Winter conditions do not mean that baseball players have to put down their gloves, bats and baseballs. Modern equipment and creative coaches can help their teams practice in all conditions by bringing the game indoors. While it is impossible to play a full game inside the gym, you can have your young players do several drills to help many aspects of their game.
Swing Development
Coaches can help young players improve their swing by setting up batting tees indoors surrounded by a net. The batting tee is a useful tool for players of all ages. Major leaguers use it to hone their swings and the youngest players can develop a consistent and level swing by hitting off the tee. Set up wiffle balls on the batting tee and have the batter assume his stance in the batter's box. Have each batter take 10 swings at the wiffle balls and make corrections after each swing. From that station, have batters go into a regulation batting cage that is also set up inside a net. All you need is about 60 to 70 feet to set up the cage. A batting practice pitcher can throw each hitter 10 pitches and no damage will be done to your facility.
Fielding Ground Balls
Players can work on their fielding even when they are indoors. The hard gym floor gives fielders an opportunity to field grounders without any bad hops. A batted baseball bounces and rolls smoothly on the floor and this gives players confidence because the ball's path is predictable. If the gym floor has a hard rubberized surface, standard baseballs will not damage the floor. If the gym floor is wooden, use rubberized baseballs to keep from damaging the floor.
Pitching Stations
Set up an area for pitchers and catchers. Throw down a portable home plate and pitching rubber and set them up 45 feet apart---youth pitching distance---so your pitchers can work on their setup, windup and delivery. Pitchers can throw 40 to 50 pitches, two or three times per week in the offseason to build up arm strength, accuracy, mechanics and consistency. Three or four pitchers may be able to work at the same time, depending on the size of your facility. Separate pitchers from each other with netting so no poor throws or pitches strike unsuspecting players.
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