There is no perfect way to coach a team. Sometimes the perfect coach comes from instinct rather than by the book. Decisions have to be made on the spot and doing something that is not expected can sometimes make the difference in a game. Many coaches will do everything by the book, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing but this can make teams predictable. My thoughts are you cannot have all coaching moves pre-determined, because situations occur at random times.

Here are five scenarios:

Many coaches believe you shouldn’t bunt on two strikes. This can be a tough call to make during a game. We have all seen where a third basement plays in ready for the batter to turn and bunt. But when the strike count gets to two, most coaches will have their infield move back into their regular positions. This is where that unconventional approach may give an advantage to a team. When the infield moves back let your batter, depending on their bunting ability, have another chance at it. With the opposing team expecting the batter to swing away this gives an opportunity to sneak a runner on base. Many people may disagree with this choice but I have seen it done time and time again and work most of the time.

How many times have we heard, “Use two hands to catch the ball.” I think most everyone will agree to this one. But what about players who have to run after a ball or reach for one. Player need to be able to catch the ball with both one and two hands. Players shouldn’t be taught that the only way to catch a ball is with two hands. There are many occasions where players will have to reach, or even dive for a ball. When this happens it will be easier to catch one handed. Now if a ball is coming straight to them, then yes it would be best to use two hands. Coaches should have players practice catching in various situations so they can train with both one hand and two handed catches.

Don’t get caught making outs on third base. Moving runners to scoring position is how runs are made in baseball. Being aggressive is sometimes the only way to make defenses play harder by forcing them to field cleanly and make good throws. Sometimes being conservative is how runners are left on base. Aggressive base running in my experience has won more games than lost. Try taking more chances and force your opponents to make more plays. Especially in youth baseball where pitchers tend to throw a few passed balls a game. Take advantage and move your runners.

Have you ever heard that the bigger the glove the easier it is to field the ball. I think most people would say this is true. You would think it is common sense that a bigger glove would cover more area therefore I should be able to catch more balls. In fact, most infielders would be better off with a slightly smaller glove. Smaller gloves make it easier to transition the ball from the glove to the throwing hand. Trying to get the ball out of a large glove can be more of a challenge then players would think. Outfielders on the other hand might want to use the bigger glove. When playing the outfield you have more ground to cover and balls are typically hit in the air. Having that bigger glove can make it easier to catch fly balls.

Save your best hitter for the middle of the lineup. In a perfect world you would have your first two batters as your quick hitters that get on base and then comes your power clean up hitters to hit them in. This strategy is used by most every coach when it comes to the batting lineup. This might work for certain teams that have the right players. But I have found that putting your best hitters up front in the lineup might save you in close game situations more than you would think. How many games have you seen where the bottom of your lineup is up to bat with the game on the line and no runs score. I have seen this so many times that it would make you second guess this lineup. Try putting your power up front and you might be surprised on how many more runs you score in a game. Mixing up the lineup can help reduce runners left on base.

Just remember that not all baseball tips are the right way for your team to play. Sometimes taking risks and doing the unexpected may just help you win a few more games. Try to do different things and keep track of what works with what types of players. It is also a good idea to understand how your opponents play. Knowing their strengths and weaknesses might help you decide what is the best approach for a specific game.

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