Infielders need to do more than just kick the dirt and wait for the ball to come to them. Here are three tips to transform young players into focused, effective defenders.
Getting Into the Game
"Baseball is a 4-second game between bases" is a quote I often think about. Good infield defense is about preparing for short, quick bursts of action.
An infielder should never stand around, they always need to be doing something. (Make him fix the dirt for holes in between pitches, if nothing else.)
Here are a couple of key guidelines in helping young infielders improve their game.
Step 1: Alligator Position
When fielding ground balls infielders should show his pocket of the glove and use alligator jaws--how the top hand and the glove look.
Step 2: Power of the Triangle
When picking up the ball, the body should form a triangle--knees to feet with forearms and glove should form a triangle with the ground.
Step 3: Motion
Then the infielder should make a out to in and down to up motion, or a rounded "L" figure. It should be one continuous motion to the belly button and then to the shoulders for the throw.