why is the hammer strike taking over?

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

I was trained by a guy who told me to adopt a style that has me facing the diamond. I adopted the Pulli Punch for called strikes, and the delayed, casual hammer for swinging strikes. I never look away or turn away, even on punch outs. Once, I had a turn-and-step-and-point-at-the-first-base-dugout partner, and the catcher made a quick throw back to the pitcher that got through and rolled toward the second baseman. While my partner was recovering from his elaborate strike call, a runner from third was about to slide into home as the second baseman scooped and fired on the run. My partner barely saw the play, which was pretty close, and of course, he got it wrong because it exploded on him. I've never even considered using the point since that play.

You can still turn your head and point without doing a complete Dutch Rennert style call, like your fancy partner, and still not miss anything on the field. It's called peripheral vision.

[yawetag]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

If you're not directed to do a specific mechanic by your assn' try them all and see what works for you.

The association I joined this year has trained us to use the hammer. It took me several times with the pitching machine to get used to it, but I haven't gone back to the point since. In fact, tonight was my first game with the league I've been with for a few years -- and my first time using the hammer. I thought about going to the point for their games, but I found the hammer works for me.

[yawetag]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

While my partner was recovering from his elaborate strike call, a runner from third was about to slide into home as the second baseman scooped and fired on the run. My partner barely saw the play, which was pretty close, and of course, he got it wrong because it exploded on him. I've never even considered using the point since that play.

How elaborate was his call? I'd guess the play would have taken at least 5 seconds or so to get to the explosion, which seems odd that he couldn't have been finished by then.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Five seconds is a very long time.

The PU started to step and look away as the catcher was releasing the ball. It skipped past the pitcher and rolled to the second baseman, who was moving in for the back-up. The guy started to get back to the plate and was startled and out of position and blew the call.

If a runner took five seconds to run 80 feet, that would make him slower than ... me, for instance. This guy was a rabbit.