Instructional Friday: Outfield Play

INSTRUCTIONAL FRIDAY 1/18/19
OUTFIELD PLAY
By Eric Leary

Long gone are the days when the outfield was a place where coaches tried to hide a player who lacked defensive prowess but excelled at the plate.  Be assured coaches still want defenders on the backend that can swing the pole, but expectations for those guys to patrol their territory is on the rise at all levels of the game.  

So how do players prep to do more for their clubs than just try to keep the ball off the fence while waiting for their next AB.  Outfielders should identify the skills needed and put in the work to improve in those areas within their physical capabilities. Players and coaches should look to improve outfielders by identifying the skills needed with an understanding of the objectives.  

A quick look at some selected OF skills with a few hints and/or drills to develop each:

RUN.  Outfielders need to be able to cover some ground because the area to defend is larger.  How do players get better at running? Run. Obviously training with some speed development is a good direction to focus.  But try to mix in some running wearing the glove since it is a necessary tool for the position.

ROUTES.  Perhaps as important as the speed a player can access to get to a ball is the path that is taken.  The outfielder is well served to work on the angles that are taken and match those with the information concerning speed, distance, and depth all being processed in nanoseconds.  Some of the best route drills involve the player practicing how and when to open his hips with a coach doing simple ball tosses in a sequence (right, left, distance right, distance left, overhead right, overhead left, etc.).  The drill can be extended to greater distance and use a fungo. Focus on the player opening his hips to get to balls with any depth with the idea to not waste steps and attempt to get behind the ball when possible.

FIELDING TECHNIQUE.  Don’t make this hard, but avoid the temptation of taking it for granted.  Outfielders need to catch fly balls in front of them above their head. Ideally the glove and throwing hand work together as to secure the ball and make the transition to a throwing position.  Ground balls should be captured in 3 ways. First like an infielder – hands in front, butt down, etc. Then balls taken on one knee – drop the throwing arm knee and placing the glove in the hole so as to create a “wall” on those surfaces that may provide unexpected bounces.  Finally field balls that are rolled slower in front off to the side – on the “do or die” throws that are necessary to make game saving throws to bases with advancing runners. A great everyday drill for this is the 4×4 drill with a partner. Players will trade at a distance four reps of the each of the four types of fielding techniques.

ARM STRENGTH & ACCURACY.  Once the outfielder gets to the baseball and fields it the job has to be completed by getting a throw efficiently and effectively to the right base.  Working on a throwing program and development of arm strength with dedicated exercises are both good starts. However, knowing one’s arm and how to use it in a situation makes the skill that much more useful.  Consider determining a maximum distance that the outfielder can deliver a ball that is relatively flat and is straight. This can be done in a partner throw drill or with a bucket and a target (trashcan, chair, etc.).  The distance should be marked where the ball is going to received by the infielder at a chest height in order to make a play. Then back up the outfielder and attempt to make the same throw only this time getting a “big hop” to the destination to be received at a relative height (at least at the waist).  Some trial and error will be needed here to determine the distance of this hop and having good carry on the ball with sound throwing mechanics will be necessary.

Outfielders need to work beyond the limited fungo sessions of infield-outfield before heading to the cage to become their very best for their team.  Put in the work!