Comments for On Baseball http://www.onbaseball.com Old School Baseball Lessons Articles and Opinions by Joe Janish Fri, 29 Aug 2008 06:52:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 Comment on Pitching: Dragging the Back Foot by joe http://www.onbaseball.com/2008/pitching/pitching-dragging-the-back-foot/#comment-3318 joe Fri, 09 May 2008 18:36:16 +0000 http://www.onbaseball.com/2008/pitching/pitching-dragging-the-back-foot/#comment-3318 Hmmm .... will have to think about this one. I do agree that monitoring the foot drag as a means of identifying a problem is a good idea. However I see no biomechanical advantage of PURPOSELY and consciously dragging the back foot -- not for increasing velocity, anyway. Thanks though for the tip on watching the direction of a foot drag ... hopefully others will be able to use this as an indicator for adjusting mechanics. Hmmm …. will have to think about this one. I do agree that monitoring the foot drag as a means of identifying a problem is a good idea. However I see no biomechanical advantage of PURPOSELY and consciously dragging the back foot — not for increasing velocity, anyway.

Thanks though for the tip on watching the direction of a foot drag … hopefully others will be able to use this as an indicator for adjusting mechanics.

]]> Comment on Balk? Or Base Hit? by Felax http://www.onbaseball.com/2006/baseball-rules/balk-or-base-hit/#comment-3299 Felax Sat, 23 Feb 2008 05:39:13 +0000 http://www.onbaseball.com/2006/baseball-rules/balk-or-base-hit/#comment-3299 Well said. This happened this past summer during a game that I coached and the umps got the call right. The batter actually got a base hit. I embarrassingly argued that the balk was called resulting in a dead ball, but the umps corrected me and the play stood. Well said. This happened this past summer during a game that I coached and the umps got the call right. The batter actually got a base hit. I embarrassingly argued that the balk was called resulting in a dead ball, but the umps corrected me and the play stood.

]]> Comment on Pitching: Dragging the Back Foot by Felax http://www.onbaseball.com/2008/pitching/pitching-dragging-the-back-foot/#comment-3298 Felax Sat, 23 Feb 2008 05:35:50 +0000 http://www.onbaseball.com/2008/pitching/pitching-dragging-the-back-foot/#comment-3298 I think you are mistaken when you say that there should never be a foot drag. Often times, pitching coaches can learn a lot from their pitchers and their delivery and follow through based on the length and shape/direction of the foot drag. A drag that loops too far out (to the throwing arm side) is an indicator of a pitcher that may be throwing across their body a bit. No drag at all is a clear indicator that the pitcher is not extending out far enough during the delivery and is likely understriding, resulting in being off balance after the delivery. I went to a college baseball clinic and one particular pitching coach actually would put sand, dirt, or any other substance that would work on his indoor mounds (portable plastic ones) so that he could see his pitchers foot drags and adjust their deliveries accordingly. I am far from an expert on the matter, but to say that a foot drag is simply for a change up seems to be way off base. I think you are mistaken when you say that there should never be a foot drag. Often times, pitching coaches can learn a lot from their pitchers and their delivery and follow through based on the length and shape/direction of the foot drag. A drag that loops too far out (to the throwing arm side) is an indicator of a pitcher that may be throwing across their body a bit. No drag at all is a clear indicator that the pitcher is not extending out far enough during the delivery and is likely understriding, resulting in being off balance after the delivery. I went to a college baseball clinic and one particular pitching coach actually would put sand, dirt, or any other substance that would work on his indoor mounds (portable plastic ones) so that he could see his pitchers foot drags and adjust their deliveries accordingly. I am far from an expert on the matter, but to say that a foot drag is simply for a change up seems to be way off base.

]]> Comment on Pitching Backward by stevenellis http://www.onbaseball.com/2007/pitching/pitching-backward/#comment-339 stevenellis Tue, 03 Apr 2007 16:28:58 +0000 http://www.onbaseball.com/2007/pitching/pitching-backward/#comment-339 Excellent post, Joe. There's no question that throwing changeups will effectively allow pitchers to put this strategy to use, which is why every pitcher must have a good one they can throw for a strike! Steven Ellis Excellent post, Joe. There’s no question that throwing changeups will effectively allow pitchers to put this strategy to use, which is why every pitcher must have a good one they can throw for a strike!

Steven Ellis

]]> Comment on Hitting to the Opposite Field by jramage05 http://www.onbaseball.com/2006/hitting/hitting-to-the-opposite-field/#comment-21 jramage05 Wed, 14 Mar 2007 04:21:34 +0000 http://www.onbaseball.com/2006/hitting/hitting-to-the-opposite-field/#comment-21 I can't agree with you more. There are three ways to hit an inside fastball, you can pull it, you can take it up the middle, or you can take it the other way all with authority, but there is only one thing you can do with an outside pitch "go the other way". It is always better to be a little late on an inside pitch then to be a little early on the away pitch. On the other end of the spectrum a young hitter -- I'm talking the 6-8 age range -- should not be corrected as much if he is a "pull hitter".A young hitter should learn the feel of fast before he is worked to get his hands inside the ball. Great post joe I will chat with you again in the near future. -jramage I can’t agree with you more. There are three ways to hit an inside fastball, you can pull it, you can take it up the middle, or you can take it the other way all with authority, but there is only one thing you can do with an outside pitch “go the other way”. It is always better to be a little late on an inside pitch then to be a little early on the away pitch.

On the other end of the spectrum a young hitter — I’m talking the 6-8 age range — should not be corrected as much if he is a “pull hitter”.A young hitter should learn the feel of fast before he is worked to get his hands inside the ball.

Great post joe I will chat with you again in the near future. -jramage

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