Baseball Communication Coaching Tips - 365 Days to Better Baseball

Wednesday Web Gems

Necessity of Baseball Communication

It is common at the youth baseball level to have coaches screaminga player's name, which the coach thinks should catch fly balls or popups, when balls go into the air. Nothing suggests over coaching as that. Good coaches allow players to work out who catches those batted balls. Of course, until players learn who should catch balls, coaching help is necessary to avoid injury feom collisions.

Good baseball communication is necessary for winning and for good baseball. Many signals transpire pre-pitch from the bench to players and between players. Even more important is the baseball communication that must occur once balls are in play. Without effective talk, the ability to get outs is compromised and the chance of collisions is greatly enhanced.

It is paramount that players know the "rules" of communication that makes defenses effective. Of course, youth baseball coaches must know those rules, so they can ingrain them into players. Without knowledge of correct communication, it is difficult to develop aggressive defensive players, for fear of injury from collisions.

Baseball Communication Rules Coaches Must Teach

1. Players must learn to yell loudly, clearly, and more than once.
2. Most common words for effective verbal exchanges are "I got it," and "You take it."
3. The centerfielder is the "captain" of outfield and shortstop in the infield which means when more than one player calls for ball, the captain, takes precedent.
4. Outfielders take charge over infielders once again, when outfielder and infielder are both calling for ball, outfielder takes it.

* It bears repeating that players must learn to yell loudly, clearly, repetitively and with the correct words for outs and safety to occur.

Other Baseball Communication Coaching Tips

1. Balls called by two outfielders at the same time means the centerfielder gets it.
2. Balls called by two players at same time in the infield goes to the middle infielder, with shortstop taking it over second baseman.
3. Pitchers help communication with balls around the pitcher's mound.
4. Corner infielders take charge over catchers.

Further Baseball Communication Coaching Tips

It is also necessary for coaches to teach players:

1. When to call balls when ball is at highest point is the best time.
2. When to get out of way when other player, based on above rules, calls ball, players must trust they will catch it and move out of way.
3. When not to call ball when players is completely camped under ball, it is not conducive to call players off.

Finally, at the lower levels of baseball, coaches may have minor alterations to the above rules because of huge player ability differences. For example, at eh youth level, pitchers are often the best players, so it is good to have them catch balls around the mound and home plate. However, as the quality of ball goes up, abiding by the above baseball communication rules is paramount and rarely do pitchers take precedent over other infielders.