Players will learn the skills necessary to compete at higher levels of baseball. As players get older and advance to higher levels of baseball, the game continues to speed up. Players get faster, throw harder, become stronger, and hit the ball harder. As the game speeds up, players need precise skills to be able to continue to compete at these higher speeds. Players will learn critical infield skills including:
How to communicate with each other non-verbally
How to throw from all arm-slots, and off of each leg
Proper technique on slow rollers, that will allow you to get rid of the ball 2 steps quicker than anyone else! (including bare-hand plays)
How to properly execute cutoffs and relays (especially in loud environments where you cannot hear your teammates)
How to properly communicate on pop-ups and flyballs, including which infielders should be taking charge on certain pop-ups
How to properly execute a bunt defense at a professional level, including your standard bunt defense, the bunt trap (or wheel play), and pick-offs that work off of these defenses
How to properly start and turn a double play (the difference between a good and poor double play turn is as little as 0.2 seconds – players will learn the proper footwork and glove skills to decrease the time it takes them to receive and get rid of the baseball)
How to run pick-offs to 2nd and 3rd base, without having to sign something in ahead of time (making the picks truly spontaneous, and undetectable to the other team)
How to properly position your infielders for different situations including double play depth, infield in, big infield situations, pull hitter shifts, bunt threats, holding runners, etc…
How to make and receive tags (straddling vs. on one side of the base)
How to execute rundowns to minimize throws, and shorten the rundown
(Left) Current Arizona Diamondback 3B Chad Tracy during 2001 ECU game. (Right) Current Army assistant coach Nick Schnabel turning double play in 2000 ECU game.
Hitting
