Ground ball banana drill? Baseball vs. softball.

Gambler Bob · Feb 21, 2017

I find this drill very helpful for baseball players. IMO a baseball player has a lot more time to get rid of the ball with 90' bases on a baseball field. The shortstop and second baseman our roughly 130' away from the batter and have more time to create the banana on a routine ground ball but also have a further throw to 1st base.

My question is do you think this drill is as good in softball with 60' bases? In softball the middle infielder are more like 90'-100' away from the batter, less time to react to a batted ball. With 60' foot bases the runner gets to 1st base faster, also you have slappers in softball.

Is softball any different in this aspect of fielding a ground ball? Link to the banana drill below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvQrw-sNtCY

Greenmonsters · Feb 21, 2017

Why do you think Kobata stresses what he does?

CoachBroker · Feb 22, 2017

I think teaching cuts like Kubata teaches is faster but just teaching the banana drill to get the girls on better angles to field and throw is better than just letting them square up to field a ball.

625ender · Feb 22, 2017

The biggest problem with drills is actually being able to explain and teach exactly whats going on in the drill. Tempo, rhythm, and ball speed play huge parts in fielding. The player needs to instinctively field the ball instead of mechanically. Drills cause major mechanical issues

quincy · Feb 22, 2017

Thus the cones, love cones.

gatorcoach · Feb 22, 2017

"Drills cause major mechanical issues"

Drills make fundamentals become natural. Do the the drills so when gametime comes the footwork and glovework is natural and instinctive. Drills do not cause issues, BAD DRILL WORK causes problems!

GunnerShotgun · Feb 22, 2017

625ender said:
The player needs to instinctively field the ball instead of mechanically.

Which is random and leads to random results. If you watch any professional fielder they look like mechanical robots because they have done it so many times.

Now the plays you see on Sports Center are the random outliers in which the fielder relies on instinct and athletic ability. Sport Center also doesn't show you the outliers where they don't get the batter out. They are high risk/high reward plays. This is what makes them such great plays and fun to watch.

The other 90% of the time it's mechanical footwork that has been drilled into them. They are boring so you don't' see them on Sport Center.

Gambler Bob · Feb 22, 2017

Greenmonsters said:
Why do you think Kobata stresses what he does?

What does Kobata stress?

Did a quick search on Youtube for kobata and not much video on his drills. The videos I did find were pretty vague.

Greenmonsters · Feb 23, 2017

Gambler Bob said:
What does Kobata stress?

Did a quick search on Youtube for kobata and not much video on his drills. The videos I did find were pretty vague.

Time is of the essence. Basically, it's get the ball quickly, get rid of the ball quickly.

turnin2 · Feb 26, 2017

I didn't watch the entire video, but I do know they teach rounding the ball at the highest level. Someone mentioned Kobata and although I like his teachings and have his videos they don't necessarily teach everything he shows at the highest level.

Gambler Bob said:
I find this drill very helpful for baseball players. IMO a baseball player has a lot more time to get rid of the ball with 90' bases on a baseball field. The shortstop and second baseman our roughly 130' away from the batter and have more time to create the banana on a routine ground ball but also have a further throw to 1st base.

My question is do you think this drill is as good in softball with 60' bases? In softball the middle infielder are more like 90'-100' away from the batter, less time to react to a batted ball. With 60' foot bases the runner gets to 1st base faster, also you have slappers in softball.

Is softball any different in this aspect of fielding a ground ball? Link to the banana drill below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvQrw-sNtCY

Ground ball banana drill? Baseball vs. softball.

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Gambler Bob

Greenmonsters

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CoachBroker

625ender

quincy

gatorcoach

GunnerShotgun

Gambler Bob

Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner

turnin2

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