Alright, right now we are going to talk about double plays. Specifically, double plays where the second baseman comes up to make a pivot throw. What’s going to happen, the second baseman is going to be playing a lot further off the base than this but not too, you know maybe out about eight more feet, seven or eight more feet. When the ball is hit to the left side, he’s going to run up to the base and there are several ways you can make a turn on a double play as a second baseman. You can stand like this, knees bent, catch the ball, bring your weight back, make the throw from behind the base which is what the majority of second baseman do in college and professional baseball. Catch it, step back and make the throw. You can also, you can also step across and make the throw or you can straddle the base, catch the ball and then just rock, throw and as the runner comes jump up to avoid him. This is the one that I usually do and prefer, I can catch the ball and I don’t have to worry about making an extra step back because the more movement you make the less time, or the more time is elapsing before the ball is getting to first base. So the quickest way to turn a double play from second base, catch it, throw, get out of the way. Alright, now I’m going to have a ball thrown at me so we can demonstrate. Get to the base, I can step back and throw like that. I can get to the base, and straddle it, throw and jump and if the ball is thrown up here and I’m normally one to go back or straddle the base I’m going to have to make an adjustment so I come up to the base, I’m ready for it, it’s up here. You want to keep this foot on the base as long as you can and make the throw. A ground ball is hit on the left side of the infield where the shortstop covers, it’s different from the second baseman because the shortstop really just has one place where he needs to be. Catch the ball, slide his back foot across, turn and throw, and that’s basically it. The throw will determine what he has to do. But he wants to get there, get set up, the throw is right there. Slides across with his back foot and makes the throw. He has a throw across here, he’s waiting for it like this but it’s over here then he has got to slide his foot back there, throw, jump to avoid the runner.
