My Cage Work

[JSam21]

Well here is my cage work from our spring clinic. Tear me apart boys and girls. Always looking to get better.

 

 

[maven]

Good slot, good crouch. Pretty good head height — could be just slightly higher. Timing is not bad, though I'm not certain you're seeing the ball hit the mitt: strike 3 at the end is way too fast. Timing should not change with the location of the pitch, as it takes just as long to hit the mitt and process even when it's right down Broadway.

Your right foot is way too open (left foot from with a LH batter), exposing it to getting hit. Point your toes at F1. This strikes me as the biggest flaw in your stance, with an easy fix.

Your head moves on the first pitch, but you seem to be aware of it and move much less subsequently. Second and third pitches look a little tunnel-vision-ish, but it's hard to tell.

I object slightly to the invitation to "tear you apart," as I offer only constructive criticism, and its purpose is exactly the opposite.

[JSam21]

49 minutes ago, maven said:

Good slot, good crouch. Pretty good head height — could be just slightly higher. Timing is not bad, though I'm not certain you're seeing the ball hit the mitt: strike 3 at the end is way too fast. Timing should not change with the location of the pitch, as it takes just as long to hit the mitt and process even when it's right down Broadway.

Your right foot is way too open (left foot from with a LH batter), exposing it to getting hit. Point your toes at F1. This strikes me as the biggest flaw in your stance, with an easy fix.

Your head moves on the first pitch, but you seem to be aware of it and move much less subsequently. Second and third pitches look a little tunnel-vision-ish, but it's hard to tell.

I object slightly to the invitation to "tear you apart," as I offer only constructive criticism, and its purpose is exactly the opposite.

The inside foot is the same thing I got live at the clinic. The catcher was on one knee and his foot was exactly where I would put that foot. So to stay in the same position I opened it up. 

 

I wasn't happy with my timing during this session and will be my POE this season.

[Richvee]

I agree the K3 call was a bit fast, but I  like the call. I've been searching in vain for a K3 call I like.

[HuskerUmp22]

Slow down timing. What I try to do is say in my head if it was a ball or strike, then call it. In the video it looks like you make your decision pretty fast. 

Work on squaring up your shoulders. You have good voice with your strike call. 

[UMP45]

Could have been in the slot more. Need to find a lock in mechanism. Looked like you were fading with the pitches. Also when you can they teach "Heel-Instep" for feet position.

 

[alex7]

The head height would be my main feedback. I paused it at 11 and 12 seconds and I don't believe you'd be able to see a low and outside pitch hit the glove with that head height - looks like you'd be looking through that catcher's head.  That's the money pitch as you move up - low and outside corner. Get further in the slot and get your head height up a bit so you can see that. The bottom of your mask should be at the top of the C's head.  Right now it's the middle of your mask that's even with the top of C's head.

[alex7]

I agree with @maven about the tunnel vision. Pause it at 19 seconds and 47 seconds if you're unfamiliar with that. You'll see the ball in the C's glove, but your eyes are still looking at that area between the P and C.  Train your eyes to follow the ball all the way to the glove, THEN analyze it. This will cure both the tunnel vision and your quick timing.

As you progress, you'll see pitches with more late movement, and this is where tunnel vision and quick timing cause mistakes.

On the plus side, + voice, + strike mechanic, + athleticism back there, + strike 3 call, and + ballsiness of posting this for feedback. 

[JSam21]

8 hours ago, Richvee said:

I agree the K3 call was a bit fast, but I  like the call. I've been searching in vain for a K3 call I like.

I used to throw it out to the right then pull the bow, but I realized that it took my eyes away from the play so I just went to point and pull.

[JSam21]

5 hours ago, alex7 said:

I agree with @maven about the tunnel vision. Pause it at 19 seconds and 47 seconds if you're unfamiliar with that. You'll see the ball in the C's glove, but your eyes are still looking at that area between the P and C.  Train your eyes to follow the ball all the way to the glove, THEN analyze it. This will cure both the tunnel vision and your quick timing.

As you progress, you'll see pitches with more late movement, and this is where tunnel vision and quick timing cause mistakes.

On the plus side, + voice, + strike mechanic, + athleticism back there, + strike 3 call, and + ballsiness of posting this for feedback. 

I think my timing issues came from them telling me to call everything a strike so the analysis of the pitch was predetermined for me. But I agree with the slowing down and getting a tad higher. 

[noumpere]

9 hours ago, UMP45 said:

Could have been in the slot more. Need to find a lock in mechanism. Looked like you were fading with the pitches. Also when you can they teach "Heel-Instep" for feet position.

 

I agree with this -- you look to be in some sort of scissors-box hybrid -- and it doesn't look very stable.  It might all be due to F2's foot while he is kneeling.  You couls also widen your stance more to help.

[Thawk]

Read all the other comments first so I knew what not to focus on.  One thing I saw that wasn't mentioned was that you were drifting downward.  What I mean is you'd come down set, and then go lower as the pitch was approaching.  That's gonna throw your zone off maybe just enough when you get to the HS levels and above.  As far as the tunnel vision, I just go with what I was taught as a batter, lock onto the ball coming out of the pitcher's hand, and track it in.  If you do that, you should be fine.

[udbrky]

I don't like the hand position, do you get hit much?

 

Head position 100%. I didn't notice the drifting as much as on that first pitch, but those two things really stand out.

[JSam21]

20 minutes ago, udbrky said:

I don't like the hand position, do you get hit much?

 

Head position 100%. I didn't notice the drifting as much as on that first pitch, but those two things really stand out.

Maybe once a season do I get hit in the hands but those are on uncaught pitches if I'm doing youth ball. Most I take off the chest if I get hit.

[udbrky]

I took a bunch in the inside of my elbow (not sure if I'm describing that right) before tucking under my hammies, now I never take them hardly.

[Stk004]

2 hours ago, udbrky said:

I took a bunch in the inside of my elbow (not sure if I'm describing that right) before tucking under my hammies, now I never take them hardly.

The soft spot on the inside where it hinges? (I'm sure I just made any medical professional die on the inside). 

If that's what you mean, last year I tucked my hands behind my knees and I got hit in that soft spot several times. 

[MidAmUmp]

Your head height is fine.

You could get further in the slot which is hard since you don't have a batter as a reference point. When you get in your stance, if you can see the front outside corner of the other batter's box, you're in the slot. 

Your timing is too fast (all the time, not just on the called 3K). Slow down and see how the catcher catches the pitch. You should be able to tell what the catcher's glove did on each pitch.

I'd have you put your hands behind your knees instead of in your crotch.

Your mechanics and voice are good. 

Square up your body a little bit more. Get a little wider and point your feet point towards SS & 2B for a good, solid base. 

[MidAmUmp]

23 hours ago, HuskerUmp22 said:

Slow down timing. What I try to do is say in my head if it was a ball or strike, then call it. In the video it looks like you make your decision pretty fast. 

Work on squaring up your shoulders. You have good voice with your strike call. 

If you say it in your head then announce your decision, your timing is still fast, you're just slowing down when you make your call...which is false timing.

See the catcher catch it, decide what it is, and announce your decision. 

[umpstu]

From what I can see is that you're not tracking the ball all the way in to the glove.  You're still looking in front of the plate when the ball is in the glove.  And I think everybody is quick on the punch out in this situation.

[johnnyg08]

Proper timing means that you're using your eyes properly.  If you're too quick, you're likely not properly tracking the pitch all the way to the mitt.

[Forest Ump]

I thought your strike call looked crisp and solid. As others have said slow down your timing. No need to make the call that quick. Watch it into the glove, make a decision, then make the call. Some of the fast timing can be contributed to the cage work. The guy feeding the balls was to quick between on the rubber and set. I always get them to slow down so that it mimicks game conditions.

[kstrunk]

17 hours ago, Stk004 said:

last year I tucked my hands behind my knees and I got hit in that soft spot several times. 

I do this as well, and yes... on occasion take one off the bicep, but it's better than off a hand bone or radius/ulna! 

[udbrky]

19 hours ago, MidAmUmp said:

If you say it in your head then announce your decision, your timing is still fast, you're just slowing down when you make your call...which is false timing.

See the catcher catch it, decide what it is, and announce your decision. 

 

18 hours ago, umpstu said:

From what I can see is that you're not tracking the ball all the way in to the glove.  You're still looking in front of the plate when the ball is in the glove.  And I think everybody is quick on the punch out in this situation.

This is what I want to work on this year - I do not consistently follow it all the way on every pitch. It's something that I definitely slack on in large parts of games.

[Thunderheads]

On 2/15/2017 at 1:50 AM, alex7 said:

I agree with @maven about the tunnel vision. Pause it at 19 seconds and 47 seconds if you're unfamiliar with that. You'll see the ball in the C's glove, but your eyes are still looking at that area between the P and C.  Train your eyes to follow the ball all the way to the glove, THEN analyze it. This will cure both the tunnel vision and your quick timing.

As you progress, you'll see pitches with more late movement, and this is where tunnel vision and quick timing cause mistakes.

On the plus side, + voice, + strike mechanic, + athleticism back there, + strike 3 call, and + ballsiness of posting this for feedback. 

First ........ I agree with everything that's been said.

Second .... the red highlighted points from @alex7 are key!  The green is SO true ....I realized this a few years ago ......    Once you train your eyes to see it ALL the way in ....your zone and the ball look HUGE, ...you WILL recognize the difference!!     Nice job!

[JSam21]

Gentlemen I would like to thank you for all of the feedback.

Things to work on...

1) Tracking the ball

2) Move out in slot further

3) Slow Down