Defensive Drills FIRE DRILLS Joe Brockhoff
Joe Brockhoff, 2009 Gulf National Enterprises, Inc. 7624 Fairway Drive Diamondhead, MS 39525 228-255- 0449 www.gulfnationalenterprises.com gulfnational@cableone.net
CONTENTS Drill # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pop- 11 13 14
Upon retiring as head baseball coach at Tulane University in 1993, Joe tenure ended as the winningest coach in the history of Tulane Athletics, compiling a 641-385- 2 career record in 19 years. In that span, the Tulane Baseball Team reached the NCAA Tournament seven times and won three Metro Conference Championships, and he was named Metro Coach of the Year three times. teams at Tulane scored more than 7,000 runs, had more than 9,000 hits, and 900 home runs. Since his retirement, Joe has been honored with the retirement of his #25 Tulane Baseball Jersey, his induction into the Tulane University Athletic Hall of Fame and the Allstate Sugar Bowl Hall of Fame. He continues to remain active in working with baseball players and coaches, nationwide and across the globe helping them to achieve the very best for themselves and their teams. Foreword After playing professional baseball, I returned to finish my education and begin coaching. While I was coaching at the high school level, it became very apparent to me that I had constraints of time that were not an issue during my professional days. In the pros, we had all of the time that we needed, all day in many instances to practice and learn the game. But as a high school and college coach, we had only a short period of time each day to practice. It was at that time that I began to develop the defensive drills that were perfected over the years and which are partly presented in this book. These Fire Drills are the first in a series of Defensive Drills. Fire Drills, along with the Victory Drills and Combo Drills are constructed to practice all possible defensive situations in a - it- reps, but build the attitude of aggressiveness. Players will want the ball to be hit to them, and they will instinctively know what to do when they get it. It his my desire that they are a great asset in the development of solid attack defensive skills for team or individual player. Joe Brockhoff
INFIELDERS REACTION DRILLS: Field Ground balls and return to pickup men, Ground balls are hit directly, to the left, and to the right. Each fielder fields ground balls in each direction, plus slow rollers. OUTFIELDERS AGILITY DRILLS: 1. Sprint over right shoulder. 2. Sprint over left shoulder. 3. Right shoulder to left shoulder; 4. Left to right shoulder; 5.Directly behind full sprint. complete a full round.
INFIELDERS 3 rd Baseman begins throwing to first base. Shortstop fields ground balls hit to his right and the second baseman fields balls hit to his right. Shortstop and second baseman also start to simulate the double play. The first baseman starts receiving balls thrown to the bag by the third baseman. First baseman should break to the bag and not stand on it. OUTFIELDERS AGILITY DRILLS: 1. Sprint over right shoulder. 2. Sprint over left shoulder. 3. Right shoulder to left shoulder; 4. Left to right shoulder; 5.Directly behind full sprint. complete a full round.
INFIELDERS GROUND BALLS: Shortstop throws to first base. Third baseman fields a variety of ground balls and simulates a double play. Then he returns the ball to the pickup man. The second baseman will field balls to his left and simulate a double play. The first baseman will receive throws from the shortstop. OUTFIELDERS FLY BALL DRILLS: All outfielders are fielding a variety of fly balls, including communication with the other outfielders by the fence, and going to the fence and coming back to catch the ball. Outfielders are working on getting into position to throw off of the catch. BLOCKING PITCHES FROM REGULAR STANCE (variety of pitches): 1.Low away; 2. Low inside; 3. Home plate area.
INFIELDERS Second basemen field ground balls and throw to first base. First baseman receives throws. Shortstop and third baseman work with outfielders on cutoff drills. OUTFIELDERS Receive a variety of ground balls and fly balls thrown by the coach and then throw to third base using proper technique. Use proper footwork and throw to first base and third base. Receive a variety of pitches and work with a hitter in the right
INFIELDERS Third baseman fields ground balls and starts double play with the second baseman making the pivot and completing the double play. A blocking dummy is used to make the second baseman work to avoid the collision. Shortstops will throw half hoppers to each other. OUTFIELDERS Use hard sprint to right for catching a variety of thrown balls by the coach making sure that they are running hard. Use proper footwork and drill on throwing to second base.
INFIELDERS Shortstop starts the double play, with the second baseman making the pivot and completing the play. The third basemen are throwing half hoppers to each other. The first baseman completes the double play. OUTFIELDERS Running catch going to the left; Hard sprints on balls of the feet fielding fly balls. Receive pitch and shift using proper technique and drill on the double steal options: 1. Check third and throw to second 2. Readjust and throw to third 3. Delay double steal 4. Throw directly to third base
INFIELDERS Second baseman starts the double play. Shortstop makes the play at second base and completes the double play. The third basemen drill on dive and recovery plays. OUTFIELDERS Semi- line drives are hit by the coach, or the machine is used to hit the line drive type ball. The outfielder must make a decision on whether to make the catch or to take the safety play. Tag plays: Catchers in square, using block dummy, making rag plays and recovering for the second play at second base or third.
INFIELDERS First baseman starts the double play. The shortstop returns the throw. The second basemen throw half hops to each other. The second part of the double play has the shortstops throwing to third base for the double play the long way. OUTFIELDERS Start the drill in the push- up position. Fly balls are hit by the pitching machine. Outfielders must recover and make the catch on the fly ball. Work on catching foul balls using the pitching machine (can be in combination with the outfielders). Catchers must use the mask in the drill in order to work on taking the mask off, and flipping it away from the play.
ALL PLAYERS: Dry run situations with all players reacting to the calls of each play by the coach. Each play will be reviewed previous to practice. Usually 6 situations are called for each time the drill is used. Pitchers report to the mound and will take part in the drill.
TANDEM RELAYS ALL PLAYERS: TANDEM RELAYS Fungos are hit from three positions: 1. Down the left field line 2. In the Alleys 3. Down the right field line Balls are allowed to go to the wall and are chased down by the outfielders and thrown to the relay man (shortstop or second baseman) according to the called base. Pitchers alternate going to the mound and backing up the plays.
ALL PLAYERS: POP- UP FLY- BALL DRILL One pitcher on the mound at a time. Pop ups and fly balls are hit in sequence by three fungo hitters. Outfielders, infielders, pitchers and catchers will use communication and will make the catch or will aid on calls.
c INFIELDERS OUTFIELDERS PITCHERS Field thrown balls and use general infield routine. Make tag plays on throws from outfielders. All outfielders will make three throws to second base from left field; three throws to second base from center field; three throws to home plate from right field, then sprint in from right field. When receiving throws from third base, toss a bunt toward first and make the play to first. When receiving throws from first, toss a bunt and make the play to third. When receiving throws from right field, make a tag play and throw to second base. Two pitchers are on the mound at a time. They back up all bases and will exchange with the others on the side. Next pitcher waiting must sprint in at the completion of each play.
c PITCHERS PITCHERS Cover home plate and make the tag play (using the dummy) He catcher to make the play to someone other than him, he makes the When receiving throws from third base, toss a bunt toward first and make the play to first. When receiving throws from first, toss a bunt and make the play to third. When receiving throws from right field, make a tag play and throw to second base. Two pitchers are on the mound at a time. They back up all bases and will exchange with the others on the side. Next pitcher waiting must sprint in at the completion of each play.
c PITCHERS FIRST BASE THIRD BASE SECOND BASE SHORTSTOP Pitch the ball into the dirt for the catcher to block. He reacts to a fungo to the times. Block the low pitch, recover and make a throw to third base. If the ball gets through toward the right side, make the throw to the second first baseman. Make the play as dictated by the pitcher. Receives the throw from the catcher and makes a tag play. The second third Toss throws with shortstop. Toss throws with second baseman.