Jerry Weinstein

Unfortunately it’s hard to avoid INF-OF collisions on tweener balls in the air in loud stadiums. You want to avoid upper body/head to head contact. For that reason the OF goes low & the INF goes high. Not a perfect finish but they did avoid upper body to upper body contact.

CONNECTION:EYES & BAT HEAD

This is based on the runner’s 1st move till when he touches second base. Obviously other variables factor in as well. This is totally based on raw speed.

Pitching injuries & IL stints are at an all time high. There are numerous reason for that but one that is getting a lot of traction is fatigue. There are all kinds of monitors & predictors for pitching readiness,but many injuries occur during games when pitchers cross the fatigue line. There is live game data mostly velocity radar gun related. By then it is often too late. IMO if you watch the game there are some subtle indicators. One of the many is the time between pitches. Often,not always, when pitchers are fatigued they take more time between pitches. Especially with the 20 second clock, it is very subtle. It’s not so much as when they pitch within that 20 second window, but more when they start their process. This is pretty nuanced since game state has an affect on pitching tempo. It is also very individualized. It’s just another awareness factor that MAY help you avoid a fatigue related injury before a more quantifiable data point surfaces.(IE velocity/arm slot/extension etc.)

Walter It was a still. jw

Photo of Mason Miller at foot plant. Notice him holding tension in his rear hip as he starts to rotate & the stretch he creates across his torso with his upper half closing or staying closed while his hips are rotating open. The creases in his uniform tell you everything you need to know. This is an external view of the stretch shortening cycle. It’s like taking a tight lid off a jar.

With runners on 1B & 2B the runner on 2B has a much tougher read on tweener fly balls from LCF to RCF than the runner on 1B. What is an obvious hit to the runner on 1B is difficult for the runner on 2B & usually keeps him from scoring & the runner from 1B going to 3B.(Angle related) Have the runner from 1B verbally move the runner on 2B when he is sure that the ball is going to drop.

PCA right side BHB with one out & runners on 1B & 2B verses a tough LHP. Value in right side bunts is that it’s tough to defend even if you are anticipating it. Requires coordination between 3 players. Has a significant margin for error compared to a BHB to the 3B side. Counterintuitive thought on the defensive side. With a LHP when the bunt passes the 45’ running box & the runner has beat you to the ball the reverse pivot & throw by the LHP becomes a very difficult play. It is slow & it brings him into the line & minimizes his throwing lane. IMO an underhand toss without reverse pivoting gives you the best chance. Yes it is a fairly long underhand feed from an unfamiliar position, but with reps you can develop proficiency & it gives you the best chance to throw out a plus runner who has passed you & is between you & the first baseman before you have fielded the ball.

Probably too late. Lack of connection(Eyes & bat head). Running before seeing the ball down.

NON DIRECTIONAL SACRIFICE BUNT 1) Will not roll foul. 2) Bunted towards the player who is furthest from the bunter. 3) Bunted at the player who is usually the least adept fielder.

IMO this IS a creative pick. Naylor baits Altuve in to a longer lead by setting up off the base & closer to 2B. Altuve extends his lead based on Naylor’s distance from 1B than his own distance from 1B. If Naylor was holding Altuve at the base, Altuve would have a shorter primary lead. So when Naylor retreated to the base, Altuve was over extended & his only choice was to retreat with Naylor. Once Altuve retreated he was too close to 1B & tried to he restablish his max primary with a slight leap. The Mariners anticipated that & used a drop glove pick as soon as they saw Altuve go airborne. This is a lot more than the typical dropped glove pick that many are referencing. As far as this being done forever, I don’t buy it. Flex positioning at 1B is a relatively new concept. Until the last 5 or so years, first baseman cornered the base to hold runners. However, if you have old game video that shows this being done 40 years ago, I’d love to be proved wrong. jw

Mariners creative pick at 1B.

Brewers David Hamilton with no out runners on 1B & 2B BHB to 3B in lieu of a sac bunt. 1) Leg lift before showing bunt to hold the 3B in place. 2) Early turn with no rush to get out of the box. He’s seeing the ball down before running. 3) Eyes & bat head connected. 4) ++ placement & speed of the bunt are the keys.

Realmuto back to back blocks on sweepers in the dirt to his knee down side with runners on 2B & 3B. Soft body & plus angles.

A few takeaways on this rundown. 1) First & foremost is how aggressively Smith ran Doyle back to 3B. 2) Smith darts the throw( flat trajectory) to Muncy & veers off inside the base line to avoid obstructing Doyle. 3) Muncy closes hard to receive the throw.

Cubs Dansby Swanson on time with his head & eyes locked in at contact on this 424’ HR to CF(EV 110.3).

Great comment from Dean Stotz’s new book 108 DOUBLE STITCHES

Some ++ glove side moves from Owen Ayers(Cubs South Bend)

Rockies Brenton Doyle with a modified BHB( No square & later show) in this 1st & 2nd sacrifice bunt situation. 1) No rush/placement & speed over surprise. 2) Dodgers in position to defend but could not. Good execution & speed of the game factored in. 3) Good things happen when you force the defense to play faster than they have trained for.

Rockies Brenton Doyle with a modified BHB( No square & later show) in this 1st & 2nd sacrifice bunt situation. 1) No rush/placement & speed over surprise. 2) Dodgers in position to defend but could not. Good execution & speed of the game factored in. 3) Good things happen when you force the defense to play faster than they have trained for.

Important that the 1st baseman gets back to the base. The pick has to be directed TO the base & not the 1st baseman off the base. If it is,it’s a balk.