baseball beginner

Question
My son will soon be 9 years old and has never played baseball.  He can hit a wiffle ball with a plastic bat, but he has not experienced throwing and catching with a glove.  I've signed him up for Spring baseball in a local league.  How can I help to prepare him for a sport in which he may be far far behind his peers?  Also, how do I introduce the concept of the baseball game?

Answer
Mimi:  Thank you for your question.

While at first glance it may seem to be a daunting task, in reality it will be simpler than expected and a fun experience for you both.

Throwing and catching are the true starting points for the game.  All players need to develop skills in these two areas, both to have some success; but also to feel safe in the activity.

On my website at www.theoleballgame.com, I have pages under Baseball Instruction on Receiving Rookie ( catching for beginners ) and Receiving Advanced, for players with experience.

There are also pages on Throwing Rookie, and Throwing Advanced.

Hopefully, the information will help you get started.  Should you have questions, you can contact me here at all experts, or through my site.  There is also a page for baseball questions
on the site.

The basic concept of baseball is that a player attempts to hit a baseball thrown to him, when he does hit it he runs to first base, or further if the ball still hasn't come back to the infield.  The ultimate goal is to get to all four bases, which scores a run.

On a baseball field, while running the bases, the runner is always running to his right.

There are 9 players attempting to stop the hitter from reaching base, or if he does succeed in getting on base, to keep him from scoring.

If in your area it is possible for him to play Tee Ball, that would be a great place to start.  It would let him learn at an easier pace, than say Coach Pitch or Kids Pitch.

The throwing and receiving take time.  If he doesn't catch well at first, you might want to work on the throwing by having him throw into a screen, or against a backstop.  He can work all the skills that way without having to catch a ball thrown at him.

Work the receiving on it's own, going soft and easy, making sure you hit his glove.  With each catch, his confidence will grow.  "The Rules Of Thumb", thumbs together for balls that are above his waist, pinkies together for balls that are below his waist.  These two are exceptionally important.  

The majority of kids starting out want to attempt to catch a ball that is above their waist by extending the glove out in front of them, with their pinkies together.  The glove becomes a ramp for the baseball directly to their face.  They consequently become afraid, and for good reason.

You will want to get the rules of thumb established with him, before he plays catch with kids who have some experience.  It will make a much safer environment for him.

Good luck as you go forward.  It will be exciting to watch as he progresses.

If I can be of any additional assistance, please let me know.

Yours in baseball,

Rick