Rookies, A & Minors Practice #1

1. Rookies, A & MinorsPractice #1

2. Goal = Stiff Front Leg Hitting • 1. Teach the lower half of the swing • 1. Stride – 3 Ss • Short • 4 – 6 inches • Soft • All toes on the ground • Heel decidedly off the ground • 10% of weight to front foot • Should be able to pull the front foot back • Straight • Stride must be on the power line • Foot remains closed (toes in the direction of home plate) • 2. Weight Transfer • We’re transferring weight from the back to the center, 51% front foot, 49% back foot • This is also known as “walking away from our hands” • The head and hips transfer to the center axis (imaginary pole bisecting the body) • 3. Lock the front hip • Front foot heel plants in the ground starting hip rotation • Front knee straightens out & locks • Hips must remain level to the ground • 4. Rotation • With the head and hips on the center axis, snap the back hip to centerfield • Keeping the weight back means head & hips do not “drift” past the center axis 2. Cage Drills 1. Basic soft toss from the side for both stations; emphasis is on the stiff front leg 2. Because of the teaching time required, only 5 swings on live pitching this week • 3. Tee Drills • Bat across hips (VIDEO) • Place the bat handle across the hips • Spread feet as though you have strided • About a bat length apart • Rotate hips & hit the ball off the tee w/ the barrel • Bat across chest (VIDEO) • Place the bat handle across the chest • Spread feet as though you have strided • About a bat length apart • Rotate hips & hit the ball off the tee w/ the barrel • Rotate so the bat is pointing @ pitcher • From stride (VIDEO) • Spread the feet as though strided • About a bat length apart • Hit against a stiff front leg • Memory Aids: • “Rotate on the center Axis” • “Heel to the sky, laces toward the pitcher” • “We hit against a stiff front leg” • “Lock the front hip” Coach Key Rotating on a center axis; vertical line from knee to hip to shoulder Heel to sky, laces toward pitcher Stiff front leg; locked front hip

3. Infield Goal = Right, left, down • 1. Teach basic ground ball technique • Center the ball on the line from belly button to nose • Move forward, toward the ball (positive energy) • Stutter steps to pick the hop, “chop, chop, chop” (timing) • Right, left, down • Glove goes out with the right foot • Left foot plants ahead of the right foot • Back of left heel aligns with toes of right foot • Feet should be spread inside to outside • Brown on the ground (black on its back) • Glove must get on the ground, palm up – dust is a must • Butt drops down, knees over toes, nose over knees • Ribs should touch the thighs • Elbows extend in front of the knees • Protect the chin • Throwing hand is open, about 12 inches in front of chin • Alligators eat baseballs • When receiving the ball into the glove close the throwing hand over the glove like an alligator closes its jaws • Cradle the ball to the back hip (right hip for right handers) • This ball would be coming to the stomach if we were not already starting our throwing motion • Right, left, throw • Throwing technique will be taught in the outfield • 2. Individual Drills • Stationary Ball (Whole team @ same time) • Place the ball on the ground 6 ft in front of the player • Start from an athletic position • Run toward the ball & pick it up with the proper technique • Get to a throwing position & stop; Don’t throw • Rolled ball (With partners facing each other from 30 ft) • Player rolls ball to his partner • Partner runs toward the ball & pick it up with the proper technique • Get to a throwing position & stop; Don’t throw • Ground Balls • Split team up into 4 groups • Put one team @ 1st, one @ 2nd, 3rd & SS • Hit soft ground balls @ center of player • Player fields ball and throws it back to coach • 1 coach works SS & 3rd; the other works 1st & 2nd • Coach Tip: • Coach can work w/ glove on one hand & bat in the other. Hit them w/ one hand. • Bring a whole bucket of balls out so you’re not wasting time retrieving balls • Memory aids: • “Right, left, down, right, left, throw” • “Stay low to throw” • “Close the gap” • “Brown on the ground” • “Protect your chin” • “Alligators eat baseballs” Coach Key Alligators eat baseballs Brown on the ground Left is in front of right

4. Goal = Throw with a long arm Outfield • 1. Teach the Long Infield Throw -“right, left, throw” • Pray position • Hands together with the ball at the chest • Jump on the skate board • Close the gap • Right foot (right hander) hits the skate board first • Thumb to thigh, reach to the sky, wave bye-bye • Look down the Scope (this is the Power Throwing Position) • Glove hangs, palm toward target • Break Glass • Glove side elbow to glove side hip • Glove rolls over, catches bicep – finishes with web of glove under arm pit • Grab grass • Outside glove leg • Coaching Tips: • Use the Power line • Straight line from back shoulder, through front shoulder to the target • Don’t come out of your legs (stand up) – stay low to throw • At release elbow above shoulder, wrist outside elbow • Joint sequence – hips, shoulder, elbow, wrist • Back shoulder replaces front shoulder • Memory aids: • “Pray position” • “Jump on your skateboard” • “Thumb to thigh, reach to the sky, wave bye-bye, look down your scope, break some glass, grab some grass” • “Stay low to throw” • “Replace shoulders” • 2. Teach Receiving the Ball • 2 hands • 5 fingers toward your partner • Knuckles to the sky • The knuckles of the fingers (not the thumb) • Nose over knuckles • Arm extended but not straight • Make sure it is not locked • Thumb to thumb • Thumb of throwing hand to the actual thumb in the glove • Support glove thumb w/ 4 fingers • More efficient - throwing hand in close proximity to the ball • Coaching tips: • Balls below the waist are received with fingers down • Ball above head are received with fingers up • Between waist and head, received with fingers toward your partner • Memory aids: • “5 fingers toward your partner” • “Knuckles to the sky” • “Nose over knuckles” • “Extend your arm” • “Thumb to thumb” • 3. Individual Drills • Warm Up Joint Drill (from about 15 ft) • One Knee Throws (from about ½ way between 2nd & foul line) • Cement Feet Catch (from about 3/4 way between 2nd & foul line) • Play Catch • Distance from 2nd base to foul lines • 15 ft past 2nd base • 30 ft past 2nd base • Extend beyond their limits for 5 throws each – Long Toss Grab some grass Look down your scope, break some glass Coach Key Thumb to thigh, reaching to the sky, wave bye-bye