The glove flip

[softballninja]

In a situation when you use a glove flip (most likely for a force play at home I think), how can you focus on staying low? As a relatively tall person, I tend to start standing up right after I field the ball, which makes my flip go too high.

Does anyone have any video or pitchers of players doing a glove flip and staying low throughout the process?

 

[hen]

The easiest way I've accomplished staying low is to get them to get their momentum going to the target and have the feeling of the glove reaching through the target's waist/chest. Stressing to get the ball to fly on a line rather than a rainbow works for some as they may figure it out on their own.

It's easier IMO if they take slightly longer strides to get lower and field the ball more out in front rather than short strides and bending at the waist. If they just bend at the waist they pretty much have to get upright to see the target and not look at the ground.

Drill we use is set the girls up at each corner of a square (~15 ft apart?). As they glove flip (or any flip for that matter), they need to be moving towards the target and should end up at the target's corner. In other words, they should be rotating around the square as they do the drill.

For me, I've seen this done more by SS going to 2B on a double play feed or a 2B to 1B on a ball in the 3-4 hole. Even seen it on push bunts that P fields.

Sorry no video on hand though. Maybe if I remember to video our warmups I'll take some.

 

[Steve Huff]

These photos are of an underhand flip with the hand, but the principles still stay the same. Hen above mentions some points I agree with. This drill sounds really good!

Drill we use is set the girls up at each corner of a square (~15 ft apart?). As they glove flip (or any flip for that matter), they need to be moving towards the target and should end up at the target's corner. In other words, they should be rotating around the square as they do the drill.

For me, I've seen this done more by SS going to 2B on a double play feed or a 2B to 1B on a ball in the 3-4 hole. Even seen it on push bunts that P fields.

There are certain principles that apply to under-hand flips that are important. First, a glove flip is last resort. That is why it is more common at home than say 2nd base as Hen mentioned above.

* The fielder should "hand" the ball to the receiver's glove. If the glove is waist high as it was in the photo below, then the fielder should maintain that low posture to "hand" the ball to the glove, extending directly at it.

* The fielder should not bring the ball back past the hip, or the ball will be tossed low most of the time, and too often too fast! The throw from the hip insures a more accurate and well paced throw.

* The thrower should continue movement toward the target until the ball is received. This prevents the stop and toss which is usually very inaccurate.

In infield position drills I have a station where every player there throws under-hand tosses. To learn the continuation and staying low, I give them a low target, and have them come up and touch the glove after the throw before returning to the line.

 

[BLB]

When the play is at home plate on a bunt or a swinging bunt where the pitcher has to charge in, she can glove flip the ball to the catcher without securing the ball or picking it up in any way. When I pitched, I found this to be the quickess way to get the ball to the catcher. I used a stiff wrist, pinky and thumb pointing straight down towards the ground with a wide open glove. There should not be any type of scooping action or closing of the glove. You charge the ball so that it ends up on your glove side. Athletes can first practice getting a feel for the correct motion with stationary balls. It's simply a forward sweep of the glove which pitchers can accomplish without even slowing down when charging the ball. Balls which are too far to your throwing side are more difficult to get around quickly.

 

[hen]

just saw this play and thought of this thread. here's your video example!
Baseball Video Highlights & Clips | PHI@SD: Hamels makes nice flip with glove for the out - Video | MLB.com: Multimedia

2nd baseman to 1st:
Baseball Video Highlights & Clips | SD@CIN: Cairo makes a nice flip to retire Hudson - Video | MLB.com: Multimedia
Baseball Video Highlights & Clips | ATL@PHI: Utley flashes the leather at second base - Video | MLB.com: Multimedia
notice how both field with the upper body around 45 degrees and don't straighten up as they flip. also how both end up running towards 1B after the flip so they can flip it pretty far.

ss to 2B:
Baseball Video Highlights & Clips | TEX@NYY: Andrus' slick flip starts 6-4-3 double play - Video | MLB.com: Multimedia
Baseball Video Highlights & Clips | WSH@HOU: Sanchez's glove flip starts a double play - Video | MLB.com: Multimedia