From Brenda…
A baseball drill that I like to run works on throwing and catching and running the bases.

You place a baseball player on every base including home and you have one runner. When you say “go” the runner tries to run the bases and to beat the ball back to home plate before the throwers get it around the bases.

The throwers must tag the base before throwing to the next base so that a bad throw or missed ball must be brought to the base before thrown to the next base. Also, if the runner misses a base he must go back and tag it before continuing.

This baseball baserunning drill is a fun competition. You can also decide if you would like to allow backups for the base players or if they must chase the ball down themselves and run it back. You can have several runners and several groups of throwers and switch after each turn.  Have fun!

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From Dan…
Pick Off baseball drill

Split your baseball team into two lines. One on first base, the other on second. Each player has a glove. The player on first base leaves the base running, and throws to the player running from second. The first player swings out and goes to end
of line at second. Player at second catches on the run and throws to first. As the player from second throws the player at first starts running, catches and throws on the run. First time half speed is recommended.

From Nickel…
I just wanted to share a baseball baserunning drill I started using with my kids last year.  Base runner on first and third, pitcher stands in a full wined-up, depending on which hand your pitcher is. He will start the motion the same way, but he will step back with the other foot. This will make him a fielder allowing him to throw it to whomever he wants.

The idea is to get the guy on first to start taking off and you can do what you wish with the baseball.

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From William…
This is a baseball game we use at the end of baseball practice.
3-2-1 baseball base running drills

3-2-1: Place three balls equal distance apart about three fourths of the way from third to home. Have a runner (team 1) and have a fielder on third base and one one 2nd base (team 2).

When you say “go”, the runner leaves home and must reach 2nd base before the fielder fields and throws the balls to the fielder at second base. All throws must be accurate. If the fielders get all balls to second base before the runner gets there, the fielders get 1 point. If the runner gets there first, they get 1 point.

Lots of fun!!

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From Molly…
Here is my baseball drill to contribute.  I designed this baseball drill because our runners needed to work on their leads and becoming more alert on the bases.

You really only need a pitcher (or even a baseball coach), catcher, and runners ready to go.  Load the bases to begin, and have a line of runners at home.  On the pitchers release, every runner takes a lead (except for the one at home of course).  The catcher has a ball in hand before he even receives the ball from the pitcher.  As the ball enters his glove, the catcher throws the ball back to the pitcher one of four ways, as a pop fly, a ground ball or a bunt, or a direct throw.

The runners react differently depending on the catcher’s choice.  A grounder or a bunt, runners advance one base after their lead, a straight throw (simulating a line drive through to the outfield) runners advance two bases.  A pop and the runners return to the base to tag up, and then advance one base.  The runners at home just take off when the catcher releases the “hit” and advance the appropriate number of bases.  As lines form at the different bases, runners just take turns advancing.  It is fun to watch the mental focus of the runners in action.  There are variations you can do with this baseball drill such as adding in defenders, and/or having the coach hit the balls.

It was fun because it kept everyone moving and thinking.

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From Mike…
This is not really a new baseball drill.
When I teach sliding practice to young kids I use a piece of cardboard to soften the blow.  Kids like it too because they learn to hit the piece of cardboard in a certain spot (outside or inside the bag) and the correct distance before the bag.

I also trace out the correct body position on the cardboard to show the correct type of slide. The cardboard also seems to slide pretty well on the grass and I have very few injuries/strawberries.  Not a new drill but it has worked out pretty good so far.

From Jose…
One of the drills I work with my team is a basic drill that involves 2 players. I have the players face each other. I then have them stand about eight feet apart. One player will turn and face away; the other player will hold the ball and toss it high in the air. Once the ball is in the air,the player that tossed the ball tells the other player to turn around. The player turns around and begins to look in the air for the ball.

This drill has improved my players’ with hand eye coordination and catching the ball. We call this toss-up.

Technorati Tags: baseball practice tips, baseball, drill, sliding, practice, drills, hand eye coordination, catching

From Ray…
Everybody moves baseball drill:
One of the drills that I use for my catcher and corner fields start with a batter on 1st base less than 2 outs.

Bunt situation ball is fielded by either corner.
Catcher, when sees that the baseman are going to field the ball, runs to 3rd base.  3rd or 1st fields ball, throws to 1st for the out.
2nd baseman who is covering 1st throws to 3rd where the catcher is ready for a tag play on the runner whose was on 1st sliding into 3rd.
3rd baseman covers home in case of an overthrow and the 1st baseman is backup.
Right fielder backs up 1st, left fielder backs up 3rd and center fielder backs up Short stop at 2nd.

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From Mark…
Here’s a great baseball drill that combines fielding fly balls from left field, hitting the relay, base running, tagging up and tagging out a runner at home.

You’ll need a left fielder, third baseman, catcher and runner.  The runner starts out on third base.

A coach hits a fly ball to left field, the runner has to tag up and try to beat the throw to the plate.  The left fielder has to catch the ball and hit the relay for a throw home to tag the runner.

It teaches the runner to tag up on fly balls and go when the coach says GO.  It teaches the outfielder to set up his catch for a good throw to the relay.  It teaches the relay man how far out he should go  and to turn glove side to make the throw home and lastly, it teaches the catcher how to setup at the plate for a tag.

Hope this one helps one of the coaches out there.  It’s done wonders for out team getting the ball in quickly from all outfield positions.

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From Greg…

I would like to add a baseball drill I made up this year. To keep it short I call it the  (SCHOOL NAME) Drill.  Just a little bit of everything rolled into one; at the end of every practice we run the “Hawks drill”.

I place 3 balls along first base-approx 6 ft apart.  A coach on 1st, players start at home plate 1 at a time, sprint to first ball and throw to 1st, then back to touch plate, run 2 second ball throw to first, back to plate and third ball the same.  After throwing third ball they sprint back to plate, touch plate then sprint around 1st & 2nd (like hitting a double) still have their gloves.

After rounding 2nd they take a ground ball from coach hitting from plate then they throw to 1st, sprint to 3rd take another ground ball to first, then they put their glove down and start on third with a lead off or two.  Then they steal home and slide. After they hit home they sprint to third and before they can get their gloves back they do 15 push ups and a complete lap around the field.

Any missed throws, missed touching bases etc. they go to the end of the line and redo it until they get it right.

This may help some, may not, but I coach high school and they make a fun game out of this.

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From Steve…
My players love our one ball, two ball baseball drill.

Split your team so there are an even number at each base including home plate. Start at home and have one player throw to 1B.  He then runs to 1B. Player receiving the ball throws to 2B.  He runs to 2B. Player at 2B throws to 3B, he runs to 3B.  Player at 3B throws home, he runs to home.  Continue to throw around the bases. Everyone stay in line at each base and jumps in when it becomes their turn.

To incorporate two balls, have one start at home and another at 2B. They start out throwing at the same time and run to the base they threw to and you keep going around the bases, though you have to quicken your run so you are ready to receive and throw the ball to the next base.  We set a timer for 1 minute.  With two balls they really have to hustle.  Great overall conditioning drill as well!

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From Art…
Tee-Ball Swap
Not too sure if this baseball drill will work with the bigger guys but for T-ball it’s ideal.

In an effort to include all the kids we change positions often.  For ex.  Timmy is in the pitcher’s position for about 7 batters, half of the team we are playing against.  Next, I’ll switch him with our right fielder and that player gets to be at the pitcher’s position.

Yes, I could have our all-star in there all the time, but it’s really neat to see how excited the kids get when they get an opportunity to play other positions.

From Tim…
Tee-Ball Swap
Baserunning Tag
To help them learn sequence of bases and get warmed up.

Have a player on 1st, 2nd and 3rd.
Imaginary hit has batter run to first and tags the runner at first(hand to hand), who then runs to second and tags the runner at second, who runs and tags the runner at third, who them comes home.  Run through the order once or twice.  Coach is the last runner.

Idea is to burn energy, keep everyone moving, also understand to look for runner ahead on basepath, and learn the bases…quick drill that gets everyone warmed up.

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