Infield Glovework & Footwork | 2020 Coaches Convention

This video is the full recording of a private breakout session for the Colorado Dugout Club (formerly the Colorado High School Coaches Association) 2020 Coaches Conference. In this video, Doug Bernier covers...

• The commonly-taught, traditional footwork that Major Leaguers avoid like the plague, and what they do instead (This simple change is one of the biggest secrets for dealing with bad reads or bad hops… and still making the play)
• How a scrawny, soft-throwing former pitcher like me earned a full ride to a D1 University… and ultimately made it to the Major Leagues (Hint, it’s one of the few baseball tools you aren’t born with… with means anyone can use it to their advantage - if they know HOW)
• The 2 types of hops that you want to field… and the one you should avoid at all cost (you can be the slowest guy on the field and still be a good infielder IF you can get good at THIS ONE THING…. always fielding the right part of the hop)
• The 3 things you need to know about “Right, Left, Field” that make ALL THE DIFFERENCE. (Most coaches don’t tell you this, because they’ve never heard it themselves. When I learned these 3 things and could FEEL the difference on the field, I felt like I just upgraded a child’s pony for a thoroughbred racehorse. And I see the same “ah HAH” moment every time I work with a kid and they experience the difference for themselves for the first time. It’s so satisfying that it’s become one of the biggest reasons I like teaching young players). It was like upgrade from a flip phone to an iphone. from a 4 cylinder to an 8 cylindar. From a Fiat to a Porche. From wooden clogs to the world’s best athletic shoe. I was actually amazed at how much easier fielding became! Before, I would have balls bounce off my chest, or hit off my glove, but this almost completely fixed those problems.
• The simple change to left foot TIMING that will make you way more athletic in the field (This is how you avoid that horrible “stuck in the ground” feeling)
• How to cover more ground (and make sure you can reach the GOOD part of the hop) without even moving your right foot
• Collision Fielder vs Adjustable fielder. The fielding approach mistake that 95% of infielders are making, and why it will keep them from ever reaching their full potential defensively (And I’ll share the 3 part approach sequence that can help you stop feeling rushed, and can help prevent both fielding and throwing errors )
• How to not feel rushed when fielding (and this will also help you get faster runners) - Most errors happen when we throw the baseball, and most of those are because we take too much time getting to the baseball and we end up feeling very rushed by the time we get to the throw.

And MORE