Defense for pitching
- Thread starter 686smog
- Start date
Practice, practice practice. There are different ways to practice fielding unfortunately pitchers are a different breed and you have to find what works for you. I have a buddy that comes to tourneys early, we find a good spot and he hits line drives to me for a while. Remember....release the pitch....back up....get your glove up and get set. Learn to pitch strikes...ALOT (especially first pitch strikes). Once you get used to it you will learn to be awfully close to second base once the ball gets close to the plate. Remember the inside of the plate is your best friend. Just be vigilant. ALWAYS be on your toes and trust your instincts once you develop them. This is just my opinion. I've been on the bump for 20+ and this is what has worked for ME.
Pitch bp with a net, and just watch the ball come off the bat. Get set and react to the ball as if there's no net there. I would also have my wife hit at me. She can hit, but not as hard as your average masher obviously. It allowed me to pitch, watch the pitch, see it be hit, and still not be in full game mode.
Gearing up also helps IMO. If you're already playing pepper, that's good to me too. Depending on how hard your guys hit pepper. We always played an escalating version that could get pretty hot.
Gearing up also helps IMO. If you're already playing pepper, that's good to me too. Depending on how hard your guys hit pepper. We always played an escalating version that could get pretty hot.
SilverSlugger7
Outstanding Bad Dealer
A bukake squad of softballs.
b#7
CAPN MORGAN
I hit 52/300s at my guys so they can get used to the hops that they sometimes take.
alteredzx
Bazinga
When we take grounders before tournaments and games, I always go half way between the hitter and where the rest of my guys are so the ball gets to me faster. We also use tennis balls during BP to hit line drives at me. Those sumbitches can sting too so its best to catch them.
Like Jbo said. Its mostly just watching the ball come off the bat. Also, realize, you wont catch them all. Save your life if need to. haha!
Like Jbo said. Its mostly just watching the ball come off the bat. Also, realize, you wont catch them all. Save your life if need to. haha!
^^^^^Me and my buddy do the tennis ball thing also. I didn't mention it because I figured someone would jump all over that but it works. Also, my son has these things called "wonder balls". They create the nastiest hops and move with the quickness. Not sure where he got them from but i'll ask him and let you know. They are about the size of a golf ball and my 12 year old and my buddy hit them at me with a big barrel baseball bat. I am also trying to get used to wearing a helmet for the first time in my life but I can see the benefits.
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NorCal5150
Rep for GS Sports
Most people that have issues fielding the middle is because they do not have their feet set. I ahve to remind myself all the time that being as far back as possible isn't always the best thing. 99% of the time if I have been hit not having my feet set is the reason. As far as practicing I do a couple things. Before games I always take ground balls about 40-45 feet from the guy hitting them and have him put some velocity behind it. AT my local gym we have racket ball courts. Without wearing a glove I hit the racket balls off the wall and try to catch the ball coming at me. Its pretty tough to actually catch the racket balls bare handed but the idea for me is to at least get my hand on the ball. Of course you could always wear a glove if you wanted it. I'm just not a huge fan of taking a glove with me to the gym.
blackbeasst
Addicted to Softballfans
if its an outside pitch you better start getting ready.
NorCal5150
Rep for GS Sports
HAHAHA I'm not worried about looking like a nerd. I'm more worried about my glove growing legs at the gym..LOL
MaverickAH
Well-Known Member
Practice! Get some low impact balls like some Clincher F12's or some Incrediballs. Have someone hit them to you from about 40'. Start off slow at first & have them hit harder & faster as you go along. This will help you to increase your reflexes & reaction time. This is actually a good exercise for all infielders. The best thing is that it can be done year round, indoors or outdoors.
Learn proper technique! There is absolutely no reason for a pitcher to be in front of the pitcher's plate on contact. That's bad technique! Learn to pitch with your weight on your back foot so that you can begin your retreat quicker.
Learn your craft! By this I mean that you've got to know what you're doing out there & exercise some control. If you know where your pitch is going, you can predict, with some amount of accuracy, the direction in which it'll come off the bat. With practice & experience, you'll also know when you missed your spot & need to be on special alert.
Work with your MI's. For the most part, I don't believe that a pitcher should fade up the middle. It's much safer for them to fade to the weak side. If a RH hitter is up, fade into the 3-4 hole & have the 2b cover the middle. Do the same on a LH hitter with the SS.
The best pitchers out there are not just chucking & ducking. They're purpose pitching & they rarely make mistakes when they're on. If they're adept fielders, they may even position themselves in the 'danger zone'. Most often though, they try to dictate the direction a hitter hits the ball & get themselves clear of that area.
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c.mathews23
Addicted to Softballfans
I'm the complete opposite. If I pitch and a liner comes back to me, I'm quick to react and usually at least knock it down or get a glove on it. Playing anywhere else in the infield I have a hard time fielding.
But to answer the question and as someone else already mention, practice with a BP net is my suggestion.
Superstar555
Addicted to Softballfans
I'm not getting paid to be a superstar so I fade back to the 1B side and wave wildly at anything that comes my way.
Have a buddy stand on the mound and you stand in front of the backstop. Have him hit at you and work on your timing and tracking the ball, also helps with easily collecting what gets past you. I started with incrediballs and worked up to real softballs and full gear once I was comfy
Hope this helps
Before games and tournaments: pepper with a softball. Before game time, I'll stand in front of the pitchers plate and have the batter shoot quick one hoppers back to me to get some timing down.
For practice at this time of year, we'll try to go indoors, I know of several gyms that we'll try to hit up before they get busy and use tennis and incrediballs. If the gym is busy, we'll look for a lighted tennis court and do drills there. With tennis courts they tend to dry up quickly when it rains, plus the courts are smooth so you don't have any bad hops. At the tennis courts, the batter will be at tennis net and face me at the end court line and shoot me liners and hard ground balls with tennis and incrediballs then regular softballs to finish off.
For practice at this time of year, we'll try to go indoors, I know of several gyms that we'll try to hit up before they get busy and use tennis and incrediballs. If the gym is busy, we'll look for a lighted tennis court and do drills there. With tennis courts they tend to dry up quickly when it rains, plus the courts are smooth so you don't have any bad hops. At the tennis courts, the batter will be at tennis net and face me at the end court line and shoot me liners and hard ground balls with tennis and incrediballs then regular softballs to finish off.
Nice!! You could literally print this out and keep it handy! Words to pitch by!!
Mav should have dropped the mic!!
denthepitcher
SF Native
I used to simulate releasing a pitch, backing up and get set (this is very important) you need to get your eyes to stop bouncing. Just before you're set, have your team mate hit line drives at you. Practice fielding glove side and back hand grounders and practice your throws to all bases.
While getting set, keep your glove right around chest level, close to your body. I don't care what any non-pitcher says, protect your head and your heart area first (you might get hit in other areas of your body and it'll hurt, but you'll live), any ball you can field after that is a bonus.
Fill in the divot in front of the pitching rubber with dirt and try to smooth it out as best you can.
Learn to throw strikes especially early in the count and anticipate EVERY batted ball to come right back at you.
After that,.... it's easy.
While getting set, keep your glove right around chest level, close to your body. I don't care what any non-pitcher says, protect your head and your heart area first (you might get hit in other areas of your body and it'll hurt, but you'll live), any ball you can field after that is a bonus.
Fill in the divot in front of the pitching rubber with dirt and try to smooth it out as best you can.
Learn to throw strikes especially early in the count and anticipate EVERY batted ball to come right back at you.
After that,.... it's easy.
stickin2j
Good clean family fun
I'll go back to the tennis thing. Find a friend that plays regularly and have him hit tennis balls at you with his racquet while standing on the same side of the net. If he has much power at all, they'll move a lot faster than what you'll ever see on the softball field.
I would recommend actually pitching. Pretending to pitch is obviously better than just taking infield, but you can still cheat a little. Focusing on actually putting the ball over teh plate takes concentration, and you want to practice doing that, then fielding. Even if you're pitching tennis balls, you'll actually have to focus on the effort which is usually the distraction for most noob pitchers.
I'm sure you were quite a sight with just shin guards, a mask and a cup on and asking your guys to blow" you up!!
Haha.
rhound50
Rec Coed Superstar
Gotta say I looked pretty hot in nothing but shin guards, a mask and cup. No one could even shoot middle they were to distracted.
exccsracer
Scrooge McBase
Besides setting your feet, this was the single biggest help to me this year. The more I played 5 man with my guys and the more we talked we knew, based on the batter, where we're supposed to go. Unless someone made an error the IF was pretty locked down and I never got hit. I pitched for another team with a kinda discombobulated 4 man but I was able to coach them and it helped a bunch. Again, I never got hit. I consider that a win for me.
KannonsDad
**** you
I usually just use my glove.
Media section is where you can post vids. Just saying.
