Charging a Bloop
Also known as: charging a shallow fly ball, attacking a blooper
Charging a bloop is sprinting forward and low on a shallow, soft fly ball. You catch it at the shoetop or shoulder instead of waiting for it to drop.
A hesitant outfielder or infielder treats a bloop as a ball to wait for. A good defender treats it as a ball to attack. Charging means breaking hard on the read and lowering the body's center of gravity as the ball descends. The fielder then catches it running through the ball at the shoetops, or with a controlled two-handed basket catch. It does not mean sliding to a stop and reaching. The difference matters because slow-pitch bloopers routinely fall in shallow no-man's-land. Every half-step of hesitation turns a catchable ball into a base hit.
Charging also requires a decision rule. With real doubt about a clean catch, the fielder must be trained to field it on a short hop instead of diving or trapping. That is because a trapped ball with a runner already going can turn a single into extra bases. Aggressive but controlled is the standard; reckless dives on low-percentage bloops cost more outs than they produce.
Practice the "attack angle" drill: start in ready position, have a coach toss short fly balls, and focus only on breaking forward and low on the very first read rather than watching the ball's full flight.
Example
Seeing the ball leave the bat with backspin and a short arc, the second baseman sprints straight back while the short fielder sprints in. The short fielder calls it off and makes a shoetop catch running through the ball.
Why it matters
Turning bloops into outs — instead of watching them drop — swings innings. Motion Lab reads your posture from pose. This shows a low, confident charge versus an upright one. But it does not time your first step from contact.
How it shows up on video
Look for the fielder's first three steps after contact. A charging fielder is already low and moving forward. At the same time, a hesitant fielder is still upright and stationary. The catch itself should show a controlled basket or shoetop technique with the glove moving to meet the ball, not a last-second lunge or slide.
Common mistakes
- Waiting to see if the ball will carry rather than committing to charge immediately on the read
- Slowing down and reaching at the last moment instead of running through the catch, which often results in a trap rather than a clean catch
- Diving on a ball that was catchable standing up, turning a routine play into a boundary-testing gamble
- Failing to call the ball early and loud, causing a last-second collision or a mutual pull-up that lets the ball drop
In SwingVantage Motion Lab
Motion Lab reads your body angle and posture from pose, which shows a low, confident charge versus an upright one. It does not see the batter or the ball, so it cannot time your reaction from contact.
Related terms
- Bloop Hit CoverageBloop hit coverage is who covers the shallow no-man's-land where soft hits land. An infielder, the short fielder, and an outfielder usually share it.
- Reading a Fly Ball off the ArcReading a fly ball off the arc is judging depth, direction, and hang time at contact. Outfielders move on the sound and bat angle, not the full flight.
- Ready Position (Slow-Pitch Fielding)Ready position is the balanced, athletic stance a fielder takes just before the pitch. It allows an immediate first step in any direction.
- Short Fielder (Rover)The short fielder, or rover, is slow-pitch softball's 10th defensive player. As a fourth outfielder or extra infielder, they fill gaps the arc creates.
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