is there anything wrong with a quick underhand toss

[Eric F]

Just some coach's philosophies, that's all. Happens so rarely, is it really worth devoting a bunch of practice time to it since time is limited? I think that's what it boils down to.

Sure there are outliers. There are in anything. Mugsy Bogues was only 5'4" but you don't see college coaches beating down the doors of 5'4" players do you?

Who said anything about devoting a bunch of practice time? Working in a few glove flips during fielding skills work isn't a big deal. If you don't like the idea, don't include it. Personally, I think it's a valuable enough skill to give it a little time.

 

[canyonjoe]

Of course there are times you should flip underhand. You should have your corner IF's work on it for bunts with runners on third as well as P. C's need it sometimes for WP's. Actually everyone should spend a little time working on it. It's not as easy as MLB players make it look but there are countless times it's needed.

 

[uncdrew]

We practice flips in 10U. Important skill and often the best way to get the out.

Lots of coaches at the TB level just don't know the game. I prefer them to say "I don't know, let me find out" than be super insistent about their guess.

 

[softballparent60]

we taught the girls when they did underhand flips to yell "flip flip flip" to let the receiver know it's a flip coming. we also taught glove flips, mixed it in with regular flips. at 12's we also introduced throwing side arm, another useful skill for infielders as they go to higher levels.

 

[NJgators14uSPARK]

is there anything wrong with a quick underhand toss when the recipient is pretty close (say less than 6 ft).

12U, game this sunday, 2b field a grounder (probably 1B should have fielded it, but that is another discussion), was about 3-4 feet from 1B, did an underhand toss to 1B, was missed, cost an out and an extra base. granted, the toss was probably too hard for the distance, but overheard AC in dugout talking to two players involved, that they should never throw underhand, that they should do a dart throw instead.

I had always thought, depending on the situation, nothing wrong with quick underhand toss when very close to recipient, especially upon fielding a grounder (ie saves the time of coming up to throw). In fact, I had always taught DD (catcher), on PB, to do a quick underhand dart to P covering, as it saves time of bringinh ball up to throw.

interested to hear opinions.

That's silly. There are underhand plays all over the field. When you explained the play I was thinking of a glove flip from the 2nd Baseman. We practice flips and glove flips all the time. we also have fun at practice with behind the back plays. I can't wait till someone takes a risk and attempts it in a game. So many coaches trying to take the creativity out of the girls. Just out of curiosity, what is the coaches background?

 

[uncdrew]

That's silly. There are underhand plays all over the field. When you explained the play I was thinking of a glove flip from the 2nd Baseman. We practice flips and glove flips all the time. we also have fun at practice with behind the back plays. I can't wait till someone takes a risk and attempts it in a game. So many coaches trying to take the creativity out of the girls. Just out of curiosity, what is the coaches background?

He had sex once about 10 years ago.

 

[Sweet Lou]

Who said anything about devoting a bunch of practice time? Working in a few glove flips during fielding skills work isn't a big deal. If you don't like the idea, don't include it. Personally, I think it's a valuable enough skill to give it a little time.

Even if you don't use it in a game it's a great drill to work on for manipulating the glove, hand eye coordination, and getting the feel of how it works. And yeah it doesn't take but 2-3 minutes to work it into a drill.

 

[uncdrew]

Even if you don't use it in a game it's a great drill to work on for manipulating the glove, hand eye coordination, and getting the feel of how it works. And yeah it doesn't take but 2-3 minutes to work it into a drill.

For my 10U team it would be one of those plays that goes like this:

Make a glove toss in a game for an out, and we all think she's a rock star.

Make a glove toss for an error and everyone thinks she and the coach are morons.

 

[bmakj]

For my 10U team it would be one of those plays that goes like this:

Make a glove toss in a game for an out, and we all think she's a rock star.

Make a glove toss for an error and everyone thinks she and the coach are morons.

to be fair, there are going to be at least half a dozen plays in any 10u games that make people think the coach is a moron, and at least that many coaching decisions (lineup, pitcer, substitutions, etc.)

 

[texasheat]

Who said anything about devoting a bunch of practice time?

No I was saying that was a part of their thinking. The main reason I have been given is that the glove flip is very inaccurate in game situations compared to underhand flips and the number of times that a glove flip would be the ONLY way to get an out are miniscule so they just outlaw the glove flip altogether so that it isn't something they use when they would have been better off using a standard underhand flip..

To sum it up, they think that the number of errors they avoid by not using glove flips greatly outnumber the number of outs they would get in those situations where a glove flip was the only way to get the out. Therefore just go to a no glove flip policy and avoid a kid having to make a decision. In particular the wrong decision of using a glove flip and making an error when an underhand flip would have sufficed.

BTW - Re: the Evo Shield catching gear. Talked to a Texas A&M coach the other day about their new Evo Shield catching gear. Apparently the shin guards are moldable to fit the players' legs. I don't know if it's done like they do their ankle guards? Or if it is custom done for the schools? But something for you to think about.