Sports
What I Know And Remember About Baseball - Soft Hands by Mitchell Dowdy
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To impart this motion to beginning and younger players, simply toss a ball in the air and let them catch it bare handed. Done correctly, the player will reach for the ball then withdraw their hands to their chest as they grasp it. This an easy catch and the ball will not bounce out of their hands nor will there be any sting.
Once the mechanics of the previous drill are taken to heart, it is time to move onto using the same technique in a fielding drill. Knees bent, bottom down, hands out, the players receive the ball with the same arm action as the over head drill but with grounders provided by the coach. Glove hand takes the line of the ball, off hand covers the ball in the glove, arms retreat quickly to dissipate the energy of the ball.
A key element in the proper use of the soft hands is the position of the baseball glove prior to receiving the baseball. Correct fielding places the glove in a vertical position with heal of the glove at the top and the web on the bottom.
When the glove is less than perpendicular to the path of the ball, any mishap is the fielding process can cause the ball to bounce away and behind the player. Recovery from these events are difficult as the player must turn their back on the field of play and operate under a sense of urgency.