Shortstop

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May 16, 2016
1,020
113
Illinois
What age, and what level of play.

If you are talking about 12u A ball or higher where girls are looking at potentially getting recruited; I think you are doing a left handed player a disservice playing her in the middle infield or 3rd base, plain and simple no college wants a left handed middle infielder or 3rd baseman. <<<< unlikely scenario.

If you are talking rec league play your best SS.
 
Sep 3, 2015
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0
Reply

Would you start a prototypical average shortstop or a left handed shortstop with the most game sense.

We are a 10u travel team. She's an outstanding of and has the most game sense of anyone on the team. I've been playing a girl at SS that is serviceable but not great and I'm trying to recruit a player to play SS in the spring. Our other Columbia ach thinks we should play her there because of her game sense.
 
Feb 4, 2015
641
28
Massachusetts
At 10U, game sense and softball IQ still have a ways to go in terms of growth and development. Some girls learn faster and are ahead, but that doesn't mean it will stay that way.

If the glove work and skills of both players are comparable, does the righty have the desire and coachability to learn the game sense? If so, then coach her at SS and coach the lefty at OF. In the long run, they'll both be better players for it, even if you have to sacrifice a 10U win here and there.

IMHO, game sense is your job to teach the players, not recruit for it.
 
Nov 26, 2010
4,782
113
Michigan
What age, and what level of play.

If you are talking about 12u A ball or higher where girls are looking at potentially getting recruited; I think you are doing a left handed player a disservice playing her in the middle infield or 3rd base, plain and simple no college wants a left handed middle infielder or 3rd baseman. <<<< unlikely scenario.

If you are talking rec league play your best SS.
if a college saw a girl who was left handed playing shortstop well. How would that hurt her? It would boost her in my opinion. Most SS who are recruited wind up playing a different position in college, so it's not like they would say too bad she is a SS. She has a great glove and a good arm, can hit the ball with power. Too bad we can't use her. No they are going to say can we use her in the OF or with hands like that she would be great at first. Or maybe she can catch... I see no downside for a lh player playing SS in front of college coaches, as long as she can play.
 
Sep 29, 2014
2,421
113
Speaking as a left handed player, I can tell you it is probably not something I would do. If she is really a good athlete, does she pitch? As a lefty (non pitcher) you are going to play 1B or OF maybe the occasional C if you have a coach that can think out of the box.

Now that is not to say I have not, it was only slow pitch and I was an asst coach for our team (military intramural) so a lot of twenty somethings and a handful of pretty good athletes. We all know the guy, the big talker, he was mister superstar, did not really practice to much with us but he seemed OK so he is at SS and I'm CF. Well needless to say by the third inning he had made about 5 errors and we were all kind of sick of it because he always had some excuse bad hop, hot shot, runner crossed in front of him etc. So he bobbles another one and I was kinda of a hothead back in those days so I walk over to SS position and just let him have it told him he could either go play CF or go home and he kept arguing and threw in I was left handed so I finally said you can have SS position back first error I make or first guy who beats my throw to first. Well he figured he would be right back but he played the rest of the game from CF.

Honestly the turn from SS with a fast runner if you are playing normal depth is not going to work (you find yourself cheating in a little which shortens the throw and time til you get the ball but limits your range). On a ball hit to your right, if you are moving it is actually faster to spin around which mean losing sight of your target if stationary you have to turn and set before throwing and a ball to your left means instead of just throwing on the run you have to cross step while running then throw. As far a 2B as long as you are willing to give up any 6-4-3 double plays it is not nearly as bad. 3B with speedy runners is almost a non starter.

Bottomline: If you are just after wins it might help YOU in the short term but long term for HER benefit P, 1B or OF...although at 10U maybe C if you have a lot of pass balls and maybe if she gets good back there she can keep going.
 
Feb 15, 2013
650
18
Delaware
We are a 10u travel team. She's an outstanding of and has the most game sense of anyone on the team. I've been playing a girl at SS that is serviceable but not great and I'm trying to recruit a player to play SS in the spring. Our other Columbia ach thinks we should play her there because of her game sense.

Coach the serviceable girl into a better shortstop. I would bet she gets better after a full season playing there and being coached rather than recruiting another girl.
 
Jul 25, 2015
148
0
if a college saw a girl who was left handed playing shortstop well. How would that hurt her? It would boost her in my opinion. Most SS who are recruited wind up playing a different position in college, so it's not like they would say too bad she is a SS. She has a great glove and a good arm, can hit the ball with power. Too bad we can't use her. No they are going to say can we use her in the OF or with hands like that she would be great at first. Or maybe she can catch... I see no downside for a lh player playing SS in front of college coaches, as long as she can play.

Certainly it would not hurt her if she is playing well but overall it is a disservice to the player and her overall development... I have run this with a LH DS that is typically one of the most athletic players on his team... Every rep he takes at 2B, SS, or 3B is a rep that he is not getting at a position that he WILL play as he progresses... I will not go as far as to say that the reps are wasted because it does give him an understanding of responsibilities of each position but at the same time for his overall development his time is better served getting reps in the OF, at 1B or on the mound...
 
Jun 27, 2011
5,089
0
North Carolina
We are a 10u travel team. She's an outstanding of and has the most game sense of anyone on the team. I've been playing a girl at SS that is serviceable but not great and I'm trying to recruit a player to play SS in the spring. Our other Columbia ach thinks we should play her there because of her game sense.

Tough call.

On a travel team, you're looking at long-term development. The lefty shortstop is a short-term solution and might stunt the growth of the team in the long run. So I'd probably go w/ the righty SS, especially since she's average and not a liability.

But, I don't agree that playing a lefty at shortstop is a disservice to the lefty at age 10. She'll develop more as a player playing infield than outfield at age 10. You're development as a player is stunted by playing outfield at 10U, imo. And at 10U, I'd not prefer to have the player with the most game sense in CF at an age where the CF is not yet nearly as valuable as she will become at 14U and beyond.
 
Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
If you're thinking long term, what about 1B? Lefties have an advantage there, and the softball IQ can come in handy in that position too. Not as much as at SS probably but at 10U they're often still too busy celebrating their out to remember to watch the runners. Knowing where to go w/ the ball after the out at 1B can be valuable. I think it would be good to ask her what she thinks too. Does she love love love short? Or is she playing it just because you put her there? If she really loves it I'd be inclined to let her play there still at least sometimes. I hate telling a 10 year old there is any position they absolutely can't play, lefty or not.
 

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