There are several drills players and teams can do prior to starting a baseball game. Some are traditional fielding drills, and involve a coach hitting ground balls to infielders so they can prepare themselves to make plays. Others involve situational hitting and base running, which helps players get loose and focus mentally before competition starts.
Infield Practice
This is done at all levels of the game, and is particularly important for young players. Coaches hit ground balls to each of the infielders, who then throw the ball over to first base. This gets players loosened up, and in the practice of fielding ground balls the correct way. It can be a confidence-builder, too, because once the fielders make plays on a few ground balls prior to a game, they know they can get the job done once the first pitch is thrown.
Batting Practice
Getting players a few swings of the bat is essential when it comes to hitting the ball consistently. In batting practice, a coach will throw batters five to 10 pitches each, so they can get their stroke down, and go into the game knowing they can hit the ball. The pitches thrown in batting practice should be at about three-quarters speed. The idea is for the hitter to get loose and get his swing in the right groove. Some hitters like to hit the ball to all fields during batting practice. They will hit the first three pitches to left field, the next three to center, and three to right in order to know they are fully prepared for the game.
Throwing Relay
This drill can help players prepare for playing tight defense. In many cases, a game will come down to an important throw from an outfielder and the relay throw by an infielder. To prepare for this, line five players up down each foul line, starting at home plate. The players should be about 60 feet apart. The catcher, at home plate, should throw the ball to the next player in the line, who will catch the ball and throw it to the next player. Once all five have caught the ball, they reverse the throws to get the ball back to the catcher. The team that gets the ball back to the catcher the quickest, without dropping the ball or making an inaccurate throw, wins the relay.
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