HOW TO 'SHRINK THE FIELD'

'SHRINK THE FIELD'

The best players 'shrink the field'.

Wadda 'ya mean, 'shrink the field'?

Yep, whether you're at the plate, on the bases, in the outfield, infield, on the mound or catching, the best players have trained and developed to do this. So can you!

In over 150 years the infield measurements are still the same. 60 feet 6 inches from pitchers rubber to home plate. 90 feet from one base to the next. Outfield measurements? Anything goes! But, left, center and right fields are still left, center and right fields.

So, how do you 'shrink the field'?

In a word, become more explosive!

All Players All the Time: Always on the inside balls of your feet.

Outfielders : Read the pitch and be moving on the pitch through the hitting zone and the ball off the bat. Be explosive with your first 3 steps and close the gaps. Explosive outfielders 'Shrink the Field'!

Infielders: Same as the outfielders.  Read the pitch and be moving on the pitch through the hitting zone and off the bat. First 3 steps be explosive! Close those holes. Explosive infielders 'Shrink the Field'!

Goal : Get to the ball quicker. By getting to the ball quicker, base runners have less time to run. Hits turn into outs. For the opponent, outfield gaps aren't as wide. The infield holes are smaller. 

Throwing distances can become shorter. The ball in the outfield gets back to the infield quicker. Instead of a double or triple, it's a single or double. The ball in the infield now becomes a bang-bang play. A difficult double play is now a routine double play. Better yet, a hit turned into an out! 
You 'Shrink the Field'!

Catchers: Be snake-bite quick. Blocking balls! Pounce on those bunts! Get to those foul balls in the air that you never did before. Beat the hitter out of the box! Explosive catchers 'Shrink the Field'!

Pitchers: Extend your release point! You already have forward thrust towards home plate cutting down the distance of your pitches. Extend your release point further out front and cut the distance even more. Doing this cuts down the time and distance the hitter has to track your pitch. Extend your release point and 'Shrink the Field'!

Base Runners: Again, always, always always be explosive with your first 3 steps! Out of the box. Jumps on hit balls. All hit balls. Base hits! First to third! Tagging up! Force plays! Scoring plays!  Jumps when stealing bases! Be aggressive and explosive! Get the call on those bang-bang plays! Turn 90 feet into 87 feet!  "Shrink the Field'!

Hitters: Be short and quick to the ball! Explosive through it! Bat speed equals power!

Hard hit ground balls get through the infield!  Outs now become base hits! Balls get between the outfielders quicker! To the wall quicker. Over the wall more often!  Singles turn to doubles. Doubles to triples. A line drive within reach of an infielder is now a scorched base hit! Explosive hitters are the real deal. Outfields aren't as deep. Fielders have less range. Explosive hitters 'Shrink the Field'!

Commit to being more explosive in every aspect of your game. 

Do it and you become the real deal! Why? 

Because when you play you... 'Shrink the Field'!

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