How to Play Center Field in Baseball
Of the three outfield positions, center field is the one that demands the greatest speed and grace. That is why when highlight films show great catches made throughout the years, it is often a center fielder who is making them. Developing a few key skills can help you become a star in center field.
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Instructions
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Start by learning to throw and catch, but concentrate on developing the ability to catch fly balls. From the beginning of a center fielder's baseball career, "shagging flies" must be a daily activity.
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Consider that shagging flies need not be done on a formal baseball field or even with a baseball. The age-old game of "500" played with a rubber ball can develop the skill of sensing where a ball is going from its initial flight.
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Learn to "run to a spot" by anticipating where a fly ball is headed. This develops a fielder's ability to judge a ball and makes it easier to run for a catch without watching the ball every second.
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Play long catch to increase arm strength. Start a normal game of catch and gradually increase the distance between you and your partner, taking a step or two back with each series until you're at an extended distance that will develop your throwing ability.
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Work on hitting skills. Use sessions of soft pitch, hitting whiffle balls and swinging at batting cages to develop hand eye coordination.
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In high school, try to find a coach who knows about base stealing. Because center fielders must have speed, they are often placed "at the top of the order," where base-running smarts and base-stealing technique are valued assets.
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