How to Play Outfield?

[utility91]

My coach today invited me to move to centerfield and I have never played outfield in my life, he said his reasoning was just cause I'm the fastest on the team. Give me any basics to playing outfield. I'm about as knowledgeable as a kindergartener in this area.
thanks,
Nick

[Go Cardinals]

catch the ball... that might help... call ball... first step back...

Do you have to switch?

[Williamsburg2599]

http://www.webball.com/cms/page1161.cfm

That should help. The two best pieces of advice I got as an OFer is first step back and relax on those fly balls.

[utility91]

it's that simple eh? there is a Junior at shortstop, I'm a freshman and my coach is big on experienced players, implying I should play outfield.

[Williamsburg2599]

it's that simple eh? there is a Junior at shortstop, I'm a freshman and my coach is big on experienced players, implying I should play outfield.

It's one of those simple to start hard to master things.

[Go Cardinals]

it's that simple eh? there is a Junior at shortstop, I'm a freshman and my coach is big on experienced players, implying I should play outfield.

Just go out and work on it... get your crow hop down...

[TG Coach]

There will be nothing better you can do than go after every ball in the outfield in practice. Then take 100 after practice. Nothing can replace seeing the ball come at you, in front of you, over your head and to each side, as many times as you can see it and pursue it. Learn to slide tackle the balls in front of you so if you miss, it hits you rather than turning into an inside the park homer whenbounces under you and rolls to the fence.

Charge all grounders in BP like a runner is rounding tird to score. Then take 100 of these as often as possible. Learn to come up throwing over the top as if you would fall on your face after you release the ball.

Learn how to find the fence. Learn to communicate and help the outfielders beside you and get help in return. Help each other with in, back and finding the fence.

And everything thing you charge and approach an infielder is yours if you call it. If you're in center, you're the captain. You're in charge. Everything you call for is yours.

[Drill]

best drill ---- run really really fast and catch the ball while laying your body out to do a belly flop on the hard ground, with the sun in your eyes.


drills:

1. stand on the roof of a one story house and have someone throw balls to you with the sun in your face.

2. have someone throw balls to you as you dive through the air and landing in your back yard pool.

3. if the pool is to far away or you are just plane scared of highs. Get on diving board and jump up and catch ball while laying out in the form of a belly flop.

4. warm down - have lady friend rub tanning oil on all your sore spots.


more outfield drill to follow,

drill

[ralanprod]

Personally, I never played in the OF, so I can only relay something that my son has said to me as he has been starting in CF for the first time this season...

It's harder to judge balls coming right at you than those that are a little to the side. My son has no problem tracking and catching balls in LF or RF, but always seems to mis-judge those hit right at him in center. He asked me for advice, but all I had to offer was to practice. The more you do it, the easier it gets.

[Infinite]

Centerfield is the QB of the outfield and communication is key. You must call out the ball to the other outfielders. You must cover balls hit to both sides unless its down the line.
You should shag balls in batting practice to get used to taking a proper line to the ball. Your first move isnt necessarily back.
Once the ball is released by the pitcher you should be on the balls of your feet not crouched like an infielder but a comfortable position to move quickly. I never cross my feet to get to a ball I usually open up my hips to the side and go. I never back pedal like in football I run at an angle back looking at the ball. I never change directions going back more than 2 times.
The biggest key for me was being able to see where the ball is pitched gives you an idea where the ball can possibly go.
I always watch the ball to the bat so I can get a jump on where it goes and how hard its hit. You will eventually get used to that and even the sound of the ball coming off the bat is important. You will eventually hear if it was hit solid or weakly.
Before each game I count how many steps running from the warning track to the wall/fence.

I try not to catch the ball going backwards unless I have to. I usually always try to have my momentum going towards my target. makes it easier to throw.

Outfield ground balls:
if runners are not on base you can take a knee down make sure its in the glove and hit your cutoff man.
if runners are in scoring position advance on the ball stutter step usually 1,2 or 1,2,3, slow down get low and scope the ball up to the throwing hand (some people scope the ball on the outside of the glove leg I prefer angles to the ball that helps me throw to my target and I scope from inside my glove leg sometimes reason is if I boot it most times it stays in front of me or angles away in my vision rarely behind me) at the same time find the cut off man. 1,2, or 1,2,3 hop step plant and let your momentum help you with your throw. Some people want to plant and stop their momentum.

One of the best fielders in the game.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KT7P3dfnpHU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQFnCbjmRzk

practice a lot.
some times i go to a place that has 2 walls throwing the ball off one and have it bounce on the other ricocheting and reacting to them.
with a friend go to the park at different times of the day have them throw the ball up like a pop fly or towards you with your back turned at varied distances. They yell out something you turn around and find the ball. Practice facing the sun away from the sun different times of the day etc....

I love centerfield.
GL.

[Padday]

The two best pieces of advice I got as an OFer is first step back and relax on those fly balls.

My biggest problem with those fly balls would be that I would start panicking. I had been playing outfield quite a lot and was fairly good at catching flyballs in practice but then I got my first chance with the adult team and was playing in right field. Up to bat was a lefty who had already gotten two bloop singles into shallow right field. He hit another one out towards me and in a panic I started running foreward to catch another bloop, unfortunately he had gotten good contact on this one and before I knew it the ball was over my head and behind me.

Basically the most important thing to do is relax. Make those routine fly balls routine. I now play mainly in the infield and whats good about that is you don't have enough time to panic, you just react.

[jamesh23]

get in a ready position in the outfield, make sure you learn to track a fly ball, you can get as good as where you can see it hit, turn and run without looking at the ball and go to where it will land. A senior could do that last year. also, crow hop, crow hop, crow hop.

[Go Cardinals]

Personally, I never played in the OF, so I can only relay something that my son has said to me as he has been starting in CF for the first time this season...

It's harder to judge balls coming right at you than those that are a little to the side. My son has no problem tracking and catching balls in LF or RF, but always seems to mis-judge those hit right at him in center. He asked me for advice, but all I had to offer was to practice. The more you do it, the easier it gets.

Are you, again, really talking about your 8 year old like that (sorry if I messed up the age)?

[virg]

Aggressively!

[PJ-34]

Well I play outfield and I like to think I'm knowledgeable about it. My advice is to always know how many outs there are. Judge the wind on a fly ball and know where it's going to land. Know where your other outfielders are. Ummm, know how late or early the batters are swinging and know how powerfull they are. Power hitters are most likely to hit a fly ball into the outfield so look for them, weaker hitters are most likely to ground it so move closer to the diamond incase a ball sneaks through. That's pretty much how I play the outfield, I hope that helps.