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Reply to "Fielding error question"

Don't worry about error/no error use this opportunity to get even better.

All fielders should be attempting to read the ball/hop and taking either the short hop or the long hop, in which case, the condition of the field should play only a minor part in whether the fielder misses the ball.  Sure it could hit something at the long hop and skip way away from the fielder, but the short hop shouldn't give it much room to miss the glove.  In early spring I've seen balls that bounce 10 feet in front a fielder and looks like it should be a perfect long hop, take a right turn. Not much can be done there.

If it's close enough to bounce and take one off the face, ie can't adjust in time, the fielder probably didn't move his feet effectively to take either hop and got caught on the in-between hop, missing the bad hop'd ball is partially the fielders doing if he's not moving or just blindly charging the ball.  The in-between hop is the one that usually hits something and takes a bad bounce.  Can't always be avoided, but it should be the goal and will make a player a much better fielder.

You can also create space for the long hop too, if you have time to make the play on a hard hit ball.

It's not to say that a field that's in really bad shape doesn't make it really tough, but working to get to the correct hops will make life easier in those type of conditions.  A ball that moves such that a player can't reach it will never be considered an error.

Just have to work really hard to get to that right hop because it's not always easy.

Field conditions right now might be a great teaching tool, as they say, make practice harder than the games.  It can be nice when everyone else mentions field conditions and you're fielding balls left and right because you put the right movements together with practicing on a nasty field.   Don't worry about errors during practice or what might happen if it's the same conditions for a game, the only thought should be "Get that ball".  You get to the hop, keep your eyes behind the ball and I don't care what it hits, you won't miss it 99% of the time.

ps.  If a ball gets "through" a middle infielder, i typically don't care about a "bad hop", I consider it an error. You make your hops.

Last edited by HSDad22
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