Kevin Smith @KJS_4

Retired MLB INF @Bluejays @Athletics @Yankees | Dropout @terpsbaseball | @BledsoeAgency | Founder @kaligloves Phoenix, AZ Joined August 2011

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Kevin Smith @KJS_4

a week ago

Totally understand that - you have to start from somewhere for sure and maybe that idea gets them pretty close to something that is viable. I never had much success getting gets on time by trying to explain when to start since its a different feeling for everyone. But showing video and learning the feeling of actually being on time seemed to stick a lot better and faster because the player developed their own internal cues for what it felt like. Just a different way to go about it!

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Kevin Smith @KJS_4

a month ago

The influence a great first basemen can have on the rest of the infield is the hardest thing to put a number on in all of infield defense. Joey breaks it down perfectly here.

Joey Votto @JoeyVotto

a month ago

I have a biased take. I think the first base position is terribly underrated. 🧵

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Kevin Smith @KJS_4

a month ago

I’m sure this is already a thing but carb radius metrics for 1B should be a thing or valued more if they are a thing already (I’m thinking a heat map circle above 1B for where balls are caught). There’s a silent confidence that gets cast over the infield when you know your 1B is a stud. There’s an urgency and anxiety when he isn’t. It’s talked about internally a lot.

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Kevin Smith @KJS_4

8 months ago

@James_Schiano Yes he is. Mature beyond his years. Understands the game at a crazy high level. His movement and decisions on the INF are incredible. He’s only going to get better.

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Kevin Smith @KJS_4

4 months ago

@PeabodyHitDev Stare at right foot as he starts. If he taps it after he turns it it’s a CB.

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EMD Baseball @emdbaseball

7 months ago

Had a great time talking about infield play with @KJS_4 If you are an infielder or someone who coaches infielders it’s worth everything second of your time. And go read his articles!

EMD Baseball @emdbaseball

7 months ago

We sat down with former MLB infielder Kevin Smith to break down the details that separate good infielders from elite ones. The Dugout Dish Episode 157 with Kevin Smith is on Apple, Spotify & YouTube. #BaseballDevelopment #BaseballRecruiting #MiddleInfield #BaseballTraining

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Kevin Smith @KJS_4

7 months ago

@OnDRoof It’s incredible. If you go watch an old game you’ll see a terribly called game. The difference is - thigh high pitches just off the plate at 92-94 are so much easier to hit than something 95+ on any of the corners. Easier pitches were called strikes more often - with worse stuff.

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Kevin Smith @KJS_4

7 months ago

This is insane. To think about how much better the stuff is now compared to 2007. And then think about more pitches being called strikes. And thinking about how more pitches that are harder to hit in harder to hit locations are being called strikes … And layer in analytics and how they know exactly how to get you out. And guys are still having incredible success, is, almost impossible to believe.

Good Fundies Brian @GoodFundies

7 months ago

One of the coolest visualizations I've ever seen-- the evolution of the MLB strike zone from 2007 to 2025. The zone has changed dramatically-- going from vibes to nearly matching the rulebook definition perfectly. They're remarkably good. reddit.com/r/baseball/com…

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Kevin Smith @KJS_4

7 months ago

@I_Ran_Contras Haha this made my day. Appreciate that man! That was a great moment - all i remember from that day is the Rays came back and won. I didn’t get to enjoy it how i wished!

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Kevin Smith @KJS_4

7 months ago

This is a huge difference when moving to 3B. You have to be so much better going back on balls compared to SS. Everything gets on you quicker. Most grounders have less bounces - so they get on your quicker and stay hotter longer. 3B grounders have way more spin on them than SS grounders. Top spin makes the hops play different, and most of the time you only get a couple at 3B to create your hop. You need the ability to go back on balls to get the hop you need to get. There’s way more ways to get stuck in between hops at 3B. The best can drop step to create time, create angles, and create the hop they need. It’s also huge for getting your eyes to the side of the ball - which is key to fielding balls clean and getting good reads when EV are as high as they are at his level. He’s training the right things.

dren⚾️ @dren_braves

7 months ago

Ah yes, classic baseball fundamentals of running away from the ball while trying to field it

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Kevin Smith @KJS_4

8 months ago

This is absolutely the hardest thing to get comfortable with. Throws off your pre pitch timing for a bit until you get the new feel down. The amount of spin/hook on balls at 3B is also overlooked a lot of times. Up the middle it felt like most balls played true. Unless in 6 hole by lefty or righty. Nothing compared to 3B. You’ll see guys just transitioning be short on backhands and over run forehand’s in the beginning.

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Kevin Smith @KJS_4

8 months ago

@StarzGoldAPI It naturally creates the type of timing you want to see. Give it a try, curious what you think.

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Kevin Smith @KJS_4

8 months ago

x.com/i/article/2015…

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Kevin Smith @KJS_4

8 months ago

No specific data on softball vs baseball - just data on how quickly you can move 3-5 feet in the direction of the ball. All the data I’ve seen on that is super clear that being off the ground wins every time. Even if it’s only an inch off the ground. Softball can get on you even quicker than baseball, so i would think it would be smarter to have smaller hops. Also, when thinking of quickness and being “springy” we don’t necessarily want to be absorbing anything. We want to be more stiff with less looseness in our body - when we hit the ground we want to be ready and able to go. I’d look at film of what the feet are doing relative to contact and reads to assess. Is their lead foot working under them? Is their rear foot pushing? Or are they taking that first step toward the ball? How deep can they take those angles? Is there a lot of movement down or up in the body before they make their first move? It’s all about what puts the player in a better position - why works for one may not work for the other.

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Kevin Smith @KJS_4

8 months ago

@GoCFBaseball Thanks Marty!

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Kevin Smith @KJS_4

8 months ago

Pre-Pitch and Infielder Timing: Two main things 1. One thought to free your mind and get locked in every pitch 2. Infielders need their feet off the ground at contact Coming soon.