Drop 3rd strike mechanic

[IowaBlue]

Originally Posted by ronald

And I can assure you that D in your example does not involve a 135 degree path to the runner, as that is default position on a play at 1st in every mechanics manual at every level of softball in the world, and everyone teaches that as the optimal position to take the call. Iowa

1) That may be so but you have not refuted his argument of 135 degrees by sighting what many manuals suggest.

2) The manuals do not state what the path of the runner is so we can do the math 180-45 = 135.

oops he is right.

Try to draw it. baseline is a straight line. base becomes the point. lay your protractor on the line and make the base the point 0. now at the end of the protractor is where you stand. now walk 45 degrees for either point a or b now with you standing on the point look straight ahead to the point (base) where the runner will touch. now walk back to the protractor point zero and draw a line to where you were standing. what is that angle saying on the protractor. just a mere 135 degrees.

you were not listening or just being stubborn with your thought., you feel ncaa is better but argue, present your thoughts and respond intelligently and thougtfully. you failed on this particular "angle point" that is an objective analysis. you get a failing grade for your rebuttal on angles.

The angle in question is 45 degrees (your line of sight) off of the 1st base foul line (which is the runner's path extended). They will ultimately end up at 1st. Their position, on a force play, at any point PRIOR TO 1ST BASE is completely irrelevant.

You can try to use mathematical properties to add or subtract 90 degrees from any of these angles (I prefer pi/2, I was always more of a trig guy) but they are all the same. Imagine it this way: There are 4 imaginary quadrants associated with points A, B, C, and D. When you are standing at any of those points, you are in a certain quadrant and it is impossible for your angle to be larger than the entire quadrant itself. You can refer to it as +/- 45 degrees if you want to, it is irrelevant.

Try going to a clinic or association meeting sometime and tell them that your goal for a force play at 1B is to obtain a 135 degree angle.

Good luck with that.