Help With a Scoop at First

[David B]

Originally Posted by Thatballzlow

I disagree, with all humility, with David's eye movement on this play. If you watch the short hop into the glove, then look at the base, you are going to miss this play more often than not.

David's point is the importance of whether or not the fielder has complete possession. I understand his thinking, but time it takes to move the eyes from the BAG to the GLOVE is not going to cause you to miss possession. One of three things will happen:

1- He drops it...that makes it easy
2- The ball goes by him...easy again
3- He juggles it...if he juggles it, that will be the hardest part, but trust me, you will have time to see it.

Like I said, I disagree with the mechanics of eye movement from ball to bag, as opposed to bag to ball, but if it works for David, I wouldn't suggest to him to change it. But, and this is no shot at David, I would guess he would find that call much easier to make.

Just an opinion...thoughts? Replies? Cigarettes? lol

I see your point of view and years ago I used to subscribe to that theory.

However, the last eight years I learned (camp I went to) to watch the ball to the glove. So I started using it on all plays at first - works like a charm.

It takes some practice but the eyes can move so quickly from glove to bag that you don't miss a thing.

Since then, my calls at first have improved greatly.

Practice it some time in pregame. Watch as F6 fields then follow the ball to the glove and then to the bag.

I used to teach watch the bag and listen, but with the large crowds at the games that is very hard to do. So I changed and it works.

Since then that is what I teach, maybe not for everyone but a very good system.

Thansk
David

[SanDiegoSteve]

I do a combination of both. I try to see both at the same time with an expanded view of the play. When I see the throw is going to be low or off line, I anticipate having to see both the runner's foot hitting the base and F3 controlling the ball. You have to adjust your eyes quickly in order to see both events take place. It also takes practice. A ball in the dirt makes very little noise when it hits the glove, and that, combined with crowd noise, makes it difficult to call it by sound only.

[DG]

I always watch the bag, looking for BR's touch, and to be sure F3 has a portion of his foot touching also. I listen for the ball hitting the mitt, and in the case of a one-hopper I listen for the second sound, since the first will be the ball hitting the ground. Having seen and heard, I then look up to see if F3still has the ball.