A fundamental aspect of baseball, fielding ground balls should be automatic. Unfortunately, far too many players overlook proper fielding technique, leading to costly errors. One seemingly innocent fielding mistake can open the door to a huge inning for the opposition and mean the difference between victory and defeat. Following five simple steps can make certain you field ground balls with confidence.
Ready
Before the pitch is even thrown, make sure you're in a ready position and prepared to field the ball. Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Keep your weight forward on the balls of your feet and your hands hanging low between your legs, your glove open. Watch the ball into home plate and try to read the ball off the bat, giving you an edge in determining how to move next.
Approach
Once the ball is hit, you must approach the ball in a quick, controlled fashion. Always move towards the ball. Don't let the ball play you. Keep your glove low and held out in front of you. You also want to keep the ball in front of you at all times and centered on your body. That way if you miss with your glove, the ball will still strike your body and get knocked down.
Position
When the ball is about 15 feet away, get your body under control and assume a fielding position with your feet set, your knees bent and your glove held vertical and low to the ground. To get into a proper fielding rhythm, step toward the ball with your throwing-side foot while lowering your glove. Now follow with the glove-side foot, placing it so the ball is centered on your body and your feet are slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Keeping the glove low throughout the process will allow you to come up on any bad hops.
Glove
When actually fielding the ball, keep both arms extended in front of you so you can watch the ball into the glove and react to any late movement. Use your throwing hand to trap the ball in the glove and prevent it from bouncing free. Remember to hold your glove open and in a vertical position, with the tip pointed to the ground and the heel pointed to the sky, to create as much surface area as possible. Cushion the ball into the glove, pulling your hands in and up to your waist to take away its momentum.
Throw
While pulling the ball into the body, you need to point your glove-side hip and shoulder toward your intended target. Raise the glove to the center of your chest and lock your eyes on the target. Take a skip step toward the target and throw, pushing off the back leg and releasing the ball with a smooth, relaxed arm movement. Follow through with your throwing shoulder toward the target for greater accuracy.
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