Infield Approach
When playing the infield a baseball player should assume a ready position with an athletic stance. The ready position should have the following attributes:
- Knees and back bent in a comfortable position.
- Feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
- The players weight should be on the inside balls of their feet.
- Hands should be in front of his body, but not reaching or leaning.
Being in this athletic stance allows the player to move quickly and easily in any direction necessary to make a play. Frequently you will see young players that have been "coached" into setting up incorrectly. The common mistakes you will see are:
- Having feet set up too far apart, nearly twice their shoulder width.
- Being crouched over with their glove on the ground.
Holding this position is very uncomfortable and will cause tension throughout the player's body. While the player may be in position to field a ball hit directly at him, he is not in position to move to the ball after it is hit. If you see your players setting up in this position it is imperative that you correct them.
Forward Momentum
The easiest way to unsure that your players are ready to move when the ball is hit is to have them moving while the ball is being pitched. What I like to see is as the pitcher makes the delivery, the fielders make two small steps forward. First, they step with their glove side foot, then their throwing side foot. The player should time to motion so that they are in their athletic, ready position as the ball is reaching the plate. This leaves them in a relaxed, athletic position and ready to react quickly and move to the ball to make a play.