Calling the ball

[Mike]

What verbal commands/body commands do you teach;

1) infielder calling her own ball
2) infielder calling off another infielder
3) outfielder calling off an infielder

IMO mine, mine, mine is to vague and if calling off another player they are both saying the same thing...but...to many verbal commands could get confusing.

Thanks.

 

[Jdaddy]

I assume you are speaking of pop flies. On DD's 10U team, we just use "ball ball ball!". If you call it first it is yours. Her team has certain positions that take priority over others should two girls call the ball at the same time. SS has priority over entire infield should she call ball. 2nd has priority over 1st. Pitcher yields to all infielders. Catcher yields to infielders and pitcher. All infielders yield to outfielders. Bunts have their own priorities based on the coverage called. The only other two rules are call it LOUD and if you call it, catch it.

 

[FPMark]

You have to teach who has priority on fly balls and pop ups.

The way I prioritise players, from lowest priority to highest...
1- catcher, If anyone else calls it, catcher gets out of the way.
2- Pitcher, pitcher can call off catcher, but that's it.
3- Corners, corners can, and should, call off pitcher and catcher whenever possible. If both 1st and 3rd call it, I give left side infielders (3rd) preferance.
4- Middle infield, 2nd base calls off every other infielder except SS (left side middle infield)
5- Outfielders, outfielders should catch anything they can get to. And they should call everything they attempt to catch. On a pop fly to shallow LF, I want SS to go after it and catch it if she can. UNLESS the outfielder calls it. If no outfielder calls it, SS may be diving for it, so it is critical for outfielder to call it. It is the infielder's ball untill the outfielder calls her off. The only time I want an infielder calling a ball in the outfield is when she is "parked" under it. Centerfield has priority over left and right field.

If you can teach them this order, then there are no different kinds of verbal commands needed. Body commands don't work if everybody is looking at the ball. You do not want anyone to have to take their eyes off a ball in the air. Once they get used to this priority list, they can go after a ball without worrying about whether they should catch it or let someone else.

 

[Mike]

yes, popflies. In general I agree with all that. Where I see confusion is an infielder going back and an outfielder coming in, I think everyone agrees the outfielder has priority. So, if the infielder going back is initially calling the ball, mine, mine,etc or whatever command they use, how does the outfielder call them off? I ask because the pro's have it down, you see players peeling off at the last second and it looks seamless. ( I know we are not pros). But what are they saying to each other, how are they communicating?

We do practice this by spreading kids out and throwing balls in between them. We also make two lines, one represents outfield and one line represents infield and we throw the ball in between and they practice calling the ball and calling each other off. Right know we only use MINE MINE MINE, and if they are going to call someone off they just yell louder. There has got to be a better way.

 

[Mike]

If you can teach them this order, then there are no different kinds of verbal commands needed.

That makes sense. How often do you practice this?

 

[softballphreak]

FPMark has the answer. Every player must know the priority of the position they are playing. Many times, especially at younger levels, the players give in to the "better" athletes. Those are usually infielders, especially ss. Outfielders must KNOW they have priority!

There are charts that map priorities very clearly. Again, EACH player must know their position's priority AND who has priority over them.

Pitcher (1) has priority over no one.
Catcher (2) has priority over the Pitcher.
1st Base (3) has priority over the Pitcher and Catcher.
2nd Base (4) has priority over 1st, Pitcher, Catcher.
3rd Base (5) has priority over Pitcher, Catcher.
SS (6) has priority over all infielders, Pitcher, Catcher.
LF (7) has priority over all infielders.
CF (8) has priority over everyone.
RF (9) has priority over all infielders.

Infielders are to go hard after every ball until they hear an Outfielder calling for it. That's why the player should keep yelling MINE, MINE, MINE if they think they can get it. Give way to the outfielder. Whatever word is used, such as "MINE", should be used by everyone. You don't want one using "MINE' and another using "BALL". You also don't want the non-fielding player calling out who DOES have it. Too much communication may be confusing. An ok exception would be "you got room" when near a fence, say.

This should be practiced pretty much at all practices by hitting tweeners, for example. Especially behind SS and 2nd Baseman.

 

[Mike]

O.k. I am not that far off then I just need to stress the priority of the positions more.

 

[Jdaddy]

I agree that pro players make these calls appear seamless. I believe they appear this way because even in the bigs they have priorities over who takes which ball. When someone breaks rank so to speak you still have collisions.

 

[FPMark]

That makes sense. How often do you practice this?

At every practice. Just like hitting ground balls. I believe that the reason you see the pros look seamless is because they understand priorities and trust that they are all on the same page. If the outfielder calls it, they don't debate it, the infielder gets out of the way. When you see infielders making circus catches in the outfield, it isn't because they called it and the outfielder let him have it, it is because the outfielder didn't call it so the infielder had to go for it.

Infielders should not be calling short pop ups in the outfield, unless they are Completly parked under it. Even then, if an outfielder calls it, they get out of the way. But this is only possible in a situation where all the girls play as a team and understand their role. It takes some discipline to "know" you can catch a ball, but yield to someone else because they call it.

 

[Mike]

I'll buy that and make the proper adjustments. Thanks.

And as far as the pitcher I pretty much confine them to there circle and about 10 feet in front towards home plate.