Baseball Coaching – Double Play

Last week, I sent out a request for my newsletter subscribers to send in their best baseball coaching drills and tips.  Check out this one below (very creative!).

From Brian…
I saw this baseball drill at a clinic at which Billy Ripken spoke.
In turning a double play, he teaches the underhand toss (which he prefers) for 2nd basemen and shortstops.
To ensure that they do the toss consistently every time; in other words, with the proper force and height; he throws or hits GBs to them.  After they toss to the bag, he has the fielder (tosser) follow the ball to the bag and high-5 the receiver of the ball (bare hand to glove).   This gets the fielder (tosser) to get his momentum moving toward the bag, and keeps his release point consistent.
Even prior to this, you could have players work in groups of three to work on the toss independently.

They could go back and forth between them simply working on the consistency of the toss:

**>>>>>>>>* , then back the other direction, *<<<<<<<<**

In the example above (please excuse the crudeness), the asterisks are players and the arrows are the flight of the ball, followed by the players themselves – when they go to high-5 their partner.

The toss should be firm and chest level.  It should not be side-armed, or backhanded; but underhanded with their momentum moving toward the receiver.

Technorati Tags: baseball coaching, drills, tips, baseball, drill, double play, underhand, receiver, fielder, players, toss

Category: Baseball Coaching, Baseball Drills, Baseball Fielding Drills, Baseball Tips, Baseball Training, Youth Baseball