I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard ideas thrown around and taught at youth league levels where I thought, “That might work now, but it won’t work anymore when the game gets faster.”

Doug Bernier, Fielding Coordinator, Colorado Rockies

Adjustability is the key fielding concept for much of what I teach. Anyone can cleanly field a ground ball that comes off the bat at a manageable speed and takes nice predicable hops. An infielder, however, does not always get that kind of grounder. What happens if the ball is hit hard (or softly)? What happens if the ball takes an unexpected hop? I teach players how to put themselves in a position that not only makes fielding routine ground balls truly routine, but also allows them to make split second adjustments to catch balls that are hard to read or take unanticipated bounces.

Here are some of the things players will learn:

• Timing and how to beat the ball to the spot.
• Proper sequence of fielding including when and how to present the glove.
• Eliminating “bad” hops by fielding the short hop or back-end of the hop.
• Using footwork, posture, and the glove arm to adjust to the hop.
• Securing the ball and making the exchange.
• Throwing from different arm slots and on the run as dictated by the situation.

At lower levels of play, infielders can be successful with good hand/eye coordination and athleticism. However, as the game gets faster and balls are hit harder, this is when bad habits and inefficiencies can reveal themselves. If these issues are not corrected, they can hold players back and prevent them from reaching their potential. The difference between an average infielder and one who stands out starts with the little things that allow him to consistently make routine plays and make difficult plays look routine.

The techniques and approaches I teach are the same as those I teach to the players in the Lawrence North High School baseball program. You would be surprised at how many players enter high school being good athletes with mediocre fielding skills.