Do not expect to become a good baseball player over night. It takes practice and determination. But you can become a pretty decent player if you just follow these steps:
First off, let’s start with the basics. Learn the game! Learn the rules and the basic information. Watch games and listen to the commentators narrate the game. Watch the players and their routines. This will all help you understand the game and know how to play.
Another basic step is to learn what position you would want to play. If you want to play the infield, you will need to practice that position. Practice ground balls and have a good reaction time. If you want to play in the Outfield, you will want to practice your throwing arm and practice snagging fly balls. If you want to be a pitcher, build up your pitching arm and practice your pitching velocity and control. Learn different pitch types and make sure you practice control. You need to know what’s best for your health, so make sure you don’t strain your arm.
You will want good equipment. You will need to buy a baseball mitt, and a baseball bat. Try to look for name brands such as Mizuno, or Nike. Look for a glove that fits good, and is broken in nicely. You will want a glove that will range from prices no lower than $60, and no higher than $100-300 depending on your determination and reason for playing. If your starting a league with your friends, you go with the lesser expensive gloves, and if you plan on playing high school or college baseball, you will want a slightly more expensive glove. The same goes with the bats. Although, it is not as necessary to get an expensive baseball bat. Once again, find name brands for better quality.
Next, make sure you practice as much as you can. Practice catching fly balls, ground balls and line drives. Practice hitting fly balls, ground balls and line drives. Also practice hitting in different situations. Hitting easy for contact, and hitting for power. Also, try to practice bunting every once in a while, just to make sure you are capable.
Practice running, too. Baseball is not just for brute strength. Learn how to run the bases with agility and finesse. It is important to be speedy and agile. You must always be aware of what is going on around you. You need to know if there are only one outs or two, etc. You need to know what you will do if the ball comes to you every pitch. It’s the same if you’re a batter. Make sure you know what you should do each at-bat. Usually your coaches will tell you what your goals are when you’re at-bat. It is always important to be in-tune with the game your playing and even when you’re in the dugout waiting for your teammates to get a rally going, pay attention to the pitch count and who’s on base, and how many outs there are. You also want to pay attention while fielding, even if there hasn’t been anything hit to you all game. Keep alert! Being alert is an amazingly important part of baseball.
Baseball is a different game than most sports. It requires more attention and thinking. Unlike most sports, you can be successful only 3-out-of-10 times while batting and you are considered good. A .300 average is a very good average for a batter. Pitching also requires a lot more concentration than other sports. You need to think of what pitch is most effective for each batter.
Baseball is a great game, and it is a great game to get interested in. I advise you to practice as much as you can and watch professional games on TV. Good equipment helps, but is not 100% necessary. The main key is to practice and to keep focused.
