The 6 F’s of a great infielder are Feet, Field, Funnel, Footwork, Fire and Follow. They are Coach Cinz’s step-by-step framework for turning a ground ball into an out: set your feet, field the ball, funnel it to your body, move your feet toward the target, fire the throw and follow through.
The framework sits at the heart of our baseball fielding training and the Fielding Clinic. It gives young players a simple checklist they can remember under pressure, and it gives coaches and parents a clear way to see where a play went wrong.
Why a framework helps infielders
A ground ball is over in a couple of seconds. Players do not have time to think about ten different cues. When every part of the play has a name, a player can practise each piece on its own and then put them together. If a throw sails, you can trace it back: was it the Fire, or did the Footwork never line up?
Coach Cinz has spent over 25 years in baseball, including five years before the pandemic as a hitting, fielding and pitching instructor with the Chicago White Sox organization. His focus is movements, mechanics and, most importantly, timing. The 6 F’s are built around that timing.
1. Feet
Everything starts with the setup. A great infielder is balanced, low and athletic as the pitch is delivered, with weight on the balls of the feet. From there, the first step matters. Players who are flat-footed are late to every ball.
What to look for
- Feet a bit wider than the shoulders.
- Knees bent, chest slightly forward, glove ready.
- A small, active movement as the ball reaches the hitting zone so the player can react either way.
2. Field
Field is about securing the ball. The glove should be out in front of the body, where the player can see the ball into it. Fielding the ball too close to the feet, or letting it play the fielder, leads to bad hops and errors. For more on this step, see our guide on how to stop booting ground balls.
3. Funnel
Once the ball is in the glove, the player brings it into the body, toward the middle, where the throwing hand meets it. This “funnel” motion protects the ball and sets up a quick, clean transfer. Players who skip it tend to reach for the ball and lose their grip.
4. Footwork
After the funnel, the feet move to line the body up with the target. Good footwork creates momentum toward first base (or wherever the play is) and puts the player in a strong throwing position. Poor footwork is one of the most common causes of inaccurate throws.
Common footwork patterns
- A quick replace step, where the back foot moves toward the spot the front foot left.
- A shuffle toward the target on routine plays with time.
- Moving through the ball on slow rollers so the throw carries momentum.
5. Fire
Fire is the throw itself. A good infield throw is firm and accurate, delivered with a sound arm path and a four-seam grip when there is time to find one. Speed without control is not the goal; we want a throw the first baseman can catch easily. We go deeper in how to improve throwing accuracy from the infield.
6. Follow
The last F is to follow the throw toward the target. A full finish keeps the throw on line and stops players from cutting off their arm. Follow also means staying in the play: backing up, covering a base, or getting ready for the next ball.
How to practise the 6 F’s
Practise each F on its own first, then link them together. A simple progression looks like this:
- Feet and Field: short rolled balls, focusing only on setup and glove out front.
- Add the Funnel: field and bring the ball to the belly button, no throw yet.
- Add Footwork: field, funnel and step toward a target, again without throwing.
- Add Fire and Follow: complete the play with a short throw to a partner.
- Off the bat: once the pattern is clean, take real ground balls at game speed.
Younger players can do most of this in the backyard. See our infield drills for kids at home for simple ideas.
Learn the 6 F’s in person
The Fielding Clinic is a 1.5-hour group session that teaches the 6 F’s, then uses drills, live action off the bat and situational plays to lock them in. Players who want individual attention can book a Private Lesson and work through the 6 F’s one-on-one.
Explore everything we offer on the Fielding & Infield Training page, or take the free first step and start your Benchmark so Coach Cinz can build a plan around your athlete’s goals.
