Tuesday, June 15, 2004
things at which i am better than randy winn
Ever since I was, say, 11, when I hit my prime and slowly started to regress, I could not understand how I was better than major leaguers. To this day I cannot comprehend how players make it to the majors without being able to get a throw off quickly on a fly ball or turn a relay from the outfield to the infield without taking a few hops/steps. Lets start with the outfield.
How many times have you seen an outfielder, in a tag-up situation, camp right where a fly ball is coming down and catch it over his non-throwing shoulder? Far too many times – and this is doing every possible thing wrong besides letting the ball hit you on the face, which is what they deserve for these unforgivable mechanics. Some players will wait behind the ball and catch it on the run, and the announcers always commend them for their mechanics. But catching it on the run isn’t much better if you run 3 or 4 more steps before getting rid of the ball. It isn’t that hard to catch it over your throwing shoulder while starting your crow-hop – I know it isn’t, because I can still do it, and I’m a washed up former JV utility man (seriously, I was Mark Mclemore before Mark Mclemore was Mark Mclemore – second, short, third, left, first, I was there. Along with the singles.). The first step that should come down after catching the ball is your plant for the throw, and you should have momentum. This is done by high-schoolers all the time. How does it get lost on major league all-stars?
The relay – ahh, the relay. I loved relay drills, because I loved getting rid of the ball quickly. Even easier than a fly ball. You should definitely be moving when you catch it, and should be in the air. Catch, plant, throw. Not that hard. Yet I can’t think of any time I’ve seen this done, even by players who are amazingly quick at turning the double play (my Dad insists Boone is quick on the relay; I can’t recall). Really, as you are hopping, the ball should hit your glove, drop into your hand, and as you come down you should be getting rid of the ball.
So where does this get lost? When do coaches stop teaching their players? Even if guys in the majors are bad, these things should not take long to learn. A few days of practice and you should have the hang of it.
Edit: I bet I could take Winn at counter-strike too.
How many times have you seen an outfielder, in a tag-up situation, camp right where a fly ball is coming down and catch it over his non-throwing shoulder? Far too many times – and this is doing every possible thing wrong besides letting the ball hit you on the face, which is what they deserve for these unforgivable mechanics. Some players will wait behind the ball and catch it on the run, and the announcers always commend them for their mechanics. But catching it on the run isn’t much better if you run 3 or 4 more steps before getting rid of the ball. It isn’t that hard to catch it over your throwing shoulder while starting your crow-hop – I know it isn’t, because I can still do it, and I’m a washed up former JV utility man (seriously, I was Mark Mclemore before Mark Mclemore was Mark Mclemore – second, short, third, left, first, I was there. Along with the singles.). The first step that should come down after catching the ball is your plant for the throw, and you should have momentum. This is done by high-schoolers all the time. How does it get lost on major league all-stars?
The relay – ahh, the relay. I loved relay drills, because I loved getting rid of the ball quickly. Even easier than a fly ball. You should definitely be moving when you catch it, and should be in the air. Catch, plant, throw. Not that hard. Yet I can’t think of any time I’ve seen this done, even by players who are amazingly quick at turning the double play (my Dad insists Boone is quick on the relay; I can’t recall). Really, as you are hopping, the ball should hit your glove, drop into your hand, and as you come down you should be getting rid of the ball.
So where does this get lost? When do coaches stop teaching their players? Even if guys in the majors are bad, these things should not take long to learn. A few days of practice and you should have the hang of it.
Edit: I bet I could take Winn at counter-strike too.
# posted by Anonymous @ 1:09 AM 
