# The Basic Skills · Baseball Level 1: Beginner

Baseball · Level 1: Beginner · Insporta Book (https://book.insporta.app/baseball/level-1/the-basic-skills/)

Gripping a bat, the stance and the swing, throwing and catching, fielding grounders and fly balls, the pitching motion, running the bases and sliding.

## Test 1: Gripping a bat

- Lining up the middle knuckles keeps the wrists free to turn the bat over. (Source: General baseball reference)
- For a right-handed batter the left hand is at the bottom and the right hand on top. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A tight grip tenses the forearms and slows the swing. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Holding the bat in the fingers gives a quicker, freer swing. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Hands kept together move the bat as a single unit. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A shorter grip makes the bat quicker and easier to control, which helps avoid a strikeout. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Sticky pine tar helps the batter keep hold of the bat. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Fingers, bottom hand, top hand, then line the knuckles up. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The higher the hands, the shorter and quicker the bat; the lower, the longer and stronger the swing. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Moving the hands up the handle is called choking up. (Source: General baseball reference)

## Test 2: The batting stance

- Feet about as wide as the shoulders give balance and room to stride. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Weight on the balls of the feet keeps the batter ready to move. (Source: General baseball reference)
- In an open stance the front foot is pulled back from the plate, opening the body to the pitcher. (Source: General baseball reference)
- In a closed stance the front foot is nearer the plate than the back foot. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Turning the head so both eyes see the pitcher helps judge the pitch. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Bent knees keep the batter athletic and ready to swing. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Hands near the back shoulder are ready to start the swing. (Source: General baseball reference)
- From the feet up: base, knees, hands, then eyes on the pitcher. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Open pulls the front foot back, square has the feet level, closed puts it nearer the plate. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Feet level with each other, parallel to the plate, make a square stance. (Source: General baseball reference)

## Test 3: The swing

- Tracking the ball from the hand to the bat is the first rule of hitting. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The stride moves the batter's weight forward as the swing begins. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Power starts from the ground: the legs and hips turn, then the hands bring the bat through. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The hands go back slightly as the stride starts, like pulling back a bow. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A batter who starts to swing but stops in time has checked his swing. (Source: General baseball reference)
- In a bunt the batter holds the bat out and lets the ball hit it softly. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Inside pitches are met earlier, out in front; outside pitches are let travel deeper. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Load, stride, rotate, contact, finish. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Turn, hold the bat out level, catch the ball with the bat, then run. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The follow-through finishes the swing after the ball has gone. (Source: General baseball reference)

## Test 4: Throwing

- A right-hander steps with the left foot, the glove side, towards the target. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A four-seam grip across the seams helps the ball fly straight. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A low elbow strains the arm and spoils the throw. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The glove arm lines the shoulders up with the target. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Outfielders use a crow hop to put their body behind a long throw. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Short, easy throws first loosen the arm and protect it. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Every player warms up by playing catch. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Grip, turn sideways, step and release. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The hop moves him forward and the plant gives the throw its power. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Gripping across the seams makes the ball spin backwards evenly, so it carries straight. (Source: General baseball reference)

## Test 5: Catching a throw

- The bare hand covers the ball in the glove so it does not pop out. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Looking away too early is the commonest cause of a dropped throw. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Moving the feet gets the body behind the ball. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Letting the glove move back with the ball cushions it. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A clear glove target helps the thrower aim. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Stretching meets the ball earlier, which can win a close play. (Source: General baseball reference)
- If the runner is not forced, the fielder must tag him with the ball. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Square up, reach, cushion the ball, then get it out to throw. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Chest-high is easiest; a throw in the dirt is the hardest to handle. (Source: General baseball reference)
- For a throw above the waist the glove fingers point up; below the waist, down. (Source: General baseball reference)

## Test 6: Fielding a ground ball

- Bent knees and weight forward let the infielder move quickly either way. (Source: General baseball reference)
- It is easier to bring the glove up than to push it down in time. (Source: General baseball reference)
- If the ball gets past the glove, the body keeps it from rolling away. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The bare hand closes over the ball in the glove, ready to take it out. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Waiting gives the batter-runner time to reach first base. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Fielding the ball just as it bounces up is easier than taking it on a long, high hop. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Charging means coming in on the ball rather than letting it play you. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Ready, move, field low, then set and throw. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A bad hop changes direction at the last moment, which makes it the hardest. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The glove goes down to the dirt for a ball on the ground. (Source: General baseball reference)

## Test 7: Catching a fly ball

- The first step is to read the ball and get moving to where it will come down. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Two hands up high give a fly ball no chance to bounce out. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Willie Mays made the waist-high basket catch famous. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Holding the glove up against the sun lets him keep sight of the ball. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The outfielder is running in and sees the ball better, so he has priority. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Turning and running is faster than back-pedalling. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A pop-up goes high but not far, and an infielder or the catcher usually catches it. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Read, run, call and catch. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A sinking line drive gives the least time and the hardest decision. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Calling loudly tells team-mates who will take the ball and prevents collisions. (Source: General baseball reference)

## Test 8: The pitching motion

- The windup is the pitcher's full delivery, used mostly with the bases empty. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The stretch is a quicker delivery that keeps runners closer to their base. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A long windup gives base runners time to steal. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Pitchers try to let every pitch go from the same point, so the batter cannot tell them apart. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Landing with the front foot pointed at the plate keeps the throw on line. (Source: General baseball reference)
- After the follow-through the pitcher becomes a fielder. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A sidearmer swings his arm roughly level with the ground. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Leg lift, stride, rotation, release and follow-through. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A submarine pitcher releases the ball close to the ground. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The leg lift gathers the pitcher's weight before he strides. (Source: General baseball reference)

## Test 9: Running the bases

- Running hard through the base gives the best chance on a close play. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A runner swings out before the base so he can turn sharply towards the next one. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Touching the inside corner gives the shortest path to the next base. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Coaches at first and third base wave runners on or hold them up. (Source: General baseball reference)
- On a caught fly a runner must be on his base when it is caught before he can advance. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A runner steals by running to the next base while the pitcher delivers. (Source: General baseball reference)
- With two outs any catch ends the inning, so runners have nothing to lose by running. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Drop the bat, round first, touch second and stay there. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Third is one base from home, second two, first three, and the batter has all four to go. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A lead shortens the distance to the next base. (Source: General baseball reference)

## Test 10: Sliding

- Sliding stops the runner at the base and makes him a smaller target. (Source: General baseball reference)
- In a feet-first slide the legs reach the base first. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Headfirst slides put the hands and head where fielders' feet and tags are. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The runner slides and rises in one move, ready to run on if the ball gets away. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The hook slide swings away from the tag and hooks the base with a foot. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Starting too late jams the legs into the base; too early, and he stops short. (Source: General baseball reference)
- A runner can run past first base, so running through is usually faster than sliding. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Run, drop, lead with the legs, touch the base. (Source: General baseball reference)
- Beginners learn the bent-leg slide first; headfirst slides carry the most risk. (Source: General baseball reference)
- The bent-leg slide, one leg folded under the other, is the first slide most players learn. (Source: General baseball reference)

Sources: General baseball references, WBSC and league material, coaching manuals; original questions authored, nothing reproduced. Numbered rules belong to the Rules category.

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