Baseball Infield: Footwork For Fielding Grounders - Video Transcript

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Coach Nick Giaquinto: OK, now we're going to work on the infielder's footwork: moving to your left, moving to your right and the ball right at you. After the infielder takes his prep steps, there are a couple of keys he wants to remember as he moves to the ball. Number one, he wants to try and keep his eyes and head level. Number two, he wants to keep – he wants to stay low and he wants to keep his glove open.

So, let's watch Pat demonstrate. First, in the three-part series here, he'll stop at each phase, and then the second time he goes through he’ll do it in one motion. OK, Pat. That's his prep steps, good fielding position, and then good footwork to make a throw. Now Pat will do it in full speed in motion. Prep steps, moving, footwork, throw. Very good.

OK, now, when Pat goes to his right, he has to maintain his momentum back to his left. So, he's going to have to go outside the ball and come through to get his momentum going back towards first base. OK. Prep steps, outside the ball, right-left, good fielding position, picks it up, good throwing position. Prep steps, outside the ball, right-left, up, throw. Good.

Now, the ball right at you, you want to use the same concept as going to your right. So, instead of going directly at the ball, you want to take a little bit of an out step. Just get slightly outside the ball so you can get your momentum going towards first base. Good, quick feet, Pat. Right-left, ball up, ready to throw. OK.

Now I'm going to roll Pat a few ground balls and we'll see it in action. First, we'll have Pat going to his left. Prep steps, glove open, good. Couple of times to your right now, Pat. Prep steps, gets outside the ball, gets momentum going towards first base, makes a good firm throw. One more time. Good footwork.

Now, with the ground ball right at you. Gets outside of it, comes through it and makes a good throw. Good, Pat. OK, and that's the three ways that we field ground balls: right at us, to our left, and to our right.
 

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