My son usually stays on one knee if he is turning two from short if the distance isn't very far. He gets low and stays low. He was taught this at a young age(not by me) to save time on the toss. He was taught this as a second baseman. He makes accurate, strong throws but his current coach hates it. He wants him to stay on his feet which I understand. Any opinions or different techniques he could work on?

I am no a proponent of an IF being on a knee for anything. Why does he do this?

He does it on balls that are low. He is already very low and he just pivots and his right knee hits the ground when he throws on his motion to second. Sometimes he is getting down as a ball takes a bad hop to try to smother it and when he gets it he is already in that position. He only does it on low balls and bad hops.

Watch Mark Johnson's excellent video on the double play and you will see exactly what is described here for the ball hit fairly close to you. The fielder is already down low (knees bent, tail down) and is squared in front of the ball. The SS merely drops the right knee down low (may or may not actually touch) and throws for the feed.

It is quicker than coming back up.

There is a way that's faster. Dropping to a knee is no different than rising up a little, timewise.

Here is the method that I used and I teach. It seems kind of awkward at first but do it exactly as I say and it migh make sense without a visual...

Stand tall with a ball in your hand and your arm bent at a 90 degree angle from your hand to elbow to shoulder. Now bend over into proper fielding position, maintaining the 90 degree angle. This is where you should throw from on a DP feed on a ball hit to your throwing arm side. Why? There is no wasted movement. The only movement you need to make is to slightly open your hips...which needs to be done if you drop to a knee. You are throwing from the same arm angle but you are bent over at the waist. It is quick and accurate.

The reason dropping to a knee is taught in the video is they teach to the lowest common denominator of player...usually younger kids.

quote:

Originally posted by redbird5:
There is a way that's faster. Dropping to a knee is no different than rising up a little, timewise.

Must strongly disagree. And you can try it or stopwatch it and find out this is incorrect.

The player is already down low. The knee has a very short distance to travel. And it puts the body in a position to make an accurate throw.

quote:

Originally posted by redbird5:
Stand tall with a ball in your hand and your arm bent at a 90 degree angle from your hand to elbow to shoulder. Now bend over into proper fielding position, maintaining the 90 degree angle. This is where you should throw from on a DP feed on a ball hit to your throwing arm side. Why? There is no wasted movement. The only movement you need to make is to slightly open your hips...which needs to be done if you drop to a knee. You are throwing from the same arm angle but you are bent over at the waist. It is quick and accurate.

It is more difficult to make an accurate throw from this stance.

quote:

Originally posted by redbird5:
The reason dropping to a knee is taught in the video is they teach to the lowest common denominator of player...usually younger kids.

Incorrect assumption, as Mark Johnson will tell you personally.

quote:

Originally posted by Texan:
Must strongly disagree. And you can try it or stopwatch it and find out this is incorrect.

The player is already down low. The knee has a very short distance to travel. And it puts the body in a position to make an accurate throw.

I am talking about travelling the same distance...not about standing all the way up.

quote:

Originally posted by Texan:
It is more difficult to make an accurate throw from this stance.

Completely disagree with your incorrect assumption. It is the exact same arm angle as your normal throw. Not different.

quote:

Originally posted by Texan:
Incorrect assumption, as Mark Johnson will tell you personally.

This is not an assumption but we can agree to disagree. There is no 1 right way to do this. The OP asked for other methods which I presented. I used it for many years and have taught it at every camp and clinic I have been asked to instruct.

I can guarantee you my method is faster. I involves less movement and throws are just as accurate because you are essentially throwing a dart rather than winding up...plus, you are doing it with less movement.

quote:

Originally posted by redbird5:
... we can agree to disagree.

quote:

Originally posted by redbird5:
There is a way that's faster. Dropping to a knee is no different than rising up a little, timewise.

Here is the method that I used and I teach. It seems kind of awkward at first but do it exactly as I say and it migh make sense without a visual...

Stand tall with a ball in your hand and your arm bent at a 90 degree angle from your hand to elbow to shoulder. Now bend over into proper fielding position, maintaining the 90 degree angle. This is where you should throw from on a DP feed on a ball hit to your throwing arm side. Why? There is no wasted movement. The only movement you need to make is to slightly open your hips...which needs to be done if you drop to a knee. You are throwing from the same arm angle but you are bent over at the waist. It is quick and accurate.

The reason dropping to a knee is taught in the video is they teach to the lowest common denominator of player...usually younger kids.

This is the same way we teach it to the kids in our program. Our times a quicker than dropping the knee when doing this.

There is a DVD by Frank Leoni that I believe shows this technique.

quote:

He makes accurate, strong throws but his current coach hates it.

I think this is something the player should definitely take into consideration.

My coach was one of the most consistent SS in the MLB. How he teaches us is much like redbird is saying..i think. My coach says to be open up towards second base with a very low stance. He wants us to drop our knee in, if that makes sense, but not drop it to the ground. He does say that dropping to the knee can be the difference between turning two or only getting one out.

I have always taught that dropping to a knee creates a better lead throw. The throw should be moving up to the receiver's chest which is easier to receive and creates a faster pivot than trying to pivot on a ball thrown lower. The lead throw from the knee allows the receiver to see the ball longer and have it come up to him at an angle.
My humble opinion.
"I'd walk through hell in a gasoline suit just to play baseball." Peter Edward

I might be reading this wrong but I teach my guys to go with an underhand flip to the bag.

Ball is coming in a straight line we teach our guys to approach it from the side and break down to field the ball. From here we keep our momentum going towards the bag and take a straight arm flip to 2B and the SS follows the flip to add a little more umph to it.

I guess I should say that this is talking about a ball hit straight at or to the left of the SS. Anything to the right we break down and field the ball with hands coming to the chest. With our butts down and bent at the waist - typical fielding position we open left side and flip ball to 2B.

Anything that makes the SS move a little more to the right we stand up and make sure of a good accurate throw. I would rather have the out at 2nd and runner safe at first than to hurry it and end up in RF.

I hope this makes sense from the way I described it. We turn quite a few double plays and look really nice doing it but I might not have understood the thread either.