The thread just makes me hate so much that I never played hardball. I don't if I could have ever hit, but I think I could have been a pretty good outfielder. I feel like a dog out there....like I'm compelled to run as fast as I can to get this thing thrown my way. I know it doesn't compare, but it just kills me that I'm not at a softball team at the moment. It hurts.
Good luck!
Fred McGriff says you should buy the complete Tom Emanski video series.
If you're pretty fit, can catch the ball pretty well, and aren't afraid to get hit every so often, I would suggest trying catcher if you're interested. It's one of those positions that few kids want to do, so it might give you a good shot at starting if you can do it well enough. The other benefit is that you get tons of game experience fielding the ball. I started as a catcher because I wanted to be Johnny Bench. However, I got moved to infield when coaches realized I had pretty quick feet. My experience catching helped me immensely when it came to getting in front of and down on the ball. It also helped me develop quick reflexes to deal with those bad hops you get playing on those rocky infields you have to play on.
I also used to practice defense in a number of different ways. Using a pitch back and just throwing the ball at it for a while, varying the angle of your throws, is not only good practice, but I found it to be quite relaxing. I also used to toss tennis balls and racquet balls at the back of my house and field them barehanded off the patio. I also used to practice throwing the ball, fielding it, and trying to get the ball out and throw it back again as quickly as possible.
I also taught myself to switch hit by putting a batting donut on my bat and swinging it 200 times righty and 200 times lefty every day. As a natural righty, I focused on getting up the speed and control of my bat left-handed until it got close to what I could do righty. Then, when I went to the batting cages, I hit righty the fasted cage I could handle, but lefty I started in the slowest cage, just trying to make contact, and worked my way up to the faster cages.
Wear gaudy colors, or avoid display. Lay a million eggs or give birth to one. The fittest shall survive, yet the unfit may live. Be like your ancestors or be different. We must repeat!
Around here they have hardball leagues for all ages. It's never too late. Or you could ask Chip for information on how to hook up with a Vintage Base Ball team.Originally Posted by Spazzrico
Wear gaudy colors, or avoid display. Lay a million eggs or give birth to one. The fittest shall survive, yet the unfit may live. Be like your ancestors or be different. We must repeat!
Yachtzee: I keep a pitch-back around myself (have to get a new one every year) and I love it. It plays catch with you when no one else wants to.
About being a catcher-- I don't think so. Just doesn't sound like fun, really. As for as switch-hitting, I throw right and bat left, if that means anything. I don't bat very good righty though.
320
I'd rather listen to Kelch read the phone book than suffer through Thom Brennaman's attempt to make every instance on the field the most important event since the discovery of manned space flight. -westofyou
If you already bat lefty, I don't know if switch hitting will help you much.
Catching is fun, but you have to have the right mentality for it.
Pitchbacks are fun, for sure.
Wear gaudy colors, or avoid display. Lay a million eggs or give birth to one. The fittest shall survive, yet the unfit may live. Be like your ancestors or be different. We must repeat!
Catching is fun until you take a foul ball off the shoulder or worse. I used to get racquet balls and use either a pitch back or a wall to practice.
When I see the 2016 Reds, I see a 100 loss team and no direction.
Not any worse than taking a short hop to the groin at 3rd.
Wear gaudy colors, or avoid display. Lay a million eggs or give birth to one. The fittest shall survive, yet the unfit may live. Be like your ancestors or be different. We must repeat!
Who misses a short hop? It's the in-between hops (and bad hops) that end up making body contact.
That's what I meant. You go down for a sharp hit ball that hits a rock and kicks right up into your groin, that's no fun. That's why it's a good idea to look for rocks when you take the field and clear them out.
Wear gaudy colors, or avoid display. Lay a million eggs or give birth to one. The fittest shall survive, yet the unfit may live. Be like your ancestors or be different. We must repeat!
It is a good series.
Reggie Jackson endorsed it. Said Tom taught him all kinds of stuff.
I concur.
I got lucky with my son on that one. Don't know where it came from, but it sure does open a lot of doors as they get older.Learn to pitch left-handed.
Seriously - good luck and I think "have fun" is about the best advice I've seen, even thought it's more general instead of specific technical advice.
Hope you don't mind a little contribution to this thread from Dad. I know you're getting a late start to organized baseball. It took a lot of guts to sign up and not be afraid to give it a shot. I'm darn proud. It's the greatest game in the world. Looking forward to your 1st season and also going to the Reds games with you this summer.
Not at all! You should post more. Only 6 posts in 7 months. Tsk, tsk, tsk.Hope you don't mind a little contribution to this thread from Dad....
320
I'd rather listen to Kelch read the phone book than suffer through Thom Brennaman's attempt to make every instance on the field the most important event since the discovery of manned space flight. -westofyou
Just an update... my team ended up 2nd place out of 4. Personally, I did fine. Had a lot of fun. Thanks again for all the tips,
320
I'd rather listen to Kelch read the phone book than suffer through Thom Brennaman's attempt to make every instance on the field the most important event since the discovery of manned space flight. -westofyou
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