DRILLS AND PRACTICE TIPS
Dive Backs
This drill helps with conditioning, base running,
aggressive turns, lead –offs and speed. Plus it
moves quickly and involves multiple players. The
variations work with position players also.
Basic set up:
Pitcher on the mound (with no baseball) and a
player at home plate. Acting as if he hit the ball,
the player at home runs to 1st base and makes an
aggressive turn then dives back as if there is a play
on him. He gets up and takes a lead. Another
player is at home ready to run to 1st. The pitcher
on the mound is from the stretch, pauses, then
acts as if delivering the ball to home. Upon
delivery, the runner on 1st goes to 2nd and again
makes an aggressive turn then dives back to 2nd.
At the same time the player at home runs to 1st,
makes an aggressive turn and dives back to 1st.
Again, another player is ready at home. The two
base runners take a lead, the pitcher pauses then
acts as if delivering the ball home. The batter
goes to 1st and the base runners take off and all
make aggressive turns and dive back to their
respective bases. With bases loaded, the same
sequence occurs but the base runner on third
slides into home FEET FIRST. At this point, you
can have the next batter positioned correctly to
practice letting the base runner know to slide –
using whatever signs you want them to use to
communicate to the base runner. They can
instruct him to side inside, outside or straight.
Variation 1:
Have the pitcher occasionally attempt to pick-off
a runner (with or without a baseball). Even if the
pitcher goes to first, all base runners dive back as
if they are getting picked off. This works on
pitchers pick-off moves and the base runners
ability to read a pick-off move. Alternate pitchers
so all have a chance to get work in too.
Variation 2:
Include outfielders/ infielders. Have outfielders
and a first, second or third basemen (or all three at
one time) trying to get a player out every couple of
times. As the player rounds the base, an outfielder
who already has a ball, throws to a designated
base as the runner begins to round the base. Not
before. You can rotate players to different fielding
positions if needed.
This drill and its variations keeps everyone
involved, works on multiple skills and conditions
at the same time. The whole drill is to move
quickly.
Softball Warm-Ups
This technique helps to insure initial throwing
warm-ups are done correctly and reinforces
proper glove work.
Before throwing a baseball, have the players
begin warming up with an 11” softball. This
keeps players from trying to throw curve balls,
change ups and knuckle balls when warming up
when they should be only throwing 2 and 4
seams. Because of the size of the ball, it’s harder
to do any other grip than a 2 or 4 seam.
Secondly, they don’t try to over throw or throw
too hard early in the warm up. Third, because of
the ball size, they have to make sure the ball is
caught properly in the glove or it tips the glove or
pops out.
The softball only weighs about an once more on
average. Baseball 5 -5 1/4 oz and a softball 5 7/8
oz – 6 1/8 oz so the weight isn’t an issue. Older
players use a 12” softball. They throw for about
5 minutes then switch to a regular baseball.
Throws are much more accurate and balls caught
are almost 100%. Most comments made are that
the baseball now feels like a peanut.