Some of you will face a situation this season that you have never encountered before: sitting at the bench. It happens to all sorts of players – if there’s an experienced or better player ahead of you when you make your high school team, you’ll need to learn how to sit down.
It’s not easy to sit on. First, it takes a change of attitude. Only because you’re sitting here, don’t think your coaches are not watching you for a second. They want to see if you stay interested, watch the game attentively, and learn about what’s happening on the field. They want to see if you’re a team player, or just fighting for yourself.
Second, at a moment’s notice, you need to stay prepared to go into the game. You never know when a guy will get hurt or will do something that will cause the coach to ask him to out of the game. You have to be mentally and physically prepared.
Sometimes there are more you can learn while sitting on a baseball bench. Here are a few tips for adjusting to life on the bench.
Talk about the game. Staying involved while you are at the bench is difficult. Find someone else sitting down, and start a game conversation. Speak about pitch selection, defensive positioning, and what players do, right or wrong, on the field.
Choose pitches and take marks. If you can pick pitches or steal signs, you can be invaluable. Seek to find something that the pitcher does that will give away what he’s about to throw. See if you can make out the signals from the starting coach to the catcher, or the signals to the hitter from the third base coach.
Look at the guy to play your position. Observe him and learn from him. Why does he play as you sit down? If you can answer that question and begin to improve, you’ll be better off your chances of getting more time to play.
Keep strong. Go between innings for a jog. Stretching. Keep your arm loose as the outfielder warms up. Be prepared at the request of a moment to go.
Simulate yourself at-bats. It might look odd, and people will ask you what you’re doing, but it’s the best way to stay ready to take a bat when you’re on the field. Choose a hitter that’s close to you in the line-up, and you simulate an at-bat every time you will get the opportunity.Get your gloves, bat, and helmet. Make planning. Look at the pitches, and see what you’d swing at.
Understand about your field: When fitted with a smart baseball dugout, there’s no way to continue a game unhopeful. Dugouts house motivational speeches, warm-ups, epic pre-and-post-game conversations, practices, tournaments, and unparalleled team bonding. It will help you to understand your field and how a dugout furnishing company works to make the game possible without any hurdles.
