DRILL for PITCHERS BACKING UP THIRD-

Coaches have trouble with their pitchers backing up bases. They have a tendency to stand around after giving up a base hit.
What you need: pitchers and catchers, an accurate fungo hitter.

Pitchers line up behind the mound and the fungo coach sets up further behind the mound to get a good angle to simulate balls coming in from left, right and center field.

One pitcher toes the rubber and delivers a strike to his catcher. (we did this drill after throwing bullpens so we had the pitchers go through their delivery without a baseball.)

The coach calls "left field, center or fight field" and the pitcher sprints to the deepest point along the third base line that is in line with where the simulated outfield throw will come.

The coach then hits a fungo to the pitcher and he fields it to simulate an overthrow to third base. He then hustles with his ball to the back of the line and the next pitcher toes the rubber. (Pitch from the stretch please.) Keep the drill moving.

The keys are the pitchers must hustle to the right spot deep along the fence. They must not let the ball get by them; dive, block it with their body, nose- whatever it takes because if it gets into the dugout a run will score.

n their haste the pitchers sometimes ran to the wrong spot. If that happens hit the fungo to the spot you called out. They quickly learn to react properly. Run this drill several times through, until the coach is satisfied that they will perform properly in games.

BACKING UP HOME-

Have the pitchers line up off to the side of the mound. The coach is going to hit fungoes through the catcher to the backstop.

One pitcher simulates a pitch and the coach calls out "Home" or "four" whatever your preference. The catcher moves to the proper position to block the plate and the coach hits a ground ball fungo to him. The catcher must let the ball get by him and the pitcher (who sprinted to the deepest point along the backstop and behind the catcher, fields the baseball.

The key is for the pitcher to get to his spot quickly. It is more difficult for him to field the ball here because the catcher is blocking his view. He must react very quickly. It is very important for him to immediately gain control of the baseball.

Run this drill for about 1/2 hour on a day when you have pitchers and catchers only on the field and throw bullpens with two pitchers throwing pens while the rest of them were fielding bunts and throwing to first and second base. After rotating all pitchers through their pens perform the above drill.

This is a great drill because fungoes are somewhat unpredictable as they are hit to the pitcher. They may hit the baseline dirt the infield or the grass beyond the baseline and the pitcher must react quickly in fielding the baseball.