Sport category: Baseball Backing Up In The Field In Little League Baseball
Date: 02-02-2007 18:09
While managing or coaching in youth baseball for the last 18 years, I have found that teaching 11 and 12 year olds how to back each other up in the field can help keep them in the game on almost every play. Of course I learned the importance of backing up the hard way over the years, when sure groundouts would translate into a single and three base error. Or, as my older brother Howie would call it, a “Little League Home Run”. All youth baseball coaches know what a “Little League Home Run”, is right? You know, when the shortstop or third baseman overthrows the ball to first base, followed by yet another overthrow to second or third, allowing the batter to run all the way around the bases to the tune of cheering parents, which builds to a crescendo as the batter touches home plate. What can easily be described as one of the most exciting plays for the offense can also be one of the most frustrating things for the opposing coach to deal with. With some practices before and during the season reviewing defensive situations, a team can learn when and where to back up certain plays. Remember, these situations must be practiced until they become second nature to the players, and during the game, when the situation comes up, the manager or coach can yell out instructions to remind players of their responsibility.
By backing each other up, we are accomplishing a number of things. First, outfielders backing up infielders helps keep them in the game instead of being hidden somewhere in the outfield daydreaming or swatting flies. Second, backing up helps teach young players the game of baseball. The third reason to practice backing up is the most obvious: to keep the opposition from moving up. In my experiences coaching, I have found that the best two skills to practice in youth baseball are backing up and baserunning.
Any of us who have managed youth baseball knows that the team that throws the ball around in the field the least will play an important part in keeping the game competitive. The first thing I always like to teach my defense on a base hit is for the outfielders to throw the ball back into the infield by hitting the cutoff, either shortstop or second baseman. Late in the game, or in a close game, however, I like to teach my outfielders to run the ball in, if the runners aren’t advancing extra bases, to prevent possible throwing errors. We have all seen situations where the outfielder tries to throw out the runner at first base from the outfield, which I emphatically try to discourage. Outfielders should also never throw the ball back directly to the pitcher. It is an unnecessary throw that could only lead to errors, which could force the opposing baserunners into scoring opportunities.
There are literally dozens of back up situations in youth baseball, but I will go over five. The first one we practice is a bunt when no man is on base. I teach the right fielder to begin to move in to back up the first baseman. The right fielder should run to the foul line first then come up the line. The right fielder should not end up too close to the first baseman because if he does an overthrow will go past him also.
The second situation we practice occurs when there is a man on second base. The left fielder should back up the third baseman on a steal. Again, the left fielder goes to the foul line first then proceeds up the line, but does not come up too close to the third baseman. Remember, a good short stop will also back up the throw.
The third back up situation is with a man on first and a ball hit to the left side of the infield. The second baseman will cover second base for the force out. We also teach the right fielder to back up the throw to prevent the baserunner from taking extra bases on an overthrow. The right fielder will end up in short right center field when backing up.
The fourth situation is the same as the previous one, except there is a man on first base and the ball is hit to the right side of the infield. In this situation, the shortstop covers second for the force. The left fielder will run in the direct line of the throw from the second baseman or first baseman, follow the ball, and back up the throw. He will end up in short left center field.
The fifth situation is a little tricky. There is a baserunner on first and the batter bunts. If the baserunner at first is fast and the third baseman fields the bunt deep toward home, third base might be left open for the runner on first to go all the way to third. This happens because the shortstop will cover second and the second baseman rotates to first. What we teach is when there is a man on first and the batter bunts, the leftfielder comes all the way to the infield to cover third base.
As any baseball fan knows, backing up a defensive play is all part of the game. In youth baseball, the importance of backing up is magnified in importance. Coaches need to practice different situations. Not all at once, but maybe go through 2 or 3 at each practice, and by the end of the season, the team will be exposed to many of the back up situations that occur during a game of youth baseball.
Marty Schupak has coached youth baseball for 18 years and is the video creator of "The 59 Minute Baseball Practice", "Backyard Baseball Drills", "Winning Baseball Strategies", "Hitting Drills & Techniques" and author of the popular book, "Youth Baseball Drills". He is a principle of Videos For Coaches and also President of the Youth Sports Club, a group dedicated to making sports practices and games more enjoyable for kids.
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