Pinch hitter displays superior ninja skills

siftbotsays...

Tags for this video have been changed from 'baseball, runner, tag, home plate, minor league' to 'baseball, runner, tag, home plate, College, Fordham, Iona, Brian Kownacki' - edited by littledragon_79

Shepppardsays...

Reminds me of something I had to have challenged back when I played.

I was a 1st baseman, and a pretty good one at that, actually. I'd do things that would bend the rules, or otherwise be unorthadox..

For instance, if I got a grounder and it looked like the guy would beat me to the base, I'd slide and touch the bag with my foot, sounds silly but almost nobody thinks to slide into first base, and it would get me there a half second before them.

The one that had to be challenged however, was a ground ball hit to third, which got thrown low to me, I made a lay down catch to get the ball which fell out of my glove, I grabbed it with my right hand and had my left (With the glove still on) on the bag.

The ump called him safe, because the ball wasn't in my glove and was still touching the ground (although I had it in control with my right hand) and my glove was touching the bag and technically not me.
My coach and entire team was upset however, because I did still have control of the ball, and the glove is technically an extension of the players body.

The call was later overturned.

CheshireSmilesays...

his ninja skills are truly superior, because it seems no one on here noticed.

the video is about the runner jumping over the catcher, but that's not what the title is referring to. the actual hitter stops on second base, then, as the manager is arguing with the ump, he sneaks over to third. you can see it in the background.

dannym3141says...

As i said on the dupe:

This is the ONLY skillful thing i have ever seen in baseball.

I mean take shepppard's comment. No offence meant to you because you're clever enough to do this in the first place, but if "getting someone out by swapping which hand you use to touch something/catch a ball" is unorthodox and advanced, there's no hope left. I can't understand how that could be considered strange. Same goes for sliding onto first base. I don't know the terms, i don't know baseball. But the objective is to touch the base before the other guy does (i think). So uh.... why wouldn't you slide or dive at it to get someone out.....? It's SO underwhelming to me

Mandtissays...

>> ^CheshireSmile:

his ninja skills are truly superior, because it seems no one on here noticed.
the video is about the runner jumping over the catcher, but that's not what the title is referring to. the actual hitter stops on second base, then, as the manager is arguing with the ump, he sneaks over to third. you can see it in the background.


Awesome, I hadn't even noticed it...

rychansays...

>> ^CheshireSmile:

his ninja skills are truly superior, because it seems no one on here noticed.
the video is about the runner jumping over the catcher, but that's not what the title is referring to. the actual hitter stops on second base, then, as the manager is arguing with the ump, he sneaks over to third. you can see it in the background.


It seems unlikely that he's sneaking to 3rd base. He walks directly in front of the short stop. I think it's more likely that he went to talk to a coach during the play stoppage.

davidrainesays...

>> ^dannym3141:
Same goes for sliding onto first base. I don't know the terms, i don't know baseball. But the objective is to touch the base before the other guy does (i think). So uh.... why wouldn't you slide or dive at it to get someone out.....?


Because you can run past it, and a play at first is always a force (meaning the fielder just has to touch the base before you do; he doesn't have to touch you). Furthermore, you're allowed to run past first base and still be safe as long as you (a) touch the base and (b) don't turn towards second. So you don't slide or dive into first because it's unnecessary and would only slow you down anyways.

messengersays...

Running through first base is always faster than sliding. You think nobody in the majors ever thought of that? Yet none of them do it, ever. And a hands-first slide is always faster than feet first. Saw it on Mythbusters.

So the idea of sliding foot-first into first is laughable.

residuesays...

He's talking about sliding into the base as a defensive move. He's fielding the ball and trying to get the force out before the runner gets there by sliding. Now why he would be far enough from the base in the first place to even need to slide to get there first is beyond me... The reason it's "unorthodox" is because you don't see it happen, but the reason you don't see it happen is because most first-basemen stay at their base...

>> ^davidraine:

Because you can run past it, and a play at first is always a force (meaning the fielder just has to touch the base before you do; he doesn't have to touch you). Furthermore, you're allowed to run past first base and still be safe as long as you (a) touch the base and (b) don't turn towards second. So you don't slide or dive into first because it's unnecessary and would only slow you down anyways.


>> ^messenger:

Running through first base is always faster than sliding. You think nobody in the majors ever thought of that? Yet none of them do it, ever. And a hands-first slide is always faster than feet first. Saw it on Mythbusters.
So the idea of sliding foot-first into first is laughable.

joedirtsays...

>> ^Shepppard:


For instance, if I got a grounder and it looked like the guy would beat me to the base, I'd slide and touch the bag with my foot, sounds silly but almost nobody thinks to slide into first base, and it would get me there a half second before them.


Wow, you must have been some special first basemen.

Did you ever wonder why runners don't slide into first base or that professional players (fielders) never (NEVER) never ever fucking slide into a base? Just ponder it a moment.

It is never faster than running full out. The only reason to slide is to get a part of your body to touch and then stick on the base. Because the runner has to decelerate and stay on the base. That is the only reason.

I good first baseman will run to the base instead of sliding. The only benefit of sliding is to avoid a collision if you were the fielder. But slowing down and decelerating will not get you there any faster.

joedirtsays...

regarding the glove / ball in other hand thing. you are supposed to tag the runner with the ball period. If it was a force play then touching the base with your foot or glove or hand or penis would count as an out. Sounds like you were doing something really unorthodox in your own mind.

If it wasn't a forced out, then you could just hold the ball in your fist and kick people to get them out.

I would love to play in your pee wee league that you were so awesome at.

davidrainesays...

>> ^residue:

He's talking about sliding into the base as a defensive move. He's fielding the ball and trying to get the force out before the runner gets there by sliding. Now why he would be far enough from the base in the first place to even need to slide to get there first is beyond me... The reason it's "unorthodox" is because you don't see it happen, but the reason you don't see it happen is because most first-basemen stay at their base...


I guess I was a bit confused because fielders never ever slide. There's no reason to do so, since sliding is slower than running, and in general you can keep yourself from running into the other player. If not... Well, who cares? Colliding is legal.

And yeah, with most plays the first baseman stands at their base with one foot touching it to make the play. If the first baseman comes off to field the ball, the pitcher generally runs over to cover, as throwing the ball to the pitcher is faster than running back.

RadHazGsays...

Joedirt, he was a first baseman and he was referring at all times to his plays at first base. It's always a forced out. That's why it doesn't matter what part of his body is touching the bag as long as he has the ball in control. Ball in glove or hand + Hand, foot, penis on base = out. I agree the sliding into first thing is kind of dumb, but don't get all high and mighty about tagging someone who's running to first. You just end up looking silly.

>> ^joedirt:

regarding the glove / ball in other hand thing. you are supposed to tag the runner with the ball period. If it was a force play then touching the base with your foot or glove or hand or penis would count as an out. Sounds like you were doing something really unorthodox in your own mind.
If it wasn't a forced out, then you could just hold the ball in your fist and kick people to get them out.
I would love to play in your pee wee league that you were so awesome at.

Shepppardsays...

Ah, to clarify the sliding, it was a generalization of how I got to the base. The only reason I'd be anywhere off the bag is because A) Lefty hitter, meaning play farther from the bag in case of a grounder, or B) It was a softball league and runners weren't allowed leadoffs, so I'd have to stay off the baseline as to not interfere.

Now, Following up on the slide, sometimes I did actually slide, which in a sense was used to slow me down. Years ago I had an injury while playing first where I did not slow down, I hit the bag with my right leg and the left one swung forward (As, they generally tend to when you're running) and the inside of my knee was hammered by the runner leaving a massive bump for a few weeks. Again, I never played that far off the bag unless A or B was met, but in some cases it was the only way to avoid my prior situation.

Now, the league itself is broken down into a 4 year age spread, So, the oldest bracket is 15-19. A lot of the pitchers were on the higher end of the age bracket and could get some serious speed on their pitches, which intimidated the newbies to that bracket, so a lot of hits were either light and grounded between 1st and second, or straight up bunts.

How a normal play for that situation should go is first base (me) would run to grab the ball, second base would run behind and take over first for the throw. This could not happen, as every team had a balance of shit players, and our two were generally stuck in right field, and second base. They were usually terrible at catching, throwing, and it was usually faster for the guy to get from home to first base then them to get from second to first. So, a lot of legwork had to be done by yours truly, and to avoid having to slow up or collide, I slid.

Another is because sliding and sticking my left foot out to touch the bag set my body up perfectly for a throw into home should the need have arisen.

Don't get me wrong, A normal play for me involved me moving two steps and just catching the ball, but situations arose where that was complicated.

And.. just one quick note, Ever notice joedirt, how proffessional fielders generally have people who can aim and throw the ball at them? You know, well enough that they get paid for it? yeah.. my league didn't have those kinds of people.

Also, it's been said.. But just ponder a moment. When ISN'T a play at first base a force out when they're running at you from home? I'm glad you can feel you're superior to me though, even though you've never seen me play, nor will you ever, as I'm now out of the age bracket.

However, I guess I really do suck, even though I'm the reason we won my KMBSA year end tournament by making two lay down catches and a line catch at first.

Oh, and the same year I won the year end tournament for the police league I also play on because family members are permitted, and my dads a cop. I lead the team for home runs, and I was 19 on a team full of 25-40 year old cops.

I wasn't trying to brag or toot my own horn in my original comment, and I'm still not. But I'd like to make it clear that I'm far from a bad or idiotic player.

Send this Article to a Friend



Separate multiple emails with a comma (,); limit 5 recipients






Your email has been sent successfully!

Manage this Video in Your Playlists




notify when someone comments
X

This website uses cookies.

This website uses cookies to improve user experience. By using this website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

I agree
  
Learn More