Rookie Baseball Drills

"Hey rookie, carry my bag" is a phrase you might hear at a baseball game. First-year players, called rookies, are often hazed playfully like this by more experienced players, or veterans, who make rookies complete menial tasks to "pay their dues." Rookies at any level, from T-ball to the professional ranks, are usually inexperienced and need to learn a lot about the game to succeed. Therefore, as a coach, have your rookies perform drills to practice the fundamentals of the game, including batting, catching, fielding and throwing.

Angled Groundballs

Most groundballs are not hit directly at your fielders but to either side. Rookie outfielders need to learn how to cut these balls off so they don't roll to the fence. Stand near second base with a bat and several balls. Have outfielders form a line in center field. Hit a sharp groundball to the left or right of the first player in line. He must take an appropriate angle toward the ball to field it before it gets to the fence, then throw the ball back to the infield as quickly as possible. Give each player in line multiple repetitions.

Crow Hop Drill

The crow hop is one of the first skills rookies need to master because it helps them throw with maximum velocity. All players except pitchers should crow hop when they throw. To execute the crow hop, players step toward the target with their throwing-arm-side foot, take another short hop step toward the target with the same foot as they prepare their arms to throw, step toward the target with their glove-side foot, then throw the ball. For the crow hop drill, simply have your players play catch and use the crow hop technique for each throw. Have them start about 20 yards apart and gradually separate so they are throwing the ball 50 yards.

Football Batting Drill

When batting, baseball players need to keep their arms flexed, with their hands close to the back shoulder, until just before the ball enters the hitting area. Many players, however, extend their arms too early, which decreases consistency and power, according to Mike Marshall, a former professional shortstop and pitcher. The football batting drill can help correct this problem. Have the player assume his batting stance and hold a small football between his top hand and back shoulder. Have him practice hitting off a batting tee and tell him to keep the football pinched between his hand and shoulder until his chest faces where he wants to hit the ball--toward right field for outside pitches, center field for middle pitches and left field for inside pitches, if he is right-handed. If he does this correctly, the football will fly off his shoulder in the same direction as the ball when he extends his arms.