Little League Baseball Drills - Base Running Practice

Little League Baseball Drills - Base Running Practice
By guest author: Chris Campbell

There are so many different roles for each player in the game of baseball, that it can be difficult to become a master of all. But, with some good drills catering to each role, it's quite achievable to become a master of many. Let's take a look at a base running drill. Perhaps not as much fun as hitting practice, but an essential skill none the less.

For drill, it's not necessary to have anyone playing on defense. This is good, as more players can focus on the same drill. It works a number of different base running scenarios, and builds up the conditioning and cardio of the players involved.

Begin the drill with one runner on first base, one runner on second base, and a player in the batters box at home plate. Any remaining players, should queue up behind the runner in the batters box.

You'll need a couple of coaches to run the drill. Position one near home base equipped with a baseball bat and a few baseballs. The other coach should situate themselves near third base. The coach positioned in front of home base will begin the drills by hitting a ball anywhere in fair territory. Fly balls hit count as singles, and ground balls as well will count as singles past the imaginary infielders.

While there is no one playing on defense, the runners on base, and at home will react as if there is another team on the field. The runner at home plate, will do one of two things. If the coach hits a ground ball, then he is to run as quickly as possible to first base, as if the defense is trying to throw him out. On a fly ball, that same runner, will run to first base, and round first base, as if he was considering carrying on to second.

If only a ground ball is hit, the runner at first base will go directly to second base. If a fly ball is hit into the outfield, the runner goes to second, and makes visual contact with the coach on third for his next move. The coach decides what the runner should do next. Either stay at second, or go for third base.

The last runner positioned at second base will do something similar. A infield ground ball will send him directly to third base. A fly ball to the outfield will send him rounding third, and looking to the coach positioned in the third base coaches box for instruction.

If there is a runner at third (can't happen on the first ball hit), and a fly ball is hit, then the runner should tag, and as soon as the ball bounces on the ground, then run for home. On ground balls, and no runner at second, the player waits for instruction from the coach on third.

This is a good drill, that keeps multiple players in motion. Be sure to move as quickly through the drill as possible, to keep everyone working.

Little League Baseball Drills is a great resource for helping your little leaguer get the most out of his or hers favorite pastime. With a little good training, amateur or even professional ball players will see a dramatic improvement in the way they play.

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Simple and Straight Forward Little League Baseball Drills

Simple and Straight Forward Little League Baseball Drills
By guest author: Joseph Harrison Jr

Batting a baseball is a difficult skill to master. This is often an especially frustrating task for a child. Successful batting requires body control and sound mechanics. In this article I will discuss some basics of hitting and introduce a few simple little league baseball drills aimed at improving technique.

The most important thing your kid can do is to watch the ball all the way to the bat. They should practice watching the ball hit the bat.

One of the many simple little league baseball drills your child can do to improve "picking up the ball" is to stand, chin on front shoulder (for a right handed batter). As they swing the chin should come to rest on the back shoulder. A simple batting tee is helpful in enhancing this skill. Soft toss is an effective alternative little league baseball drill used to teach this technique. Furthermore, this is a good drill for developing bat speed.

The second basic rule of hitting is balance. Your child, or anyone else for that matter, must have balance to be a successful hitter. As a general guideline have your child stand with their feet about shoulder width apart. This is flexible many people feel more comfortable with a slightly exaggerated open stance (feet wide apart) and others a closed stance (feet close together) Whatever their stance make sure they can swing the bat and stay balanced, they will benefit and be more consistent in the long term.

The upper body muscles play a pivotal role in a fluid swing. In fact, bat speed has as much, if not more, to do with hitting for power than lower body strength. Remember to swing quick and compact, hot hard. A simple adjustment of the swing to avoid over extending the arms can help achieve a shorter swing. A shorter swing speeds your bat up through the strike zone, creating more power. Many coaches refer to this technique as throwing the bat at the ball because in effect the batter is throwing the head of the bat at the ball.

The last prime component of the upper body in batting is the hands. Most batters hold their hands around chest level with the bat out in front. Again, this is a general guideline and not a rule, the most important thing is that your child is comfortable holding the bat.

When batting, it is also important to remember to never drop the hands prior to swinging. A lot of players drop their hands before they swing, meaning they dip the hands from the chest to the stomach. This drastically cuts down on reaction time to a pitch. Often batters that swing late do so because they drop their hands. They cannot make up the time they lost by dropping the hands resulting in a late swing. The soft toss drill is one of several little league baseball drills used for developing quick wrists and strong hands. Additionally, a tennis ball can serve as strength and conditioning tool simply by repeatedly squeezing it. Stronger hands equal more bat speed.

The last component to successful hitting is in the lower body. As previously mentioned good balance is mandatory for a proper swing. The biggest mistake hitters make is over striding, resulting in an off balance swing. Instead of taking a giant, clumsy step, have your child lift the front (left foot for a right handed batter) off the ground and simply place it back on the ground. This helps to keep their weight back, a crucial element to hitting well and for power.

The other key role of the lower body is the hip twist. A drill called "squashing the bug" is one of several effective little league baseball drills to teach hip twisting. In this drill, the batter will hold out their left arm (for a right handed batter) in front of their body and hit the left hand with the right mimicking a one armed swing. The drill should be used to emphasize correct usage of the feet and maintaining proper balance. The batter should look to sharply turn the right, or back, ankle as if to squash a bug with the toes.

Remember the core components of hitting, balance; see the ball and careful timing between the upper and lower muscle groups of the body. Hitting and hitting well is a difficult task. Improvement will only come with the development sound habits, practice and work ethic.

I am Joseph Harrison, a baseball coach since 20 years ago. I love baseball since I am young, especially the feeling when you know you will absolutely crush the ball. Training your kid to gain interest in baseball will benefit him from both mentally and physically. In with he will gain team spirit, learn how to cope with teammates, and at the same time train up his physical, and concentration (to have good eye and hand coordination and the ability to use both at once). Go through my article and you will know all the benefits of baseball.


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Simple Little League Baseball Drills

Simple Little League Baseball Drills
By guest author: Chris Campbell

I've never tried to hit a pitch from a seriously good baseball pitcher, but what I do know, is that it's one of the hardest things to do in all of professional sports. The combination of timing, and reflexes is pretty demanding.

Just look at how many players have a batting average over 400 in the history of professional. Only 8 players have ever done it (13 times amongst them), and no one has done it since 1941. So, any help you can give your little slugger in their early baseball years will be a definite advantage down the road.

While, you can read all day long, on the pros and cons of various hitting styles and swings, there is nothing better for a future hall of fame hitter, than just going out and hitting. The more hours they spend trying to knock one over the fence the better. Its also a great way to spend quality time with your kids, but grabbing a bunch of balls, heading over to the field, and pitch them a few to whack.

If your little ball player, really enjoys the game, then it shouldn't be hard to get them to put a little extra time in. If all they want to do is hit, that's fine, but they're probably bored to death at practice. Most kids just don't get much hitting practice with the team.

While, any hitting is better than not hitting at all, it could also be said that an effective hitting practice is better than just swinging willy nilly at whatever. There are a few pointers to keep in mind.

The Bat Has To Fit The Player

You wouldn't try to catch with a glove that was two sizes too small, or too large. So why would you do the same thing with a bat. Choosing a bat that is both weight and length appropriate for your son or daughter can make all the difference in their batting average.

Try having your little leaguer hold their bat out from their body, but parallel to the ground. If they can't do it for at least 15 seconds, then the bat is too heavy. If they can barely do it, or their arms start to wobble, then it's probably better to try a small bat.

Best Place For A Batter

As in any sports, where you put your feet is crucial to being successful. Hitting a baseball is no different. Too close, or too far from home plate can make it difficult to hit a lot of pitches. Make sure your kids understand the difference, and know where to swing from.

The lesson here is don't just head over to the park across the street for some informal batting practice, with only a bat, a glove, and some balls. Remember to bring home plate with you. Even if you don't have an official home plate, any old thing will work as a place holder.

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