Baseball Goal Setting Part 1 & Outfield Play

Baseball is the hardest game to play. The best hitters, judged by batting average, only succeed 30% of the time. A .300 hitter is usually an all-star but still fails 70% percent of the time. The best pitchers only succeed 50% of the time, Hall of Famers winning half of their career starts, losing or getting a no decision in the other half.

I often put this in perspective with baseball players by asking, “How would you feel if you got 30’s and 50’s on all your tests?” Well, that’s exactly what happens for the BEST hitters and pitchers, yet we are expected to be excited about it. Dwelling on traditional baseball statistics will drive us crazy and over time, can breed negativity, a common critique of our sport.

Here are some ways to conquer this obstacle, methods from our Champion Success System that players learn at our camps and clinics that dramatically change their outlook and results in baseball, school, and other areas of life.

Goal Setting – A Process
We are accustomed to the availability of immediate gratification and focusing on final results, often ignoring all the steps in between the initial thought and attainment of a goal. Once we realize that completing a series of tasks on a daily basis eventually leads to our desired result, our perspective completely changes. The ability to recognize this process allows players to find the necessary pieces to any puzzle, seeing remarkable improvement on the field, in the classroom, and at home.

As an example, we’ll take a situation we’ve probably heard of and maybe experienced, being “stuck” in the outfield. Many view this position, especially at a young age, as boring, especially if the opposing batters don’t hit the ball to you. The chances may be fewer to make a play in the outfield at certain levels or during certain games, but outfield play is critical to the outcome of a baseball game. As a pitcher, I can’t express how much I appreciated my last line of defense patrolling the outfield grass, often diving, sliding, and backing up bases to preserve a lead and my ERA.

Let’s first set the goal: To Become a Great Outfielder. How would we measure that? Some might say fielding percentage or outfield assists. The truth is if we break down all the components of successful outfield play, then establish a routine and practice it, the stats will take care of themselves. We don’t need to focus on keeping track of those traditional numbers. I’ve called on Champion Instructor Joe Pomierski to help with developing a checklist for good outfield play.

Super 7 Outfield Checklist

1. Position Yourself Properly. The score, inning, outs, count, hitter, and pitcher will dictate where you start before each PITCH. Also remind yourself of the location and speed of the base runners, determining where the play might be if the ball’s hit your way. For instance, play back with a big lead to keep the ball in front of you and runners out of scoring position. With a weak hitter, move in to prevent a flare from dropping. If a pitcher is locating away, shade to the opposite field. Remember, position can change from pitch to pitch.

2. Pre-Pitch Communication. Use hand signals and inform your fellow outfielders verbally. Tell them where you’re moving pre-pitch so they can move accordingly. Remind them of a dead pull hitter or a player that hit it their way last time at-bat. If a power hitter’s up and you back up, let your infielders know so they can be more aggressive on balls over their head.

3. Prep Step. Make sure you keep your feet moving once the pitcher starts his pitch. A good rhythm is “1-2-Slide” or “Left-Right-Both”, landing on the balls of your feet in a good athletic position as the baseball is crossing home plate, ready to explode in any direction.

4. Crossover Step. When moving laterally, save time and distance by moving the foot farthest from where you’re going first. If hit to your left, move that right foot first, crossing it over your body in the direction of the baseball. What this prevents is a drop step or a sit-and-spin, techniques unfortunately still taught both in the outfield and on the base paths that increase the time it takes to get where you’re going.

5. Post-Pitch Communication. Whether its outfielders, infielders, or a combination of both, everyone should be talking, LOUDLY and REPEATEDLY! “Ball, Ball, Ball!” is a quick, effective verbal alert. Another good technique is to have other fielders not involved in the play, like the pitcher, point the ball out and yell the player’s name that called the ball. This can prevent confusion and serve as a point of reference for another fielder if a batted ball is not picked up off the bat or lost in the sun or lights.

6. “X” Marks the Spot. Keep your eye on the ball as you run as quickly as possible to the area where the ball will be caught. Get there early so you can get behind the baseball and gain momentum toward the infield before your throw.

7. Quick Release. A good outfielder wants to return the ball to the infield as quickly as possible with a firm, accurate throw to the cut-off man or proper base. Extended crow hops and shuffles waste valuable time as base runners are circling, so transition the ball from glove to hand and complete your throw as quickly as possible. Have someone use a stopwatch to illustrate this principle. You’ll be amazed at how much less time it takes to get a ball to the intended base after applying these tips.

The Super 7 Outfield Checklist can be used for every pitch. If the ball’s not hit, only the first 3 steps apply, still giving you an opportunity to go at least 3 for 3 on every play! If contact is made, all 7 can come into play, allowing you to evaluate your performance after every pitch and score points. Assign 1 point for a “3 for 3”, 3 points for a “7 for 7” and 2 points for anything in between. This also keeps you alert and aware of the game situation, eliminating daydreaming. The game will be more positive, enjoyable, and taken one pitch at a time. Before you know it, you’ll meet your goal and become a great outfielder.

B. J. Upton, the starting centerfielder for the American League Champion Tampa Bay Rays, was a shortstop until his conversion to outfield at the AA level of professional baseball. As my teammate on the Montgomery Biscuits, I witnessed him apply the same work ethic to his new position, taking endless amounts of flies, grounders, liners, and warning track balls before and during practice on a DAILY basis. He had a plan to become a great outfielder and made it a reality, one rep at a time, one drill at a time, one day at a time.

We’ll continue our look at Goal Setting next time, discussing how to choose our goals and properly word them for maximum effectiveness. These techniques are part of our Champion Success System, a series of methods that can improve all aspects of baseball, academics, and life. If you have any questions, please email them to us, info@championbaseballcamps.com. Until then, “Go Get ‘Em!”

T. P. Waligora is a Champion National Coordinator and regularly contributes to the Champion Baseball Bulletin.