Reading the ball off the bat

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Strike2

Allergic to BS
Nov 14, 2014
2,044
113
Wait, what?

I've literally never heard of this, and it sounds absolutely insane to not watch the ball out of the pitcher's hand. In fact, you absolutely cannot get into a good ready position without timing the ball out of the hand. Is she just supposed to guess when the pitch is thrown?

Please... Unless you don't have any peripheral vision or aren't paying attention, it's not hard to know when the pitch is coming. For older age groups, the time from delivery to potential contact is often less than a second. The point is to not focus on the pitcher and then try to follow the pitch to the batter. At 3B, that is a sure way to not see the ball off the bat. Further, watching the batter will tell you much more about where the ball is going than looking at the pitcher.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
Looks like they both start by looking at the pitcher. I don't remember what I used to do to be completely honest.



 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
i much prefer reading the ball off the bat then reading a book. 😁
 
Apr 17, 2019
194
28
Hit more balls, and verify that she's actually watching the batter during the pitch and then the BAT at contact. As soon as the pitcher goes into the windup, eyes should be on the batter. At the swing, eyes lock on the bat itself. I played 3B in SP leagues where the ball comes very hot, but

Thanks this is good advice, is there a way to work in this with her. We rarely live hit in practice.


seeing it off the bat was automatic.
 

Strike2

Allergic to BS
Nov 14, 2014
2,044
113
Thanks this is good advice, is there a way to work in this with her. We rarely live hit in practice.

Talk to her about what she does between pitches, how she gets ready for the next pitch, and where is she looking? Is she fixating on the pitcher? I'm not suggesting not looking at the pitcher at all, but if you're trying to pick up a fast moving object, it's much harder if your eyes are rapidly moving and refocusing.
 
Last edited:

Strike2

Allergic to BS
Nov 14, 2014
2,044
113
Looks like they both start by looking at the pitcher. I don't remember what I used to do to be completely honest.
Looks to me like his eyes are on the pitcher at the windup, and he shifts focus to the batter in a ready position well before the arrival of the pitch. He's down and focused on the batter before the pitched ball is even in view.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
Looks to me like his eyes are on the pitcher at the windup, and he shifts focus to the batter in a ready position well before the arrival of the pitch. He's down and focused on the batter before the pitched ball is even in view.
Isn't that what I said? :ROFLMAO:
 
Apr 20, 2018
4,581
113
SoCal
Tennis balls with racquet. You can blast them at her without the fear of injury. Might sting a little but you wont break any bones. they will bounce out of her glove but that's ok. Also be sure to have you back to her to better mimic the right handed batter.
 
Mar 10, 2020
734
63
Wait, what?

I've literally never heard of this, and it sounds absolutely insane to not watch the ball out of the pitcher's hand.
In fact, you absolutely cannot get into a good ready position without timing the ball out of the hand.
Ridiculous. No that's not a fact.
But since you haven't heard of defense paying attention to the batter.
Screenshot_20221211-110526_Gallery.jpg
 

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