What is Digg?57 Comments
- NecroSexy, on 04/05/2009, -3/+38With gloves? Just a wild guess!
- billricardi, on 04/05/2009, -0/+27The number and the speed of the calculations required to catch a fly ball staggers the conscious mind. Luckily, our unconscious mind goes: doo doo doo... oh hey, shiny! Get it! Got it! Doo doo doo... I'm hungry. Oh hey, shiny! :)
- DirtPile, on 04/04/2009, -1/+22I like baseball.
- EnderSaveUs, on 04/04/2009, -1/+19baseball and physics, yum.
- spookyttws, on 04/05/2009, -2/+14Wait, you mean that as humans we preform complex physics equations in order to adjust our movements to correct as situations change? I never knew.
/s
And as hard as it is to catch a baseball, think about how many complex equations are solved every second when we get behind the wheel. The human mind is an amazing thing, but after hundreds millions of years of being eaten by large cats, I can easily see why we've evolved such brains. Today's catching of fly balls was yesterdays life or death situation. - avaag, on 04/05/2009, -0/+12Someone email this to Manny.
- TheNyquilKid, on 04/05/2009, -0/+8You can say ***** ass...it's ok.
- Ajajadude, on 04/05/2009, -0/+7You might want to read it to him. Don't think he has the attention span to actually read it himself.
- inactive, on 04/05/2009, -0/+6It still is for little Carlos in Cuba.
- RezzedOut, on 04/05/2009, -0/+6"I wish I could play Little League now, I'd kick some f--king a$$!"---MH
- inactive, on 04/05/2009, -0/+4I also don't think he can read.
- lordmike, on 04/05/2009, -1/+5Great article.... and very good advice for any ballplayer. I always just assume a hit ball is going to be over my head, so I always move backwards... you really can't tell where the ball is going to be landing until it's on its downwards trajectory... while the ball is still traveling upwards, it looks closer than it really is, so it's much safer to run backwards on all fly balls until they start dropping.... it's easier to move forward on a ball, than to backpedal at the last second... keep the ball way in front of your line of vision at all times! Maybe I'll try their "step forward" thing next time and see if that helps...
- purplesun2, on 04/05/2009, -0/+3People keep using the word 'Darwinian'. I do not think it means what they think it means.
- AlanFang, on 04/05/2009, -4/+7Only on digg would we have a scientific breakdown on how to catch a fly ball. You just catch it, not something that can be learned by reading.
- DiggsOnlyJew, on 04/05/2009, -0/+3Practice?
- billricardi, on 04/05/2009, -0/+3So you're just going to ignore the article, and all of the science that they've done proving that personal motion and multiple perspectives on the ball are what allows you to calculate the fall of it? Ignore the fact that most people, including professionals, take a step FORWARD to get that perspective?
Either a bad troll or worst coach ever! - kodax, on 04/05/2009, -0/+3Your brain needs reference points to be able to guess where a ball will end up. The more the better your fielding will be. Its alot like that old DOS gorilla banana throwing game. You will be way off at first but eventually you understand how the trajectory will be affected by the numbers you put in. Once you have reference points from previous fly balls, you just make adjustments based on the trajectory of the ball and how fast it flies off the bat, etc. One thing the article failed to mention is sound. The crack of the bat is the first indication of how far the ball is going to travel.
It sounds simple enough but there are clearly some people better at this than others no matter how much practice they have. I can think of a number of examples of ML teams unsuccessfully trying to convert infielders into outfielders. Being an old NY Mets fan, its still surprising how the organization kept trying to do this in the early 90s. Both 3rd baseman Howard Johnson and 2nd Baseman Juan Samuel started for much of the regular reason with the only rational being they were fast runners. Neither were able to really get the hang of it as they could not really get the quick jump on balls so their actual field coverage was limited despite their speed. On the other hand, you had someone like Kevin McReynalds who, though not slow, was not in the same league as either Samuel or Johnson in terms of foot speed. However, despite being significantly slower, he seemed to have a much bigger coverage range in left field. Also, while Johnson and Samuel always seemed to be running to make a catch which indicates they were slow in making the calculation, McReynalds always seemed to be waiting under the fly balls. You could argue that McReynalds, being an outfielder for his entire career, had the benefit of more experience but you also have the examples of NFL guys like Deion Sanders and Bo Jackson who were excellent outfielders as well. - procto2012, on 04/05/2009, -1/+4I like turtles!
- TheNyquilKid, on 04/05/2009, -1/+3Can't the first step forward just be simply explained by the fact that most outfielders play back behind were they anticipate the ball to go to because its easier to charge forward toward it than to backpedal? Therefore at the crack of the bat your reaction is to automatically break forward until you see the ball is rising as to land behind you. But you have already accounted for that possible delay (if you're good) when deciding where your placement should be on the field.
I could never figure out how I was able to hit a pitch or a 3 pointer that as soon as you release it you know it's good, or have the accuracy to hit a receiver in stride 30 yards. Those seem to be things you just sort of turn your brain off and do, if you think about it you will probably ***** up. - Wingin, on 04/05/2009, -0/+2If it's conclusions are true, this study says something significant. It says, "It's easier to predict the path of the ball if you are already moving yourself."
That's not going to be obvious to everyone. I would have thought it would be easier to get that single thing right if you were not already trying to do something else.
Maybe this helps me understand my husband, who's played plenty of sport. We go shopping. He doesn't know where to find something so he starts walking around to look for it. If I want to find something I stand still and think about where it will be because there are plenty of directions to walk and only one of them is the right one. We both get frustrated with the other one - the one who is making things HARDER. At least now I have a glimmer of why this might be. - robbiedo, on 04/05/2009, -0/+2I would have given anything to be a talented baseball player when I was a kid. I tried out for the high school some years ago in my freshman year. The first fly ball hit me on the bridge of my nose. If it wasn't for my glasses taking some of the impact, I would have really got hurt.
- mcprogrammer, on 04/05/2009, -0/+2*only on digg and LiveScience
- doobiebrother, on 04/05/2009, -0/+2Thumbnail?
- Kallius, on 04/05/2009, -0/+2Or, in my case because my vision must have been faulty as a kid, get hit between the eyes, bridge of the nose, top of the head, whatever. Probably explains a lot.
- IMHydrogen, on 04/05/2009, -0/+2And to think I used to do this 1000's of times a year........so complex and simple
- darmacc, on 04/05/2009, -0/+2Just keep your eye on the ball. Let your body follow. It might be that only baseball players understand this.
- HurricaneDC, on 04/05/2009, -0/+1That wasn't random at all.
- MaverickAlex, on 04/05/2009, -0/+1They always said that baseball is all about the numbers.
- brbeaird, on 04/05/2009, -1/+2/s?
- Ajajadude, on 04/05/2009, -1/+2That's ok, it doesn't like you.
- asgardshill, on 04/05/2009, -3/+4How do baseball players catch fly balls?
Its purely Darwinian and muscle memory-based. The ones that can get to stick around, get more practice, and get better at it. The ones that can't go to work in the lumberyard. - inactive, on 04/05/2009, -0/+1you are standing in the field, you got your official team pajamas.
I guess I better catch that so i can still be worth millions - Maynza, on 04/05/2009, -4/+5Their eyes track the movement of the ball and they place their gloved hand in it's path?
- MaxxusFlamus, on 04/05/2009, -0/+1it makes sense that moving makes it easier since viewing the ball from a stationary point of a catcher, the ball is only moving in two directions- up and down. The forward and backward dimension isn't easily seen as it can only be interpreted by the size of the ball. Taking a step intensifies the size difference and the body makes up for the difference since it knows the known body movement, the brain can determine the relative motion of the ball. Of course, this is something that only comes with practice.
- Taiyoryu, on 04/05/2009, -0/+1I wonder if the same mechanism is used in simulated 3D environments, such as tracking and shooting targets in first person shooters or performing jumps in 3D platformers.
- jermscentral, on 04/05/2009, -0/+1Our college championship coach ran a camp that taught that exact opposite - that the preferred method is to take a few steps backward first, because it lets you have forward momentum to catch the ball, thus pointing you in the direction you are throwing and allowing a more forceful throw.
- Goph09, on 04/05/2009, -0/+1NO, you ALWAYS take two steps BACKWARDS when the ball hits the bat (regarding the article description)
Reason is simple, it's easier to run forward than it is to run backwards. two steps back then adjust. I know the article said otherwise, but *****'s wrong. - brian1625, on 04/09/2009, -0/+1That's why, not how.
- darknecross, on 04/05/2009, -0/+1Agreed. Nothing like that feeling of not being in control of your legs when you're going after the ball.
I think the reason so many players take a step forward to begin with is that's the way they're taught. That's the way I've always known coaches to teach it, and most of them aren't physicists.
I think taking the step forward better prepares you for either going forward or backward, as well. If you need to run forward, you've already got the initial momentum. If you need to go backward, that forward momentum can easily be used to pivot and turn around.
The annoying part of catching fly balls is the apex, especially on sunny days. You can't easily tell when it stops accelerating upward and starts accelerating downward. Most people probably assume it stops sooner than it does, which is why it goes over their heads. - opusaz, on 04/05/2009, -0/+1I don't think the article suggests a new way to train how to do it. I think it suggests that what comes natural to good players can be described approximately with math, nothing more. From that perspective I thought it was interesting.
- eramos, on 04/05/2009, -2/+2Not that I should be arguing with a moron, but...
"People learn to anticipate where the ball is going to fall based on how high it is and how fast its going.."
HOW they learn it is exactly the point of the article.
It's like saying "Wow, scientists are dumb. I know how gravity works: things just fall to the earth if you drop 'em. DONE! Boom, next problem" - iidestined, on 04/05/2009, -1/+1rule number 1 - Your first step is always back. Its easier to go forward than backwards. Who are these fielders that they use in their studies? Andrew Jones is a freak at tracking fly balls. He would run to the spot instantly and just wait for the ball to drop into his gloves.
- wsuBobby, on 04/05/2009, -1/+1Have you seen my baseball??
- 311DLMD, on 04/05/2009, -2/+2Optical Acceleration Cancellation...NO. Practice (repetition) + instinct = better pop fly catching. Baseball isn't statistics class...I ***** hate it when people try to claim that baseball is played and won by empirical statistical data. If you don't play baseball then gtfo and stfu.
- crossmr, on 04/05/2009, -2/+2They learn through trial and error. through observing an event over and over and learning how to react to that..we've been doing it forever and shouldn't be a mystery to scientists.. its like any other learned behaviour.
- eramos, on 04/05/2009, -2/+2You are seriously obtuse. I knew I shouldn't have bothered. Idiots are too sure of their own opinions.
- Verugan, on 04/10/2009, -0/+0practice?
hmm maybe I should become a scientist - GiggleStick, on 04/05/2009, -1/+1Yeah, I cut it a little short on one side and it bled a little. I need to pay more attention I guess.
- drivingalone, on 04/05/2009, -2/+1For amateurs, the most important thing is to freeze and not immediately "come in" on a ball hit their way. Oftentimes the ball stays in the air longer than expected and the flies over the head of a defender.
- drivingalone, on 04/05/2009, -1/+0lol. Just a guy whose had multiple balls fly over his head and seen it happen to many others. A single step isn't that much different than just freezing. The real trouble starts with a couple hard steps in.
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