Baseball

For an infielder in baseball or softball, one of the toughest plays to make is to field a hard-hit one-hop ground ball. On one-hoppers not hit directly at you, you will have to react quickly to...

Playing high school is a step up the ladder. When young people play baseball in youth leagues, it is largely a learning experience where the main goal is to learn the game and try to put the...

Many aspiring baseball umpires prefer to work at the college level. It's high caliber baseball, but the season is shorter and there's less travel than professional baseball. While the actual...

Playing baseball with a foot injury can be very difficult. Obviously, a broken ankle or a broken foot goes beyond the type of foot injury that an athlete can play baseball with, but a sprained or...

A baseball pitcher does more than just throw while out on the mound. Sure, a 95 mile-per-hour fastball is great, but he must also properly field his position when the ball is in play. A pitcher's...

There may not necessarily be a home run every baseball game, but if you go to enough games, you are bound to see at least one. There is no absolute guarantee you will catch a home run ball, there...

Training for baseball is different than other sports because of the different types of player positions. Pitchers, for example, use their arms more than catchers, who use their legs when squatting...

If you are coaching a Little League baseball team, are a volunteer parent or helping to administer the league, you will probably be asked to get the field ready for the beginning of the season....

The difference between an average hitter and a great hitter is the type of mechanics they use to hit a baseball. Rotational mechanics are by far the best method for hitting a baseball with power...

I will not lie to you - throwing a knuckleball is difficult. If it were easy to learn there would be many more major league pitchers throwing it. Although it is difficult to master, it can still...

Bunting in baseball is a lost art. However it can be an important part of a baseball team's offense, whether bunting for a hit or advancing a runner.

Athletes who consider playing baseball and have strong arms often become pitchers. Arm strength, which is difficult to teach, is typically a prerequisite for this position. But a player can...

Playing in the infield in baseball or softball is a demanding task, no matter which of the six positions (including pitcher) a player occupies. Of course, some positions (shortstop, catcher) are...

Aside from added access to Major League Baseball players, coaches and other organization insiders, members of the Baseball Writers Association of America earn the distinction of voting on who gets...

With over 120,000 high school seniors competing for approximately 10,000 roster spots, it is important to have a strategic game plan that will work for you. The road to college baseball is long...

A wooden bat is the only kind of hitting tool permitted throughout professional baseball. At the school level and in little leagues, softball leagues and pick-up games, the aluminum bat that is...

Baseballs, like other pieces of equipment for the game of baseball, have changed a great deal since the sport's early days. In the late 19th century, sports equipment manufacturers patented...

When I played baseball as a kid I was amazed at the prices of the equipment that is NECESSARY for playing the game. A good glove can cost easily over $50, a bat is in the hundreds and then you...

Want to get an edge on the competition? Well, just about every pitcher out there has mastered the fastball, but what about the split finger fastball? If executed correctly this pitch can be the...

One of the least common hybrid pitches is the knuckle curve. This pitch combines the curveball and knuckleball to create a pitch that doesn't rotate and drops when it reaches the plate. This pitch...

A pitch that Greg Maddux made a career out of, he was never a pitcher that threw 90mph, but the movement of his cut fastball has made him a Hall of Fame pitcher. All you have to do is throw the...

While Babe Ruth used bats made out of hickory and Barry Bonds won the home run record with maple bats, most people prefer wooden bats that are made from white ash. If you are a skilled woodworker...

Catching a fly ball in the sun is one of the hardest baseball fundamentals; but lacking this skill can easily lose a close game. This article will take you through the fundamental steps of...

The first base umpire has the most challenging and important job in the entire crew. Plays in this spot are frequent and often painfully close. Proper positioning and even a sharp ear are critical...

Catchers have the toughest job in baseball. Not only must they squat for nine innings, but they have more responsibilities than any other player on the field. They must determine which pitches...

Playing catcher is one of the most important jobs on the baseball field. Not only are you involved in every play--calling for and catching every pitch that is not put into play--but you are the de...

It is largely acknowledged by athletes in all sports that hitting a baseball consistently is the most difficult athletic task. Michael Jordan is considered the best basketball player ever and...

Stealing an opposing baseball's teams signs can be useful because it tells your team what pitches are going to be thrown and what offensive plays, such as a hit and run, have been called. Unless...

Switch hitting is one of the biggest advantages a batter can have, particularly when he has advanced up the ladder to baseball's top levels. Chipper Jones, Mickey Mantle, Eddie Murray and Pete...

Baseball is a sport based on patience, persistence and discipline. One slight move in the wrong direction in the field, on the bases or at the plate can result in defeat. For an offensive player,...

The slider is a very challenging pitch to master.It is a great off-speed pitch that fools alot of batters which to the hitter looks like a fastball but as soon as it reaches the plate it drops and...

To make an aluminum will need special equipment and high specialized skills. However, while not everyone can make an aluminum bat in their garage, it is interesting to learn how to make an...

The one common truth in baseball is that those teams that have an abundance of good pitching will succeed. Hitting and fielding will always be important, but pitching is the single biggest factor...

The nuances of fantasy baseball are endless. While rotisserie-style fantasy baseball remains the most popular form of the game, head-to-head, or h2h, is becoming more widespread. In head-to-head...

When you need to work on your baseball batting technique, but don't have a pitcher available, you need your own batting machine. Purchasing commercial versions of batting machines can be...

Many fans like to use batting average as their evaluative barometer for offensive production in baseball. A better method exists, known as linear weights, and even more alternatives get rid of...

When you think of what the most difficult position on a baseball team is, your answer will probably be the pitcher or the catcher. Both of these players are involved in almost every defensive...

The curve ball has been the undoing of a majority of hitters at all levels of baseball. In the major leagues, a good curve ball will make a .250 hitter out of one who normally hits .300. The curve...

The split finger fastball is a pitch primarily used by power pitchers that appears as a fastball until dropping sharply as it approaches the plate. It is a pitch that requires large hands and can...

Baseball players who earn the designation "five-tool player" are highly coveted by most major league teams. Most players possess at least one or two of the tools, but a player who has all five is...

Making your high school baseball team is a challenge for many young men, and every edge you can get going into tryouts will help. Whether you are loaded with natural talent, or trying to build...

There are many ways to throw a pitched ball. There are certain steps you need to take with every pitched ball that you throw. The mechanics of your throwing motion will control what the pitched...

If you've heard it's impossible to throw a riser in baseball, get ready to be amazed. Being able to make the baseball rise on the way to the plate is a monumental pitch to have in the bag. The...

Learning how to throw tricky pitches can be a mystery. However, once you learn to put of these in you game, the benefits are endless. It's easy to be the most valuable player on your team if you...

Tired of throwing the same old curve ball? Are you ready to try an alternative curve ball that has crazy movement and keeps hitters baffled? Having an alternative curve ball will not only give you...

The stopball is one of the more difficult pitches to throw. The fact that it is so effective at confusing batters, as it seems to stop right before the plate, makes it worth the effort.

Basbeall batters hate having to deal with a lob sinker. Seeing the ball come in like a changeup, then wind up in the dirt, can be very irritating. As pitchers, though, we love to cause that kind...

Pitching is oneof the most difficult things to master in all of sports. Once you have the mechanics down for throwing a standard (4 seam) fastball, you will want to begin to add movement to your...

If there is one sure-fire way to make sure you're invaluable to your baseball team, it's to be a great fielder. If, however, you want to be a truly outstanding baseball player, then you also have...

The knuckler (or knuckleball) may be the most difficult pitch to learn to throw well, and most pitchers never do. Those who have mastered how to throw a knuckler, like Tim Wakefield and Hall of...