Right-left or left-right

wanted to hear some thoughts from the other coachs out there

when fielding a ground ball...do you have your if's use a right then left footwork, or left then right footwork (i'm assuming that our if's are right handed throwers). we've been discussing quite a bit over here.

my point with finishing right left is two fold. #1 with the left foot slightly (heel to toe) ahead of the right i believe you can get that glove hand out just a little farther. also by finishing with the left, you can then take a collection step with the right towards your target and get the throw off.

my buddy's point is that finishing with the right and leaving the left back a little more you can field the ball more off the left foot (glove hand foot).

i realize that this is a fundamental question and that most times this never happens because we have to play some many balls on the move...but in the perfect world which do you teach/prefer

 

Left Foot Forward

I was a Catcher but I've seen a few MIF's give talks and they always show Left Foot Forward and if possible a movement into the ground ball that is slightly right to left so as to gain momentum towards the target. When Tony Womack did some instruction for us not long ago this is what he had the IF's working on.

He did (however) demonstrate and instruct SS's to drop the left foot back on fairly easy groundballs that they were trying to turn a DP on and were too far away from the bag to flip.

As you might expect the demonstration is much more powerful than the instruction! Tony can still play a bunch! I like his green Lamborghini too! (At least that's what my son told me it was.) Tony is "cool" and he's a really nice guy too.

It's great to meet guys like him who are down to earth like that. Homegrown NC talent right out of Guilford College if I'm not mistaken.

 

Assuming we are talking about right handed throwers, and we are discussing a routine ground ball, then its right then left as you teach it. Not sure who your buddy is and I'm not not knocking him, but if it were me, there would be no more discussion on this one. Again, assuming a right handed thrower and the routine ground ball.

For that matter, I'd probably have second thoughts as to any other knowledge he may dispose on me.

The "right then left" footwork is basic fundamental groundball technique. Obviously, "left then right" for left hand throwers. This is why left handed throwers don't play the left side of the infield or second base.

 

TB always taught what he called "infielders rythm". Right-Left-Catch. Right-Left-Throw. I liked it and passed it on to everyone I ever coached.

 

That's a fact!

JT! However, it is amazing how fundamentally wrong it is taught at all levels...?

 

TheOriole

I agree....I think there was a recent thread about the lack of fundamentals. This just goes as yet another example proving such.

Honestly, when I read the question, (and I knew better than to do this, but I did it anyway) I actually stood up and tired to simulate the "left then right - then field" ..............and I about fell down.

 

i agree with the right-left catch and right-left throw, but i am an old dumb catcher. now to ask another question.... how do you work the hands? the old fashion way by giving to the belly or going to get it with the hands ( the new and improved method) i still like giving with the ball except on short hops. any comments or suggestions??

 

i also stay pretty close to the old school. i've always called it funnelling to the belly except on the short hops, where we'll actually go and get it.

but i've coach scalf at uncw who i think is an amazing infield play teacher and i think he actually has the guys go and get it. my guess is that if you're going to go get and cut off the short hop you are just as well to go and get and cut off the ground ball. how many balls actually stay down?

 

OLD SCHOOL...

IS the only school point in fact is that 99% of fielding errors are made AFTER the ball comes n contact with the hands!!!!! No brainer GET it to your belly and SEEEEEEEE it into your belly them handwork and exchange!

 

It all depends

The way the ball is hit. Hard , soft , at you , to you glove side to your throwing side , the situation in the game, speed of the runner etc etc.

There is no one way to field a ground ball just like there is no one way to hit. If a ball is mashed right at you there isnt going to be anytime to make any steps before you field the baseball. Going to get the ball vs staying back is determined by how the ball is hit. And can be determined by the speed of the runner as well. Field the baseball out in front and then funnell to the throwing side is what I believe in. But that is in the case when the baseball it hit at you. If your moving to your gloveside to field a baseball it depends on where you are playing and where your throwing the baseball just like if its hit to your throwing hand. On a routine ball hit at you right left field right left throw is right on. But what about the ball hit in the hole at SS for the SS? Now it all depends right? Hard hard was it hit? Backhand or round it? So many different scenarios. Be fundementally sound so you can make the routine plays routinely. Be athletic enough to be able to make all the other plays and be able to make them without being a robot.
Field the ball outfront and then funnell the baseball. Trying to funnell up before you have fielded out front creates short hops. Hey everyone has an opinion. My opinion is the situation will dictate the response. Know which response to use and how to execute it.