Grunt work is the term my father used when I was a kid. It meant to be great at something you have to work at it. This meant on the weekends the family would pack up and head to Rainbow Sports or Hit A Ton for batting practice. If it was during the week, we headed to Callanan park for defensive work. The main thing that has changed for me since those days is my approach to hitting and defense. We used to practice grounders and take batting practice. We were happy with a caught grounder or making great contact with the bat. Now don't get me wrong, if it is a game I am more than happy with those outcomes, but when we practice we are practicing to be great. I will put videos of drills from my practices, but I would really like to hear about drills that you find important. Link some video or explanation of the drill. Here is a video I found google searching. It is a great place to start.
It is a bit long, but it is showing a skill that many of my players need to understand. Our stance at contact is very important to become a reliable defender. I also like how he mentioned to stay low when approaching the ball. Many young players catch the ball behind them or under their stance. Contact with the ball should be one foot in front of the body.
On the balls of your feet is very important! Attack the ball.
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