QAspirations at 2nd

I am a rising junior in High School. I play 2nd base for a very good team. I am one of four leaders on the team and consider my self a good player. I have doubts as all athletes do. My dreams consists of playing at a Division 1 school in college. I am gonna need help. What are things I can do that will really help me become better as a 2nd baseman. What are things i can do in training? What about becoming more powerful. Can you supply me some tips for becoming faster (baserunning and fielding)? And what about things to get the team more serious and think the same way I do.

AFirst, WebBall prefers emails limited to specifics - not 'help me with everything' questions. You've no doubt read the tips for middle infielders. I hope, too, that you've worked hard on some of the hitting techniques. You also need to look deeper into the conditioning area (under Training) especially during the off-season. But beyond those, there are other issues you need to face.

1. Confidence comes from within not from any words I can throw your way.
2. Second base is not a position to aspire too. Most 2Bs at the college and pro levels arrived there by being SS stars that weren't quite as fast as other SS stars.
3. Regardless of how good a fielder you are - it is clutch hitting and power hitting that are in demand (along with pitching of course).
4. And if you let what I just said in points 2 and 3 discourage you, then you need to go back and read point 1 again. Attack every ball hit your way (because you want it). Be quick to back-up every other fielding play (because you're the most dependable guy out there). Be ready to hit every pitch (because no hurler can get all his best stuff by you.) And above all else - no matter how good you were yesterday and how talented you might be tomorrow, the only game that matters is today's and the only play that matters is the one right now.

QFielding Arms

I'm a 2nd baseman and I'm a relatively strong fielder. The only problem is that my arm isn't very strong. I've been trying to strengthen it lately but it isn't developing too well. Is there anything in particular I could do to increase my arm strength?

AStrength is the wrong term to use - and the wrong focus. Throwing, like all baseball, is a power and speed-oriented action. You don't say what age you are, but the best things to do are a full and proper throwing session at the start of practice - keep getting farther from your partner every 5 throws until you are at 1-1/2 the base-to-base distance. Concentrate on making throws to the chest. At some point in that process you may reach a higher failure rate - fewer throws on target - because your arm is not up to it - but you have to keep trying. The reason this is so important is that the only way to throw accurately farther is to make the ball go faster and that means your arm has to be moving faster. It's all about speed. Notice, no mention has been made of weight lifting, or focus on arm mechanics or anything about arm strength. The reason is: it is not the biceps and triceps that need to be more powerful but the shoulder, chest, and upper back muscles, and the abs and lats in the trunk area, and the upper legs/hips, etc. Now you could go on a monitored exercise program covering each of these areas, but the truth is the act of trying to throw more with speed and distance will naturally bring these into play for you. If you did want to add a strength component - it would be medicine ball throws - trunk toss (side rotation) and double arm overhand tosses. (Doesn't need to be a big medicine ball - in fact 1 - 2 lbs at most.) What this will do - because of the added weight, is force you to use your whole body to propel the medicine ball - and that will ensure you are using all the required throwing muscles. Remember: it's not about bulking up or building muscle; it's about using those muscles over the full range of their motion as needed for throwing.

QHolding Runners

I need some advice on holding runners on at second base. any plays or ways to
keep the runner closer to the base.

AFirst, have the pitcher vary his time held in set position - 1 count, 3
count, 2 count.
Second, make sure he checks the runner by looking each time -
but again not always at the same time, and sometimes twice. You can have the
bagman stay at the bag, drift on or off, make noise with glove or be very quiet,
come in from side or arc out and come across from behind. The pitcher can step
off without turning or throwing, or he can lift throwing leg and bring it back
across, or he can step off and spin around to the glove side.
The point is, the more variety, the less the runner can get a read, the less likely he can get a
good jump. You can also get into fancier decoy plays in which the SS crosses in
front of runner going away from bag while the 2B sneaks in behind.

QQuicker Pivot

I am considered a very good defensive baseball player. I have a strong arm, quick feet, good reaction time and I know the game very well. I play second base and I was wondering what the best way to make the pivot to first is on a double play. I can usually complete plays but I know if I could find a quicker way I can improve myself that much more

A#1 rule which I tell everyone is left foot on the bag.
Why? Well, if you get to the bag early you can cross-over with left foot on the bag to take the relay. With left on the bag, your right cen be planted as the late throw gets to you so your body is already aligned to first.
Also by having left on the bag, when you remove it to clear the runner coming in, your weight transfers to the back foot as it should anyway.
Same if you are late getting there - stretch left foot to the bag for the touch, then with weight on right foot pull back to the right field side.
The other thing that will speed up your pivot is a wide short glove (11") with a shallow pocket, so that you are deflecting the ball to your throwing hand, not burying it in a deep pocket. Also avoid open webbing which might catch your fingers. Have a look at this link to see the kind of second base glove that pros recommend for 2B.
One final thought - please don't think you have to do jumps and spins and throws with both feet in the air. It's sort of like diving catches in the outfield - they look impressive, but I'd rather have fielders who got to the right position early and made it look routine.

QRunners on 2nd

What is the best way to hold a runner on second base?

AThere are a variety of techniques - pitcher changing his timing - shortstop and 2nd baseman playing decoys for each other to keep the runner uncertain as to who he must watch for - shortstop charging at runner then fading back but toward the bag (behind the runner where hard to see) - preset timing plays in which the pitcher turns and throws without looking after a nod or similar (do this early in a game) and runners will be uncertain after that - and in some cases simply keep 2nd baseman close to the bag - perhaps a couple of steps behind it, rather than to the side (again harder for runner to see, and easier for 2nd to cut diagonally to fielding position) - some times catcher can call for a pitcher step off. Remember that a runner should be less likely to steal third with a lefty batter (catcher has better view), or with none out or 2 out. So the most important time to worry about the runner at 2nd is with one out.