priority Over The Catcher.
Pitchers On Higher Levels Have Little Priority
On Fly Balls.