Squeezing the Glove

[tomorrow]

Is there such a thing as Squeezing the Glove during a catch with the wrong fingers? Do coaches actually watch for this detail?
This is a general question about catching the ball please exclude the situations with very young beginners, or practicing quick transfers.

 

[ArmWhip]

The biggest problem that I run into in regards to catching the ball is that 99% of the players have terrible gloves. The gloves are flat because the players don't keep a ball in them. I always tell players that catching a round ball with a flat glove is a problem. I frequently give players old worn out balls to keep in their gloves when they put them in their bag. I am also not a big fan of bare hand drills to reinforce 'two hands'. This trains players to catch the ball in the palm of their glove hand instead of the pocket. Most flies and pops are dropped because the player catches them on the palm instead of in the pocket and balls bounces out. I will also introduce players to the TIP (two in pinkie) finger positioning to help them close the glove.

 

[SBmom8992]

I will also introduce players to the TIP (two in pinkie) finger positioning to help them close the glove.

THIS!!!!


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[Rolling Hard]

Never, ever put your glove away without a ball in it. It is a cardinal sin. My DD puts a ball in her glove between innings. The way the glove was broke in will have a role in how well it works especially on backhands. If the glove is broke in correctly you really don't have to squeeze much. The balls velocity practically causes the glove to close or wrap itself around the ball.

 

[_MIA_]

I am also not a big fan of bare hand drills to reinforce 'two hands'. This trains players to catch the ball in the palm of their glove hand instead of the pocket.

I assume we are talking about OF here..I have never seen OF drills done barehanded..granted I haven’t looked at a lot of OF drills online.

 

[tomorrow]

In regards to putting a ball in your glove when putting it away. What if just keep your glove on the end of your bat (hang by the wrist strap) rather than putting it in a bag?

 

[_MIA_]

In regards to putting a ball in your glove when putting it away. What if just keep your glove on the end of your bat (hang by the wrist strap) rather than putting it in a bag?

When away from home and in a bag, keep a ball in it. When at home I like to have my kids place it, pocket down and open, on a level surface. I don't like how the glove wraps curve the ends of the gloves. Admittedly my 7YO son is better at doing this consistently than 13 YO DD..probably because he doesn't run to his phone as soon as he gets home..

 

[ArmWhip]

I assume we are talking about OF here..I have never seen OF drills done barehanded..granted I haven’t looked at a lot of OF drills online.

I'm talking infield also. When a ball goes into the glove to secure it you have two choices, close the glove or clam shell it (two hands). When you teach kids to clam shell the ball they will try to do it on every catch, including backhands. I once had a first baseman who tried to clam shell everything, it was ugly.

There is a popular outfield drill around here where you use tennis balls for 'over the head' catches.

 

[_MIA_]

I'm talking infield also. When a ball goes into the glove to secure it you have two choices, close the glove or clam shell it (two hands). When you teach kids to clam shell the ball they will try to do it on every catch, including backhands. I once had a first baseman who tried to clam shell everything, it was ugly.

There is a popular outfield drill around here where you use tennis balls for 'over the head' catches.

Ok well when you are fielding ground balls within the framework of your body (eg not backhands or forehands) or catching a ball which you are going to then throw (relays,double plays) you want to catch it in the pocket, not the web. Actually you don't even want to catch it really..more of a deflection. I've never seen a kid try to field a backhand with two hands. That's just weird

 

[ArmWhip]

Ok well when you are fielding ground balls within the framework of your body (eg not backhands or forehands) or catching a ball which you are going to then throw (relays,double plays) you want to catch it in the pocket, not the web. Actually you don't even want to catch it really..more of a deflection. I've never seen a kid try to field a backhand with two hands. That's just weird

There are some situations where you could clam shell the ball, but you would have to be a very advanced player to be able to catch the ball in specific parts of the glove, pocket vs palm. The kids who try to two-hand a backhand will reach for the ball with both hands, but put the throwing hand on the back of the glove, to them this qualifies as 'two hands'.

Many years ago I volunteer coached at a local middle school, my daughter was a year away. The HC was an old school guy. We had 18 girls at the first practice, less than half had any experience. We started throwing in a typical warmup, the HC loudly stressed '2 hands when you catch'. We sent 6 girls to the nurses office with jammed fingers, and 4 more the next day.