In our previous posts, we covered setting the foundation for player development: strength and nutrition. While many will go straight to building skill into a player, we need to realize that skill will fail us in the long run without a foundation of strength and nutrition. This belief, opinion, or whatever you want to call it comes from someone who makes a living through baseball instruction. Which should tell you how much I value setting strength and nutrition as the development foundation.
Now that we have the previous weeks going over that foundation, we can start reviewing some ways to build on it. I was lucky to have coached for 1 season under Joe Maddon, a World Series champion coach, and a player development genius. He had a straightforward philosophy. Do the basics better. Joe emphasized every day in spring training, and that simple message also bled down into the minor leagues. I bring this up to show how they do the basics better, even at the highest levels. What this equates to is they are not trying to recreate themselves and add a new pitch. They are not trying to overhaul their swing. They are not trying to add a new drill to enhance glove work. They are simply mastering the basics.
What we do in our system is what we call individuals, or Indo's. These basic drills emphasize the fundamentals of infield, outfield, catching, and pitching. Indo's are looking for steady progress over time. Like a retirement account, we are not chasing the next investing trend or hot topic; we are chasing the constant and steady growth of the 401K and IRA. Once we have mastered our Indo's, we can add more layers of complexity. But too often, coaches and players want to start with the complex. Through Indo's, we are investing in our development for the long haul. We are committing to a process that builds fundamental baseball comprehension.
To give an example of what our daily indo's look like, here is a quick example of our infield progression:
1: 2 Knee Fielding Short Hops Straight on
2: Standing Fielding Short Hops Straight On
3: 5 Step Ranging Glove and Arm Side
4: Ground Balls From Fungo or Machine Straight On
5: Ground Balls From Fungo or Machine 3-5 Step Movement
That progression is not complex, but it covers almost 100% of what you will see in any baseball game. Once you have mastered that progression and performed above adequacy in the game, you can begin layering onto your indo's to make them more complex as you continue to build athleticism. It is also straightforward to start. All you need is a glove, a ball, and someone to hit or roll you balls. If you don't have someone to roll you balls, get a tennis ball and find a stable wall to throw against.
Don't make it complex; make sure you are training. If you want somethign more individualized or help planning, shoot me an email at jordan@utahrotationalathletetraining.com