Tips for the First Time Baseball Coach

By Melvin J Mudgett

Dads and moms who've just volunteered for their child's baseball team may be a little lost in the beginning. It's important to have a game plan. As a first time coach you may be a little nervous; but if you are prepared, you will feel more comfortable. You'll need to know the rules of the game, the basic fundamentals and how to teach them to your players. You must decide how to schedule your practices with drills and skills your team needs to know. You will also want to hold strategy meetings on how you want your team to play the game of baseball.

The first thing you should do is explore all avenues of information. The internet is a valuable resource. You can find whatever information you need on almost any subject. The library is another great resource for your informational needs. Most librarians are very knowledgeable and willing to help you find the perfect materials to assist you. Also, it doesn't hurt to get advice from other coaches. What greater resource can you get than someone who has done it before.

Remember, be prepared and have your own game plan. The more you know the game and rules the better you can teach your players. Make it easy to understand how to play. Begin with the basics and work from there. Discuss the rules and how important they are to the game. Make your expectations of the players clear.

Teach the basic baseball fundamentals first. That is where it all starts. Have specific drills that will develop your players catching, throwing, and hitting. While doing drills, you can analyze your players abilities and put them in the best positions for the team.

Plan your week of practices. Set up your practices ahead of time. Be sure to check the calendar. Take into consideration holidays and other events that may conflict with scheduled practices. Plan your practices with specific drills you want your players to get better at. As a coach, your job is to help each player advance their skills.

Don't forget to teach sportsmanship. Learning to win and lose with good sportsmanship is important. Having fun is one of the essentials in developing your players. If they are having fun at what they are doing, the interest will remain high. Playing as a team should also be taught. Learning these lessons will prepare them for the game of baseball and of life as well.

These are some basic baseball tips to get you started. You need to be as prepared as you would want your team to be. You are the coach. Your players look up to you for guidance, instructions, and structure. They all want to win, along with you. Your coaching confidence will grow stronger if you have a game plan.

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Baseball Positions: Right Fielder Is The Best

By David J Weller

Right field is the best position on the baseball field. The right fielder has one of the strongest arms on the team. That strong arm combined with smart play can stop rallies. Right fielders also tend to hit for power, which gives them another way to affect a game. One aspect to right fielders that is often overlooked is their responsibilities for backing up throws.

A right fielder needs a strong arm. Some of the longest throws are from the right field corner to third base and from the right-center field wall to home plate. Having a reputation for a strong arm will keep runners from taking an extra base.

A right fielder that has a strong arm and is good at getting to the ball can stop rallies before they begin. Getting to the ball quickly will prevent a runner from going first to third on a base hit. If the runner does go, a strong throw will get him out at third. In one case, there are runners at first and second and the double play is still possible. In the other case, there is one more out and just a runner at second. Without a good right fielder, there are probably runners at second and third.

Right fielders also tend to hit for power. They hit home runs and drive in a lot of runs. This takes pressure off of the pitchers and the defense.

Another very important job for the right fielder is backing up throws. Any throw from in front of the pitcher to the first baseman is backed up by the right fielder. Also, any throw from third base or shortstop to second base is backed up by the right fielder. If any of these throws gets by the fielder, the right fielder gets to it and prevents the runners from taking extra bases.

So there you have it. Right field is the best position to play. Right fielders put an end to the opponent's rallies and produce rallies for their own team. They also back up certain throws and limit the damage of errant throws.

If you are a right fielder, you are in company with baseball greats such as: Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Roger Maris, Roberto Clemente, Tony Gwynn, Reggie Jackson, Frank Robinson, Ichiro Suzuki, Cory Hart, and Justin Upton. There are four right fielders in the top 13 all time home run leaders. It was a right fielder that held the single season home run mark from 1919 until 1998. An impressive feat, indeed!

This is part of a series of articles explaining why each position on the baseball field is the best. This series is aimed towards coaches at all levels. It is my belief that every position is important, and they each need players with different strengths. It is my hope that coaches can use this series to help inspire a love for the game of baseball.

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Baseball Positions: Second Baseman Is the Best

By David J Weller

Second Base is the best position on the baseball field. Second basemen need to have a good range. They also need to have quick hands and quick feet. Second basemen are vital in turning double plays. Often, when a runner is stealing second, the second baseman covers the bag. And they also act as the cutoff man for balls hit to right field or right-center field.

A second baseman needs to have a good range. They cover between second base and the first baseman. Most first baseman have a smaller range, mainly because they need to stay close to first base. Therefore, the second baseman needs to cover just a little more ground. It helps to have quick reflexes in order to cover that ground.

Second basemen need quick hands and quick feet. The quick feet allow them to get to more balls. The quick hands get the ball out of the glove fast which allows the second baseman to get the throw off quickly. The combination of quick hands and quick feet allows the second baseman to get to more ground balls and make more plays.

Those quick hands and feet also help on a double play. A second baseman needs to be able to catch a ball, pivot, throw to first, and avoid the runner. Being able to do that prevents runs and gives the team a better chance to win. After all, the double play is a pitcher's best friend.

Second basemen often cover second base on a stolen base attempt. This is another example of quick hands and feet coming in very handy for a second baseman. Getting to second base quickly on a stolen base attempt is important because it gives the catcher a better target to throw to. The quick hands allow the second baseman to catch the throw and apply the tag quickly.

Second basemen are crucial to the cutoff throw. When a ball is hit to right or right-center field, the second baseman gets between the outfielder and the base they are throwing to. The idea is to create a shorter throw for the outfielder. And once again, quick hands and quick feet come in to play. When the second baseman receives this throw, they need to pivot, transfer the ball from the glove to the throwing hand, and throw an accurate ball to a base in an attempt to get the runner out.

So there you have it. Second base is the best position to play. Second basemen have a good range. They also have quick hands and quick feet. They are vital in turning double plays. They cover second base on stolen base attempts, and they act as the cutoff man for balls hit to right and right-center field.

If you are a second baseman, you are in company with baseball greats such as: Roberto Alomar, Jackie Robinson, Rogers Hornsby, Bill Mazeroski, Joe Morgan, Ryne Sandberg, Jim Gantner, Craig Biggio, Dustin Pedroia, and Rickie Weeks.

This is part of a series of articles explaining why each position on the baseball field is the best. This series is aimed towards coaches at all levels. It is my belief that every position is important, and they each need players with different strengths.

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Baseball Positions: Third Baseman Is the Best

By David J Weller

Third base is the best position on the baseball field. Third basemen are key to a defense because most hitters are right handed. They are often the closest infielder to the batter. Third basemen need a strong arm and good reflexes. They also need to be able to field bunts.

Third base is also known as the Hot Corner. The reason for this is that most hitters are right handed and good hitters tend to pull the ball. This means that the third baseman is going to be getting a lot of hard ground balls hit their way. A good third baseman will take a hard hit ball and turn it in to an out.

Another reason for that nickname is that the third baseman is normally the closest infielder to the hitter. Because of that, the they have a shorter amount of time to react to the ball. This makes every pitch exciting with the possibility of a quick play coming their way.

Third basemen need a strong arm and good reflexes. Most of their throws go all the way across the infield to first base. A third baseman's reflexes are essential, as they are relatively close to the hitter and they are reacting to hard hit balls.

A third baseman's ability to field bunts is very important. They need to get to the ball quickly and make the throw to get the out. Bunting is a strategic tool for the offense, and if the third baseman is good at fielding them, the offense is much less likely to use it. This is a subtle way that a third baseman can affect a game.

So there you have it. Third base is the best position to play. Third basemen are key to a strong defense because right handed hitters outnumber left handers. They have a lot of exciting plays because they are closer to the hitter than the other infielders. They use a combination of a strong arm and quick reflexes in order to make those plays. And finally, third basemen are responsible for fielding bunts.

If you are a third baseman, you are in company with baseball greats such as: Ron Santo, Eddie Mathews, Graig Nettles, Brooks Robinson, Mike Schmidt, George Brett, Wade Boggs, Matt Williams, Scott Rolen, and David Wright.

This is part of a series of articles explaining why each position on the baseball field is the best. This series is aimed towards coaches at all levels. It is my belief that every position is important, and they each need players with different strengths.

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