Batting line up: moved from 2nd to 7th & 8th but hitting better - ?????

[SSmom83]

My daughter started on the Jr High softball team batting 2nd. She is one of the fastest on the team & makes contact regularly.... doesn't have the strenght yet though to hit real well. After the first 2 or 3 games she was moved down to batting 7th & 8th and the girl who then batted 2nd in her place runs like she is pulling a plow behind her. (not trying to be rude, but its the honest truth) And we had hitting practice indoors (optional) after our regular 2 hours of practice & she made almost every one. The coach worked with her & improved her greatly this season, but never moved her back up. (which was fine - she needed to earn that back)
I was always taught the first 3 are decent hitters or get on base easily (BB, etc) and are the fastest. Then #4 batter is the clean up hitter. Am I wrong?
Aren't the first 3 batters supposed to be fast & agressive runners? or has the game changed since I have been in high school?

(seasons over - just honestly still baffled on this one & wondering if I am right or wrong... its lingering over me... lol)

 

[Momo'sDad]

There are basic philosophies and then coaches have their own preferences. I'm pretty non-traditional in the way I set up my 10u defense (the main example being that I don't expect a really big player on an opposing team to bunt EVER), but I think my batting lineup is pretty standard, as I want contact and speed to be priorities in spots 1-3, then power at 4 & 5.

I wouldn't have a slow runner batting #2, but if she's getting on base a lot, then I could see why a coach would have her up there.

 

[SSmom83]

Thats kinda what confuses me... My daughter would get on base & run & slide with the best of them - the one who replaced her in the #2 slot is slow & doesn't hit any better or worse then my daughter. I was looking more at the speed since the hitting aspect is about the same on the both of them.
That brought me to - maybe the line up is different now - I mean it has been 20 years since I have been in High School!! LOL

 

[quincy]

#1 gets on base, do not care how. Preferable at least an OK runner.

#2 is the second best hitter on the Team. Do not care how they run.

#3 is best hitter

 

[SSmom83]

Boy I love seeing everyones opinions... its awesome!
our #1 was an ok hitter
our #2 is a little worse on hitting then our #1 (after my daughter was pulled down)
Our # 3 only got a handfull of hits all season
Our #4 was our best hitter - but seemed to choke in games.
Don't get me wrong - my daughter is far from the best on the team... again was just curious as I thought the first 3 hitters in the line up were supposed to be fast runners.
Keep them coming - I really enjoy this!

 

[softballphreak]

#1: craves being lead off; puts the ball in play every time; if she has power that's good, but not the main point.
#2: able to put the ball in play to move the runner. Needs speed, bunter, slapper, hitter, sacrificer.
#3: best hitter on the team with power.
#4: power hitter but not as consistent as #3.
#5: mostly same as #1
#6: lower average hitter
#7: lower average hitter
#8: lower average hitter
#9: speed, average hitter. Can also slip in a ringer here; someone who really could bat much higher in the line up.

Positions 6 thru 9 can be used to get playing time for non-starters. Or for pinch hitters.

 

[Chris O'Leary]

#1: Best On Base Percentage (excepting the best hitter who goes #3). Don't care if they can hit. Getting on base is all that matters.
#2. Next best OBP. Probably still not great hitter. Don't care. Getting on base is all that matters. Good spot for a lefty (in order to go R-L-R before #3).
#3. Best balanced hitter.
#4. Best remaining balanced hitter.
#5. Best power hitter.
#6. Best remaining gimmick hitter (e.g. decent bunter or slapper).
#7. Best remaining contact hitter.
#8. Whatever.
#9. Whatever.
#10. Whatever. If one of my whatevers is a lefty, I will bat them here so that, around the corner, I go L-R-L-R. That can rattle some pitchers and increase the odds of people getting on base (and of #3 getting a good pitch to hit).

Clean-up Hitter is an outdated concept. You want your best hitter to get the most at-bats with runners on base, which works out to the #3 spot in the line-up. That way they will always bat in the first inning, and probably with at least one runner on base.

When it comes to the lead-off hitter, I'm sorry but I don't care what they want or crave. I also don't care if they are a contact hitter or not. All I care about is what the stats say (and OBP is my first stat).

I don't place that much value on making contact and putting the ball into play. I would never put a contact hitter up high unless they can get on base.

Because kids do get streaky, I do use a rolling weighted average and value more recent games a bit more than bats from a few weeks ago. What have you done for me lately (within reason).

 

[Momo'sDad]

Our fastest runner cannot hit at all, so we're changing the focus to teaching her to bunt. If she stays in softball, she could possibly become an effective slapper just with her speed alone.

 

[undergroundga]

Well here is a curve ball. I'm not a coach, and always thought traditionaly like everyone else. That is, until I spoke with a coach this summer. He always tries to put in an above average hitter around 7 or 8. He said your lead off hitter really only leads off once. He likes to have someone further doewn the line to spark a later run. Gave me something to think about.

 

[quincy]

You do not want a “dead” spot in your lineup. You need to mix players up a little bit.