Hi! I’m Tim Dierkes, the owner of MLB Trade Rumors. If you’ll indulge me for a minute, I want to talk about an app I’ve created for youth baseball and softball coaches that has nothing to do with MLB or rumors (which of course aren’t happening right now anyway).
How many times have you observed this scene in a youth baseball or softball game?
An infielder makes an amazing stop on a ground ball. It’s the highlight of the kid’s budding career to date. And then…NOOOOOO!!! Why did you throw it to THAT base? Or…why did you think you could just step on THAT base??! We’ve been over this in practice!
Fundamentals are crucial to understanding and playing baseball or softball. Chief among them: where are the force outs? Our new Baseball Force Out Teacher app for iPhones and iPads is the perfect at-home supplement to any player or watcher’s education.
The eight different baserunner scenarios are randomly presented, and this fun game-like app drills home the correct answers to one crucial question: Where are the force outs? Simply play it over and over until force outs are second nature! Most kids have a little bit of time on their hands currently.
Plus, if you’re a coach looking to freestyle or elaborate on infield scenarios, the app has a handy whiteboard feature.
Think some of the commenters here could find this useful
what do you mean? theyre all experts already. what would they need an app for?
I like turtles
Okayyyyy then.
Guess you’re not a great … zombie
actually, it’s more like, I like tuhhtles
Lol yeah!
Incredibly cool and looks useful, hope Android version comes out
8 for 8 boom I would crush it in little league
Electronic version of back in the old days with no technology to use as a teaching aid. You are in the field and a batter is walking towards the plate, the first thing you do is to think to yourself “if the ball is hit to me, where am I going with it” The younger you are, the more chance to panic if the ball is hit to you and you forget. If you are still making the same mistake when you age hits double digits, you might want to move to the outfield. Less choices of where you are throwing the ball then. 🙂 Oh the memories. Thank goodness I can still remember them 🙂
It would have been useful for Jurickson Profar in 2019. Will be more than useful in 2020 for every intrigued kid out there. Eventually – hopefully…
@ gozurman – BTW – I remember your cannon arm. As did the lady sat next to me 14 rows back behind home plate. Usually pitchers not CFs are remembered as orthodontists.
Actually I did have a strong accurate am. Just not from the mound….. My issue was my eyesight and the ability to hit when I wore my glasses. My parents could not afford contacts so I had some vision issues and pitch speeds increased with age. Back in the 70’s we had no apps to use. All the coaches preached in practices what what the app does. Here is the situation and what to you do when the ball is hit. Did that a ton. You got used to run it through your head to before the batter came to the plate what you did when the ball was put in play. Same but different tools to teach it. Less time consuming than the old days when the only app was an appetizer. Still the same end result. Even with the app, the kid needs to be thinking of where he/she is going if hit to them or where they need to go if the ball is hit somewhere else so they are ready.
Ok
C’mon, every single commenter on this site was in the outfield already and they were thinking, “don’t hit it to me, don’t hit it to me.”
Thanks Tim! Great tool for kids to use and coaches to utilize! Very cool
please develop an Android version!
I would like to! I have to first see if this thing can get a bit of traction.
I’d download it now but who can afford iPhone? poor people like me use android
Psssh I can afford an iPhone easily dude. I just don’t eat food.
You must not have a life dynamite
A great idea for those learning and/or teaching the game. Well done.
Thanks Tim! I love this. My son/player is old enough they he knows these fundamentals, however, I have two friends with younger players who I’m going to pass this on to. They, both Dads and sons, will love this too. A great way to pass the time while we shelter in place. Thank you again!!!!
I’ve been testing on my seven-year-old and that may be the sweet spot. My nine-year-old already had it down pat so the app isn’t needed, though that’s not the case for every kid his age.
Have to say: the title made me think some teacher got forced out. Haha.
This looks pretty good. Nice job.
Android please! coach a 7/8U coach pitch all girls baseball team and this would be awesome. We dedicate friday practice to game situations (where are the outs) and this would be perfect for right now!
Nifty idea!!!
Next needs to be where an outfielder should throw the ball. HAHAHA