Question for Zappaa or any guy who played high level baseball

[Extra Point]

How did you not get hurt, specifically how does the pitcher not get hurt? I do not think I could react fast enough when that ball is blasted at me to duck or catch it. It seems to me if the batter hit the ball 150 mph at the pitcher there would be a good chance to get to first base.

 

[vkj91]

How did you not get hurt, specifically how does the pitcher not get hurt? I do not think I could react fast enough when that ball is blasted at me to duck or catch it. It seems to me if the batter hit the ball 150 mph at the pitcher there would be a good chance to get to first base.

There is a reason little kids are taught to hit it up the middle. I'm far from a pro player but I always thought hitting it up the middle was the starting point. Skill and athletic ability determine the progression from there

 

[yesrutgers01]

Nm

 

[willisneverrana43]

There is a reason little kids are taught to hit it up the middle.

And it's not to hit the pitcher. It's to maintain the proper balance at the plate and not to pull off the ball. Sometimes a byproduct is to keep a pitcher on his toes.

 

[greenknight]

Reaction all reaction. If your slow out of your follow through your in trouble. Pitch the ball and in your fielding position right away. Where you will get in trouble is if your balance is off on follow thru you have no way to effectively be in position to react to a line drive up the middle

 

[RUBubba]

Played through D1 as a pitcher, then a long time after in a Men's league.

I had very good mechanics, so I finished in a good fielding position (or defensive!) position. I also had very good control, so I left very few pitches over the middle of the plate.

That being said, I was hit countless times, usually in the thighs or butt as I tended to turn away... but that was a learned behavior after taking one to the cup.

Gave up a single up the middle once and didn't think anything of bending down after and picking up my hat. It wasn't until that night that I realized I had an impression of the stitches on my forehead. That batter was a former AAA player, so his bat speed, especially with an aluminum bat was ridiculous.

Our Men's league went to wood bats, which prolonged my pitching career by a couple of years. This was before the weight/length differential was implemented on aluminum bats.

 

[RUich]

Years ago I played in a fast pitch softball league, I also was one of the pitchers on my team. The forward momentum of my delivery took be straight off the mound towards the batter. This really helped me cover a lot of bunts.

However, at the start of one of my games I was throwing a brand new ball that is definitely not "soft". Well, I put it straight down the pipe and the batter got all of it and drove it right back at me on a line drive.

This was definitely an autonomic reaction as I caught the ball right in front of my face! Fortunately, it was the third out and I kind of stumbled my way back to the bench. The batter never even took a single step towards first,

Our center fielder told me that he never heard two sounds (hit and catch) just one.

Just damn lucky I had my mit in the right place as this was really going to cause some serious damage to my face.