Throw then Jump!

By: Ron Bing, Puritas League, Cleveland, Ohio
Date: October 02, 1998 at 19:30

How do you teach your middle infielder to throw and jump to avoid the slidding runner? Can't keep running your players at them, but there is a way.

Get ahold of a 5 gallon plastic bucket. As the SS or 2B is about to release the ball to first, throw the bucket at them. If they don't get out of the way they get hit by it, but no one gets hurt. It will take a little practice to get the hang of how and when to toss it, but it will help enforce the need and technique regarding how to get up and out of the way.