There are a lot of precise movements and actions in baseball that appear to be complicated. But, if you take these movements and break them down into their individual components, they really are comprised of several simple actions.

Pitching and hitting are two that come to mind immediately. If you watch a pitcher throw and he or she is struggling, it can be difficult to figure out the problem areas by trying to analyze the entire motion. That's why we break pitching mechanics into five links: feet, balance position, power position, rotation and follow through. It's much easier to look at each individual component of the delivery by itself to figure out where the breakdowns might be. There are drills that focus on each individual component to help develop muscle memory and fix problems.

Likewise, we simplify hitting into these simple parts: stance, stride, weight shift, swing and follow through. There are basic drills designed to help develop each individual piece of the swing and fix problem areas, allowing hitters to put the whole swing together effectively in a game setting.

When it comes to fielding, catching a ground ball is pretty simple. You set up with your feet in a wide base, your butt down and your hands out in front. The goal is to catch the ball in front of your body so that you can see it travel all the way to the glove. Simple right? Think about this: When do you ever catch a ground ball without having to throw it somewhere? Other than in practice, when you are working on ground ball fundamentals, the answer to that question is… never.

So, in reality, something that seems very simple - catching a ground ball - becomes complicated by the fact that you have to catch it and then make a strong, accurate throw to a teammate in time to get an opposing player out. Perry Hill, an infield instructor of mine when I played for the Texas Rangers, is one of the best defensive coaches I ever have been around. Now working for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Perry breaks the act of catching the ground ball and throwing it into what he calls the "6 Fs of Fielding." They are: feet, field, funnel, footwork, fire, follow.

Proper footwork before the delivery, as the pitch is released and as the ball enters the hitting zone, is a key to being a good infielder. You want to get yourself in the best position possible to react and move side to side to field a batted ball as quickly as possible.

The second "F" of infield defense is "field." Once you've established a good ready position that allows you to react quickly when the ball is hit, it is time to get to the ball and field it. As we discussed earlier, you want to get to the ball as quickly as you can, setting up by creating a wide base with your feet so that your butt can get down and your hands can be pushed out in front of your body. You always want to catch the ball out in front so that you can see the ball and the glove in the same view.

"Funnel" is the third of the 6 "Fs." After you have established a good ready position and reacted to a batted ball, setting up in the proper position to receive the ball with a wide base, butt down and hands out in front, you should funnel the ball into your body with soft hands. After you catch the ball you want to bring it into the center of the body at chest level so that you can separate the hands and prepare to throw the ball to the appropriate teammate.

Technically, the third and fourth "Fs" occur at the same time. The fourth "F" is the "footwork" that is necessary to throw the ball to your target. As you funnel the ball toward your body, your feet should begin working. The goal is to generate momentum toward the target by moving your feet in that direction without crossing over. The formula for right-handed players is right foot to left and left foot to target. For lefties it is the opposite - left to right and right to target. This is the best way for you to create the two "Ds," distance and direction in the proper angle toward the target.

The fifth "F" of infield defense is "fire." Once you have fielded the ball, funneled it to the center of your body, separated your hands into a position of power with your thumbs down and created direction and distance toward your target, it is time to release the ball.

The sixth "F" of infield defense is to "follow" the throw, which helps ensure carry and accuracy. If the proper momentum has been created to establish distance and direction toward the target, the body should automatically take a few extra steps toward the target after the ball is released. If you find that you are peeling off away from the throw or not following it at all, that's a pretty good indication that you are not generating the momentum necessary to achieve maximum carry and accuracy.