Infield ready position

I don't think it makes sense to have any glove on the ground. Per 3B and the low set, this position "saved" a 3B in our last game. She was hit with a line drive the first time and then, caught 2 shots at her that might have decapitated her if she missed them. In a way, the low position does enable them to get their glove up to protect themselves. JMHO!

Cannonball said:

BTW, the coach also mentioned that they want the OF with active feet and never set on the pitch.

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I wonder what this means, exactly. I don't want an OF bouncing from foot to foot because it seems likely (I guess 50/50 chance) that she's gonna be on the wrong foot as the ball is hit.

I do like just taking a step into a ready position that's a lot higher, on the balls of the feet. If you time this step, you're on the balls of the feet with weight balanced at contact. But maybe that's what this coach meant by "active feet."

CoachJD, I think his meaning was that he never wanted them to stop movement. I would speculate that he felt that this movement would give his OF a running start on breaking for the ball. It was one of the St. Louis Cardinal coaches who said this during one of those rain delay broadcasts.

Nice shot of the Pirates Pee Wee league softball championship game. Was that taken with a Kodak Disk circa '88?

SS - flat-footed and... I'd suggest homework involving the Derek Jeter video vault.
3rd - non-dynamic, flat-footed and absolutely dangerous corner positioning. That corner positioning has never been "it", and I'd suggest a wake-up call to any member of a coaching staff who may propose it. 90mph exit speed at 55 feet. Her glove barely flinches out of the "backhoe excavation" positioning to protect her face. Also, a challenge to field line drives mid-torso and higher, as well as slowing lateral and drop step footwork. Staff homework involving the Todd Frazier video vault.

Nothing a little bit of coaching couldn't help to fix.



Chris

Cannonball said:

I don't think it makes sense to have any glove on the ground. Per 3B and the low set, this position "saved" a 3B in our last game. She was hit with a line drive the first time and then, caught 2 shots at her that might have decapitated her if she missed them. In a way, the low position does enable them to get their glove up to protect themselves. JMHO!

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My positioning was pretty close to what's in the OP for both positions. The requirements/expectations for 3B are very much dependent on the level of play. Having played my share of 3B in Sr. level men's fastpitch I can tell you that I would have dug a bunker two feet down if they'd let me. Setting up 40ft away from an ill-tempered 280lb hitter with a $400 bat is not a fun place to hang out. I would get as low as I could possibly could while still being in an athletic posture with hands in the handshake position. My glove would be about 10 inches off the dirt where I felt I could get it up to head height in a panic situation. This allowed me to stab quite a few low liners and protect myself if they were right at me.
This is a taxing position on the body so you won't see many players get that low unless there's a good reason to.

Playing middle infield I like a two step approach, landing on the balls of both feet at the time of contact. I had a bit wider (and therefore lower) stance than most at that position, probably because of spending time at 3B. No matter what your stance you must be able to react quickly with both arms and legs.

Cannonball said:

I just heard a MLB coach talk about this as that team's infield is going through a transition. What you have posted (pic) is exactly what he was talking about. Corners low with glove presented in front while SS and 2B more upright. BTW, the coach also mentioned that they want the OF with active feet and never set on the pitch.

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This is also what Heather Tarr at UW teaches. Corners have to be ready to field a ball within one step of them, middles need to be able to range.