WebBall.com - How to Field

Field like a Vacuum Cleaner

Keep your legs under you
and the ball in front of you.

The real art to fielding is to be ready before the pitch, and react when the ball is hit.

Get ready.
- Guess where the ball is going. (Your first guesses may be way off, but keep doing it. Over time you'll develop good fielding instincts.)
- Call for the ball - before the hit. You want the ball to come to you. Be positive - confident.
- Take two short steps in. Forward movement keeps you on the inside balls of your feet. You want to be loose and fluid.
- Stay low on a wide base - feet apart, knees bent, butt down, arms hanging relaxed between knees.
React.
- Move to the ball.
- For best lateral move to right:
  - Drive across with left shoulder. Turn right foot out. As upper body leans right - step with right leg, then left leg. (Don't start with a cross-over step - open the body to the ball side first.)
- For lateral to left
  - Lead with right shoulder and step with left foot.
- Keep head down, sneak up on the ball - soft strides.
- Try to get there early, to face the hit (on all but the most out-of-reach hits.)
Catch.
- Establish triangle - wide leg base, arms out in front, maintain balance. (Check with heel tap.)
- Stay soft - light feet, relaxed hands, loose shoulders.
- Glove below the ball - arms can pull up easier than push down.
- Cradle ball on heel of glove for quick grab by throwing hand (on top).
- On out-of-reach shots - drop to knee with throwing hand for balance, glove arm stretch. (Flat-out dives seldom work.)
Come up with feet under you, ready to throw.
- Once you've got the basics, move on to throwing (that's the next lesson)
- Then work on the details for each fielding position.

Our more advanced infield instruction starts here.