Auburn Hop

[FiveFrameSwing]

Not sure what your picture is showing, but based on the outfielder in the background, does it look like that picture was taken at contact?

Right on!

At contact.

http://www.collegebaseballdaily.com/2016/03/04/should-auburn-softball-defensive-hop-be-used-in-baseball/

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Of course... I never said otherwise. You can tell by the hitter's barrel position and pitch location where it is going to be hit. That is anticipation. Just before contact.

Once the barrel makes contact with the ball a fielder should not be in 'anticipation-mode' ... this is the time they need to be dealing with reality and 'reacting'.

It's about maximizing one's ability to react to real data. The real data for a fielder begins as the ball takes flight as a result of ball/barrel impact. Any movement just prior to that is based on a guess, and the intent of the 'hop' is to eliminate false movement that can materialize from such guess work. It's more the mentality of collecting real data (i.e., flight of the ball) and hitting the ground running.



The notion of performing “guess work” an instant prior to impact is exactly what isn’t wanted.

Hitting is very similar … every swing is, or should be, a ‘reaction’.

Those that have been around the game long enough have seen a line-drive smashed back at a pitcher, … a smash that looks like it could tear the pitcher’s head off … and yet out of no where the pitcher gloves the ball in what appears to be a super-human display of athleticism … that is the power of relying on reactionary speed. The pitcher was not ‘guessing’ … they were ‘reacting’ … they were ‘reacting’ to ‘real data’.

There is a time for ‘anticipation’ … and then there is a time for ‘reacting’ … you do not want the anticipatory phase to interfere with, or misdirect, the reactionary phase.

 

[turnin2]

Okay, I will make sure to tell the guy I know who played 15 years as a SS in the MLB that he should have gotten rid of the guess work and just reacted to real data. His anticipation time was just before contact, not how you are telling it. I do appreciate the dialogue, but I think you are being too black and white.

It's about maximizing one's ability to react to real data. The real data for a fielder begins as the ball takes flight as a result of ball/barrel impact. Any movement just prior to that is based on a guess, and the intent of the 'hop' is to eliminate false movement that can materialize from such guess work. It's more the mentality of collecting real data (i.e., flight of the ball) and hitting the ground running.



The notion of performing “guess work” an instant prior to impact is exactly what isn’t wanted.

Hitting is very similar … every swing is, or should be, a ‘reaction’.

Those that have been around the game long enough have seen a line-drive smashed back at a pitcher, … a smash that looks like it could tear the pitcher’s head off … and yet out of no where the pitcher gloves the ball in what appears to be a super-human display of athleticism … that is the power of relying on reactionary speed. The pitcher was not ‘guessing’ … they were ‘reacting’ … they were ‘reacting’ to ‘real data’.

There is a time for ‘anticipation’ … and then there is a time for ‘reacting’ … you do not want the anticipatory phase to interfere with, or misdirect, the reactionary phase.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Okay, I will make sure to tell the guy I know who played 15 years as a SS in the MLB that he should have gotten rid of the guess work and just reacted to real data. His anticipation time was just before contact, not how you are telling it. I do appreciate the dialogue, but I think you are being too black and white.

Turnin2, I have also worked with a former MLB SS. Guess that makes us even in that regard and we can dispense with such silliness .

I will make another attempt to explain this.

If you were taking fielding practice, and I was hitting hard ground balls in your general direction, … and if you were truly moving towards a preconceived fielding location prior to collecting real data … even if this movement was slight, then you would find yourself being sawed off as a result of making false preliminary movements … and the more you relied on needing to guess, the more you would spiral into a feeling of being chewed up.

At a somewhat respectable level this game comes down to how well a team plays ‘defense’. It doesn’t take a lot of mistakes to blow a game. Sometimes one single mistake will determine the outcome. Frequently enough the game comes down to the team that made the fewest defensive blunders.

Those that have taken fielding practice, and relied on the need to make an educated guess, know the feeling of needing to make a sudden change in direction that they can’t possibly perform … their body wishes to re-direct, but they can’t possibly do it. The act of making a false premature movement was too damaging.

Often a fielder that is struggling has tensed up, which in turn impacts their reactionary ability. Tensing up negatively impacts a player’s vision and effectively “speeds up the game” on a player. When a player tenses up they will sharpen their focus, when instead they should be maintaining a “relaxed open focus”. They have put themselves in a mode in which the game has effectively been sped up.

The feeling of the game ‘speeding up’ can have a fielder believing that they need to ‘cheat’ and get ahead of the action. They ‘cheat’ by guessing … they initiate movement to their guessed location prior to ‘real data’ being available … only to find that their guess was imperfect, and that they need to make a rapid counter adjustment … but since the false movement contradicted reality, the fielder finds that they can no longer fully rely on their reactionary abilities … because that is what they put in jeopardy when they cheated. Those that find it necessary to ‘cheat’ by initiating movement prematurely understand what I am describing … they know the feel of being chewed up as a result of false movements. Likewise, those that train to move at reactionary speeds know the thrill of performing fielding work that has themselves surprised at what they can achieve … often not understanding how they were able to perform such rapid athletic movements.

Early anticipatory movements are a ‘cheat’ … often performed by those that feel overwhelmed … and sometimes performed by those that have received sub-par coaching. Unfortunately it isn’t the opponent that is being cheated, but instead it is the fielder and their team that is being cheated.

 

[riseball]

This theoretical discussion if all fine and good. However, until Auburn's fielding percentage changes direction the hop is nothing more than an interesting footnote. It will be interesting to see what happens in the future and if it actually makes an impact.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

Those wishing to migrate beyond theory and take the mechanic for a test-run, should keep in mind that the prior advocation in this thread to land earlier (e.g., at bat/ball impact) is not what is being instructed as “the hop”. You do not want to hop and come back up, … that would be wasted motion. The notion is to hop, land and go with directional movement in an aggressive ballistic purposeful motion.

 

[turnin2]

I don't think I ever said to "come back up." Please don't start doing this Five. Also, I think high speed footage would be better when comparing the timing of the hop.

Those wishing to migrate beyond theory and take the mechanic for a test-run, should keep in mind that the prior advocation in this thread to land earlier (e.g., at bat/ball impact) is not what is being instructed as “the hop”. You do not want to hop and come back up, … that would be wasted motion. The notion is to hop, land and go with directional movement in an aggressive ballistic purposeful motion.

 

[FiveFrameSwing]

I don't think I ever said to "come back up." Please don't start doing this Five. Also, I think high speed footage would be better when comparing the timing of the hop.

Turnin2, please don't start whining. I was quite clear ... and I will attempt to remain clear. You advocated landing earlier than what "the hop" suggests. I added clarity as to when "the hop" recommends landing, attempted to explain the logic, described what to avoid (coming up early, as that will result in the entire exercise being wasted motion), described the objective of avoiding false moves, and stated the intent of landing such that one goes into a directional move in an aggressive ballistic purposeful motion. I understand that you are not comfortable having the fielder in the air during bat/ball impact ... I'm fine with that ... just describing that "the hop" as a different approach for those that may be interested in working with it.

 

[turnin2]

Whatever dude... Re-read your first two sentences on post #46. I've been reading your posts for probably close to 15 years... I know your methods.... I won't allow you to do that to me. You get the last word... go.

Turnin2, please don't start whining. I was quite clear ... and I will attempt to remain clear. You advocated landing earlier than what "the hop" suggests. I added clarity as to when "the hop" recommends landing, attempted to explain the logic, described what to avoid (coming up early, as that will result in the entire exercise being wasted motion), described the objective of avoiding false moves, and stated the intent of landing such that one goes into a directional move in an aggressive ballistic purposeful motion. I understand that you are not comfortable having the fielder in the air during bat/ball impact ... I'm fine with that ... just describing that "the hop" as a different approach for those that may be interested in working with it.

 

[turnin2]

Don't get me wrong... I really do like you... You bring a lot to the table. Thanks.