How to Make a Double Play

Baseball games are not won on game day, they are won during practice. If you can teach your team good defensive fielding, you have the best chance that your players will repeat the plays during the game. A double play is typically made by the shortstop, because balls are often hit in his direction. Having a slow base runner, a strong-armed shortstop and an accurate combination of throws will help ensure the two outs every time. Read on to learn how to make a double play.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Baseballs

Teach the Double Play Technique

1. Make sure to field the ball before making the throw to the baseman. This means getting it from your glove and looking for the play before releasing the ball.

2. Start the double play by throwing the ball to the second baseman quickly and accurately.

3. Focus on the throw. Many quick attempts to release the ball have resulted in high-sailing over throws that allow the runner to advance extra bases.

4. See the target. If you want to get the ball into the fielder's glove, make sure you are looking at him, lined up in the right direction and focused on your target.

5. Know where the runners are at all times and move out of the way quickly. This allows the second baseman a clear look at the base runners for the best chance to make the second out.

Practice Double Play Drills

6. Separate your team into groups with four players in each group.

7. Direct each of the four players to take a position in the infield. There should be a player standing on each base and a player in the shortstop position.

8. Instruct the shortstop to stop the ball and throw to second. Then tell the second basemen to throw to the man on first.

9. Begin hitting ground balls to the third baseman. If he misses the ground ball or makes a wild throw to second, move him to the beginning of the line, which is the first base position.

10. Rotate the other three players forward a base after the ball is properly fielded, moving in the direction of third base.

11. Continue to hit balls until you see the players making each double play smoothly with few errors.

Tips & Warnings

• Use both umpires to make the decision if the throw is close. You will have to point to both the plate umpire and the field umpire for the official call.
• Teach your players not to block the bag when attempting to make a double play. Injuries to the runner and the infielder are increased when players position themselves in the line of play.

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