Tweener Drill

By: James Leisure

Equipment: JUGS Curveball Pitching Machine, JUGS Seamed or Yellow Dimpled Machine Baseballs and JUGS Softie Baseballs, Gloves, and Helmets

Players: All position players (except pitchers and catchers) and backups take the field in their positions.

By position the JUGS Pitching Machine in the correct spot (I’ve found the best spot to be about 1/3 of the way up the third base line and about 15 feet into foul territory.) remove the “T” handle and position the machine to throw medium to high fly balls. Starting with the left side of the infield, shoot a fly ball down the left field line to a spot that would require the left fielder, shortstop, and third baseman to communicate among themselves to determine who makes the catch. Immediately after that ball is caught, backup shortstop hops in, swing the machine slightly to the right to a spot that will shoot a fly ball directly behind second base into short centerfield requiring the shortstop, center fielder, and second baseman, right fielder and first baseman to communicate and execute the catch. While the second and third balls are in the air, the backup third baseman and backup left fielder (followed by the backup center fielder, right fielder, first baseman, etc…) should be getting into place because immediately after the right field ball is caught, you swing the machine all the way back to the left and start the drill over again. Repeat from left to right as many times as you like, keeping on the players to communicate and hustle in and out to their positions so that the drill moves smoothly and quickly.

Some Coaching Points: I always tried to use a student manager who had been trained on the proper technique of feeding the machine with baseballs. This allowed me and my assistant coach to be out in the field coaching, correcting mistakes as they occur and it saves me from yelling to a center fielder; for example, from the third base line. By being out in the field, I could speak in my normal tone of voice and correct the mistake calmly and effectively. Also, don’t worry about positioning the machine in the exact same spot every time as you swing it back and forth. Inconsistent placement is what you want when it comes to “tweeners.” Using “soft” balls like the ones used in t-ball leagues will also affect the distance and consistency of the fly balls as well. Have your feeder mix it up; feed two or three more practice balls then another “soft” ball. Another way to affect the distance of the balls is to feed very quickly, before the wheels have the chance to catch back up to full speed. However, this requires quick movement from side to side with the machine, as well as quick substitution from your players. They better be hustling in and out. After your fielders catch the balls, have them soft toss the balls back to the home plate area to another student manager or just to the backstop for collection later.

The Result: Your players get dozens of reps on the difficult to the field tweeners. They learn to communicate loudly and correctly. They also learn “fly ball priority,” meaning they learn who calls off who and who overrules who in terms of infield/outfield, right side/left side, etc… So come game time, when the late inning tweener threatens to cost your team a run, your players routinely make the play. Because, after all, by doing this drill twice a week for approximately 10-15 minutes each time, the play really does become routine.