Purpose
We use this infield drill primarily for the infield—the rundown drill.
Execution
Our infielders work on getting the person that’s in the pickle running as quickly as possible. Once you do that, you’re able to make it more difficult for the runner to change directions.
You’ve got to make sure that your line, your throw to your receiving infielder, is a clear line and you’re not going to cross over the line of the base runner. And you’ve got to make sure that when you throw, you allow the receiving infielder enough time to receive your ball.
It’s a short, dart-like throw. You don’t have to take a full wind-up; you don’t have a lot of time. But you’ve got to get some good velocity on it so you can get that ball to your partner in time to make the tag.
Breaking It Down
Let’s look at the mechanics of the rundown infield drill, strictly the timing and the mechanics of running down that runner and getting her out.
What happens many times is that the infielders don’t do a good job of running as quickly as possible. Remember when we’re talking about the rundown, if the defender with the ball’s not running fast, then the person caught in the pickle doesn’t have to run as fast. So get them on a sprint.
Most defensive setups in the rundown have the runner with the ball. Once she tosses it, she follows her throw. Then she’ll be in position to receive the rundown throw in case they end up going back in the other direction.