If your pitcher throws in the upper 80s, and there’s a guy to hits the ball the other way lot, he’s not going to hit it as much the other way. Those are the kinds of things you have to consider. Just because his chart shows his pattern is not some way, there are still a lot of little things you need to consider.
(MBB): (When you’re playing Center) Are you looking at the catcher’s signs?
(GP): No. I can see where the catcher is not setting up & you have an idea. Whereas, if you’re playing a left-handed hitter and he (normally) hits the ball to left-center field but the catcher moves inside, you keep the idea, “he might pull this ball. You have to been ready to go either way. You don’t necessarily lean, because what of the pitcher misses his spot?
So there are all kinds of variables when playing centerfield.
I always say “Do what you see, not what you think”.
MBB: You’re coaching outfielders now, right?
(GP): Yes.piccolo bass string
pirastro bass string
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MBB: And so you try to get your outfielders to disengage their minds and just react.
(GP): That’s right.
{SNIP}
(GP): You were asking me before if stealing home runs was something I practiced.
Well, Jimmy Reese [the most legendary fungo artist of the last 70 years] and I used to play a ge; he was very good with the fungo. I would go to the ballpark early, I’d go out to centerfield and we’d play ges.
We’d play for ice cre. He would try to hit balls over the fence and I would try to catch them.
MBB: So you were really practicing stealing homers specifically. Let me ask you a related question. Do you believe it’s possible to skip shagging flies before a ge, even at your level, and not have that affect your day’s ge?