Do players need to watch where they hit the ball

[chinamigarden]

First, it's a foregone conclusion that the player should be able to feel whether she hits a ground ball, a line drive or a fly ball. I just don't know what to say to anyone who assumes otherwise, or assumes other people think otherwise.

Some of you have said that the runners should know when it is their decision to run, and when it should be the coach's. I agree 100%. To me the test is simple: if the ball is in front of the runner, it's her decision; if it's behind her it's the coach's.

Every ball that batter hits is in front of her.

On ground balls she's taught to "take a peek" after about 5 steps to see whether the IF plays it cleanly, bobbles it, or it gets through. On clean plays, bobbles, or if it hasn't reached the fielder it's through first. If the throw is errant, the 1B coach will be her eyes and dictate whether or not she goes 2. If it the ground ball gets through, she's automatically thinking two and doing the ole banana. Again, the ball is in front of her so she makes the decision whether or not to try for 2, depending on what happens in the OF.

What is "taking a peek"? Let's be real here, the runner doesn't have to turn her head one iota to see whether the IF makes a play on a ground ball; she can move her eyes left or use peripheral vision. I will concede that balls right up the 3B line are tougher, but you can see the 3B bag without turning your head until you're about 15' up the 1B line. Don't believe me? Look for yourselves when you go to the field this afternoon. By the time the runner is 15' up the baseline, the decision has been made, so there need not be a head turn, or just a slight one if she waits a little long to peek.

I understand that players run faster with their heads straight forward than they do with them turned to the side, but they don't have to turn their heads to find the ball. Besides, the reality is even if the runner does have to turn her head once for a ball up the 3B line, the amount of time that takes off the time to first is negligible when you consider a human is making the safe or out call.

I don't want to get off topic here, but I'm really curious to know: those of you who say the runner should know when it's her decision and when it's the coach's, by what criteria do they make that determination?[/QUOTE]

The coach always has the authority to stop the runner. If he/she thinks its not a proper time to be aggressive, he/she puts up the stop sign.

 

[Momo'sDad]

Kids who are taught to rely solely on the base coach to make the decision won't think two and three steps ahead because they don't have to. Again, this is a skill that can be taught in practice. Some kids will get it and some won't, but to assume none of them can get it is silly.

This past spring I watched a former player run through 2 different stop signs in one game and advance safely both times. Her coach's response? "Girl, you have a mind of your own out there, I don't know what I'm going to do with you."

To assume all of them get it or have the ability to do it even if they do understand it is silly.

But I suppose me and Coach Candrea will just have to keep doing to the way you see as wrong. I would love for anyone on here to post me a training video or training tip from any college coach or national team coach that says, never peek at the ball just run to first and your coach will tell you what to do.

Coach Candrea is regarded as an excellent coach, but every player at the University of Arizona has 1 thing in common that gives them the potential to be able to execute what he teaches: they are all Division I athletes. On my young team, there are exactly 0 D1 athletes, and several of them still have a tendency to stare at their handiwork after making contact with the ball.

 

[chinamigarden]

To assume all of them get it or have the ability to do it even if they do understand it is silly.


Coach Candrea is regarded as an excellent coach, but every player at the University of Arizona has 1 thing in common that gives them the potential to be able to execute what he teaches: they are all Division I athletes. On my young team, there are exactly 0 D1 athletes, and several of them still have a tendency to stare at their handiwork after making contact with the ball.

My issue here isn't so much those who say my 8 year olds don't or can't get it. Its the ones who say, its always wrong to have a player take a peek, or those who have 12 and 14 year old players who say they are not capable. Plus those who want to compare softball to track, because no one can run fast in a straght line while watching a ball, except for football, soccer, rugby, tennis, basketball and LAX players.

 

[softballphreak]

My issue here isn't so much those who say my 8 year olds don't or can't get it. Its the ones who say, its always wrong to have a player take a peek, or those who have 12 and 14 year old players who say they are not capable. Plus those who want to compare softball to track, because no one can run fast in a straght line while watching a ball, except for football, soccer, rugby, tennis, basketball and LAX players.

My question is why would it be necessary or desirable to watch the ball? For what purpose? Again, the 1st base coach should be able to send the runner through the bag, turn and look, or turn and go. The player should see all she needs to see at contact. I don't believe I've ever seen a successful slapper take a peek.

To each his own, but I want my players' priority to be getting on base.

 

[chinamigarden]

My question is why would it be necessary or desirable to watch the ball? For what purpose? Again, the 1st base coach should be able to send the runner through the bag, turn and look, or turn and go. The player should see all she needs to see at contact. I don't believe I've ever seen a successful slapper take a peek.

To each his own, but I want my players' priority to be getting on base.

Who says they should watch the ball? I want a peek at the ball. But perhaps that is semantics. The benefit is when she starts to prepare for the turn for second or for that aggressive rounding of the bag. The later that decision is made, the less likely they are going to get to second base. Second base is called scoring positon for a reason and scoring position is where you want them to be. Look at video on youtube and you will see slappers turn and look. I posted 2 such videos earlier in this thread. But this discussion is not about just slappers, its about hitters in general.

 

[undergroundga]

I think it's so funny how people seem to get so upset in their posts when others post contrary opinions. It cracks me up. I don't see how you can blast someone for compareing base runnersto track runners and then later compare them to football players.
Everyone has got a different way they want their players to play and that's cool.
IMO I think a player glancing at the ball as they take their first step is no biggie, especially if they are a burner, which every girl is not. As they get farther down the line it is a different story. For a girl, especially a young, non Div. 1 athelete(which most are) thjo have to glance around, even with her peripheral vision, to find the ball and then decide whether to round the bag or not is a distraction.
I was never a track star but I read one time that they are taught to find a spot and run to it. If a runner is focused on running to 1st then diverts that focus to somewhere between left field and third, even for a few steps, it is gonna slow them them down. But when many runners get thrown out by inches, those inches are precious. A runner cannot get into scoring position if she is thrown out at 1st.
Maybe it doesn't slow Natasha Watley or Caitlin Lowe down much but how many of those girls are there. What about Alissa Goler or Taylor Hoagland?

 

[Ivy's Dad]

It all comes down to priorities. I prioritize getting to first base over getting to second base. If sprinting to first base means the batter/runner doesn't advance to second now and then, but also doesn't get thrown out by inches, that is a trade I am willing to make. Others may feel that advancing to second now and then is worth getting thrown out at first now and then. It all depends on priorities.

 

[FPMark]

It all comes down to priorities. I prioritize getting to first base over getting to second base. If sprinting to first base means the batter/runner doesn't advance to second now and then, but also doesn't get thrown out by inches, that is a trade I am willing to make. Others may feel that advancing to second now and then is worth getting thrown out at first now and then. It all depends on priorities.

Exactly. It is funny how some can say that it is faster/better for the runner to look at the ball on the way to !st, just in case they may have an opportunity to take 2nd, but as they get older, errors are less and less common. Plays get closer and closer at 1st. If taking a peek in the first 3 or 4 steps is enough for the runner to know whether to adjust her path to 1st or run through, doesn't that give the 1st base coach plenty of time to advise the runner also?

I had an exellent base runner on my team 2 yrs ago who wasn't the fastest, but had very good baserunning skills. On one occasion, she hit a ground ball to 3rd and was head down, as fast as she could, running to 1st. As the 1st base coach, I started out telling her "run through, run through". When I saw the ball get by the 3rd baseman, I changed to "turn and look, turn and look". She had plenty of time to alter her path without doing the question mark as she was only 10 or 15 feet up the base line. She rounded 1st and picked up the ball as the LFer was throwing it to the SS, who was out of position too close to 3rd base. When she saw the ball not going to 2nd, she continued on, full speed, to 2nd. She slid in safe at 2nd.

I have been using this as an example of how to run bases ever since. The 1st base coach is your eyes with the ball behind you. You focus on getting to 1st as fast as possible. Even a ball hit to the right side, I prefer them to focus on the bag and use peripheral vision to see the ball.

Coach Candrea can teach whatever he wants, and he is good at what he does, but that doesn't mean he's perfect. I still disagree about looking at the ball, just as I disagree with hitting down on the ball, and having the ball pointing to centerfield when you throw. Untill someone can prove that looking at the ball, or taking a peek, or whatever you call it, will make you faster to 1st, Then I have no reason to consider it.

 

[Filthy McNasty]

What size TCB do most people use?

 

[MsDinosaur]

What size TCB do most people use?

The smaller baseball-sized one. Did you mean to post this here?