Ten most important things for an infielder to do

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Jul 29, 2013
6,782
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North Carolina
Notice the elbow coming up for the bad hop


Can't believe you're using Arenado as an example.......I mean come on, what has he ever done before?? :rolleyes: ;)

No doubt Nolan puts in the work but his God given ability is off the charts!

***My absolute favorite infielder right now to watch, hands down!! And he has the right idea in his choice of leather too!! :)
 

BigSkyHi

All I know is I don't know
Jan 13, 2020
1,385
113
Repeat repeat repeat repeat repeat repeat repeat repeat repeat repeat

 
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Nov 30, 2018
359
43
Marikina, Philippines
What do you think are the ten most important things for an infielder to do?

I'm looking for specific fielding techniques.

Canyonjoe, coachjd, SB45, and pattar get credit, but yes:

1) Situational awareness
2) Play options
3) "Happy feet", don't get stagnant.
4) Chose the hop; each contact creates a different hop. Longs or shorts good. Turning in-between into long or shorts, fantastic. Learn to adjust.
5) Cross-over step, left and right
6) Backhand, and getting the rear knee to the ground to reduce steps. If they learn with a glove-side lead leg, and the right knee touches, they can immediately throw off the right foot stepping through.
7) Continuity! Someone mentioned fielding under the left eye. Good! But on a normal speed ground ball, esp. for the SS it works just like a 3rd baseman cutting in front, and continuing at 1B. Start with the GB on the glove-side, step across the ball, field on the left side of the belly-button, and shuffle step in a straight line if possible to 1B.
8) Balance in throwing. Get the right foot directly underneath the right shoulder when shifting the feet to throw, enabling the fielder to step directly at the target, toes lined up. If the fielder "steps in the bucket" (left foot open to the target) the elbow drops and often the throw fades to the right of the target. Most frequent footwork issue with catcher's bad throws.
9) Various fielding glove technics: Continuity, backhand, "raking", setting up the throws by preparing with the feet in the proper position, like quick-pivots. Good foot position FIRST, good throws
10) The play never stops until all runners stop. Play continuation.
 
Last edited:
Nov 30, 2018
359
43
Marikina, Philippines
Notice the elbow coming up for the bad hop


They have more time in baseball. I once saw a 3B playing well off the line, backhand the ball and throw from 3 steps in foul territory and throw the guy out. Can that be done off a slapper? If you reverse the footwork Arenado is doing in the video, you can take only one step to throw. It is virtually do or die! Michael Young in the photo doing it my way. One step onto the right foot, and the throw is gone. But the key is touching the right knee to the ground (the down and up stops almost all momentum away from 1st or 2nd).
 

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Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
Canyonjoe, coachjd, SB45, and pattar get credit, but yes:
7) Continuity! Someone mentioned fielding under the left eye. Good! But on a normal speed ground ball, esp. for the SS it works just like a 3rd baseman cutting in front, and continuing at 1B. Start with the GB on the glove-side, step across the ball, field on the left side of the belly-button, and shuffle step in a straight line if possible to 1B.
Correct, when at all possible get to to the right of the ball a bit and then move through the ball in such a way that your left toe (for a RH) is hitting the ground as you are catching the ball:



In softball 8 out of 10 times after you field the ball you want to go right-left (to target) throw with your feet which is the biggest different between fastpitch and baseball where in baseball you a lot of the times can take an extra step before throwing e.g.




vs


 
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BigSkyHi

All I know is I don't know
Jan 13, 2020
1,385
113
If I might ask, how do work that? Those are difficult balls to hit on purpose, at least for me. Do you throw them?
Top-spin three to four feet in front of the plate? Fungo at it 's best LOL
 

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