This drill is actually a hitting game that allows players to build skills, learn to perform under pressure, identify strikes, and develop a line drive swing.
Teams of 2 or 3 players compete against other teams. The first team to score 11 runs wins. The drill can be used indoors or outdoors. The games requires a wall, curtain, or sections of fence. The rules are outlined before competition begins. The wall or fence should have a “top line” that represents the top of the scoring zone. Any ball that hits the wall, curtain, or fence above that line is an “out”. To score, the batter must hit a line drive that hits the scoring zone without touching the ground. The batter that hits a ground ball keeps the inning alive. He does not score, but he also does not make an out. Each player gets only one swing per bat. He is either going to hit a score, hit a ground ball or make an out. Any ball that is caught by the defense before it touches the wall or ground is an out. All pop ups, foul balls, and missed swings are counted as outs. Bats are not allowed to touch the ground. Batters must stay alert and jump in to bat as soon as the other batter swings. Each team gets 3 outs per at bat. Defensive players are allowed to “knock down” balls to prevent scoring. Any ball that hits the “scoring zone” without touching the ground is a score. The defense must learn to react quickly and catch the ball or knock it down.
This drill is best done in a tournament format. Reward the winning team in some way. This is a great drill for indoor hitting. Players get to take a lot of swings. The competition becomes fierce. It will build a competitive fire in your timid players, and teach players to be aggressive. Make sure to use foam or wiffle baseballs.
The purpose of this drill is to prevent timid hitters from backing out at the plate.
The timid little league batter always seems to assume that backing out will automatically prevent him from being hit by the pitch. He usually starts his getaway before he has any notion of where the pitch is really headed. I have had some success against this tendency by throwing behind the timid batter’s back. After all, he will get plenty of these pitches at the little league level, and you don’t want him backing into them and getting hurt.
Start out using spalding or tennis balls. At first, throw a lot of pitches behind him, then gradually decrease the frequency of these pitches as he starts to break the habit. Soon he will realize that he had better not back up until he sees where the ball is really going.
This will make him safer and more confident at the plate. And while he’s watching the ball more closely, he’s going to realize that he doesn’t have to hide from the good pitches, but can stay put and hit them.
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This coaching baseball drill will help players develop an understanding of a force out.
What you need – You can start off doing this baseball drill with no fielders or runners, but just explaining to your players what it means to be ‘forced’ to run to the next base.
How this drill works – Put a man on first base, and explain what happens when the ball is put into play – the man on first is ‘forced’ to go to second. If you start a man on second, explain that the man is not forced to go to the next base, and therefore he must be tagged out.
Once the players understand that, then the coach can move them into a basic play recognition drill when they get the ball and are able to make the play to second when there is a force play on. You can also put in a situation where there are two men on base (1st and 2nd base) and you can make the fielder decide where they have to throw the ball.
Result – With repetition, the players will learn to understand when there is a force out, and when it isn’t. The instruction should continue to happen while the players are learning.
