OUTFIELD PLAY

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OUTFIELD PLAY

• Napoleon Wildcat Baseball
• These are the fundamental components of outfield
  play

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Teaching Goals

• Learn pre-pitch routine and ready position.
• React with correct footwork to batted balls.
• Learn communication terminology and priorities
  with other players.
• Learn proper angles of pursuit.
• Be introduced to proper techniques of catching
  and throwing.
• Be aware of changing game situations and how they
  affect strategy.
• Receive daily work on techniques and
  fundamentals.
• Receive daily work on reading the ball "live off
  the bat.

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PRE-PITCH ROUTINE / READY POSITION

• Walk into square position as ball approaches
  plate, complete movement as ball reaches the
  hitting zone.
• Hands off knees, weight on balls of your feet.
• Into an athletic, reactive stance (knees bent,
  butt down, back straight).
• Must be relaxed to insure proper and quick
  reaction.
• Step back after each pitch and walk back into
  ready position.

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BALL REACTION

• First two steps are the most important.
• Ball in your direction ? open half step to glove
  side and react to ball.
• Fly ball ? must get to where the ball will land.
• Dont drift, beat it to the spot.
• Ground ball ? must get to where the ball can be
  cut-off and thrown.

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• Ball straight on ? take one drop step (glove side
  foot) and read.
• Ball directly overhead ? drop step to glove side
  and turn and run to the spot.
• Must run using proper running techniques (and
  find the baseball in the first two reactive
  steps), head should not bounce, do not put glove
  out too early and never take your eyes off the
  baseball.

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• Ball on throwing side ?
• Short jab step, with throwing side foot.
• Crossover and run.

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CATCHING AND THROWING

• Goal get rid of the ball as soon as possible
  with something on it and with accuracy.
• Catch the baseball over your throwing shoulder
  with two hands.
• 4 seam grip on the baseball.
• Throw with proper techniques (goal post right,
  left, throw).
• Step through with your throwing side foot (pivot
  foot) forward as the ball hits your glove and get
  your chest square to target.

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• Quick, short "crow-hop' with pivot foot as body
  turns to get target shoulder on line and assume
  goal-post position.
• Catch the baseball moving towards target (round
  off ground balls).
• Players must find the proper balance between
  quickness (getting rid of the ball) and getting
  something on the ball, every player and every
  situation will dictate something different.
• Must know the situation and be realistic about
  when to try to throw someone out.

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COMMUNICATION AND PRIORITY

• Priority
• CF over all players.
• OF over all infielders.
• SS over all infielders.
• Middle infielders over corner infielders.
• Infielders over catcher.
• We never call for the baseball unless we are 100
  sure we will catch it. Get to the baseball 1st
  and then call for it 2nd!

• OF call
• Mine, Mine, Mine! I will catch it.
• Yours, Yours, Yours!" Your catch.
• Fence, Fence, Fence! five steps away
• IF Call
• Same as above.

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THROWING RUNNERS OUT

• Our goal is to avoid the big inning. The hitter
  must not end up on second after an RBI single.
• Ball at you ? throw out the lead runner.
• Coming in ? approach with the mindset to throw
  the runner out and the make final decision when
  the ball is in your glove.
• Ball away ? throw to 2nd base.
• All throws must be made so the cut-off man can
  catch it.

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SITUATION AWARENESS

• Must communicate with other players and coaches
  (others must know what you will do).
• Know the score, the inning, playing conditions,
  weather, etc.
• Know who is up (position in the order, past
  results, speed, size, stance, scouting report)..
• Situation can change fly ball, ground ball
  priorities (must be discussed, not assumed).
• Know your teammates.

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• Outfielders must force themselves into the flow
  of the game. Talk to each other. Make the
  infielders communicate with you. Do not assume
  anything about the situation or strategy.
• Outfielders may only get one ball hit to them the
  entire game but it may be the most important play
  of the game. Outfielders must assume that every
  pitch will be hit their way and that every ball
  hit is theirs until proven otherwise.

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COACHING THOUGHTS

• Develop a work ethic and pride as a group.
• Keep the ball off the fence. No triples.
• Make all doubles be earned (hard hit balls to
  the deeper parts of the park). No Texas
  Leaguers or Duck Snorts for doubles.
• Be aggressive. If it has a hump in it we should
  catch it.

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• Good outfielders are developed two ways
• Fungo work is done to drill mechanics (footwork,
  routes, catching and throwing).
• Live balls taken off the bat during batting
  practice is the only way to learn proper
  reaction. Reading balls off the bat will happen
  daily and must be done at game speed. All
  outfielders should work in positions and react to
  every ball off the bat (4-6 steps).
• Read the pitch, read the swing, read the sound
  off the bat.