12u infield positioning

what is the consensus on where the four IF should be playing? DD's current team 12u has them generally playing behind the baseline, middle IF almost in the grass. last tournament, we had trouble making IF ground outs. Also, isnt almost impossible to pick off a runner if corners are behind the baseline?

also, can anyone think of a reason coach would have C throw to second with runner on third on a steal attempt from 1B?

Depending on the score if we can throw a runner out we'll through to get the out at 2nd. There are a lot of variables but if the runner is not really fast and you have a good catcher it's a free out. It makes the other team think twice about just having an auto 2nd and 3rd if they get 1st and 3rd. As you get better you can put some plays on to get the runner on 3rd.

On the positioning I like the middle IF's to play as deep as they can but be able to get outs. It drives me nuts to see 12U and above have middle inside base paths. The problem with saying the play on the grass is that some infield skins are really big so that can be too far. 3B should almost never play behind the base. 1B depends on the hitter. Mostly in but if it's a big hitter or slow runner I'm confident P can field ball and make play if bunted to Right side. As with everything the level of player affects many of these decisions.

I am not sure I would play the corners behind the baseline, you could adjust during game but we would bunt you to death. Or worse maybe just wait till a bunt matter and lay it down.

I do not mind 2nd back, SS in general I do. So many balls hit to deap SS were batter is safe on 1st.

Lastly on pickoff, I would think it would be easier if fielder is behind the base. They are coming up for ball instead of retreating. Still want corners in frount though.

DD is a catchter, and her old team had corners play just in front of baseline, on a pick play, catcher would throw targetting corner of bag towards pitcher. If throw is on, 1B/3B catches it in nearly perfect tag position (just need to turn slightly towards the OF) and is out of way of BR diving back.

as for 2B, last weekend, we played on very slow fields (significant rain prior week, and fields were dragged a lot and deeply, very soft), missed several ground outs to 2B, and one to P3. granted, If needed to charge better, but on a couple I am not certain it would have mattered.

any other thoughts on the corners when they have a runner on? I guess my thing is seems if these girls are behind the bag, as they move up to take ball, they can interfere with runner coming/diving back (in this case they are simply safe, they would not get next base, correct?). In front, they cannot interfere, but at least for right hand throws, throw to inside corner of base puts their glove in good position to make tag.

What I would consider "standard position"...F3 and F5 2-3 steps in front of the base, and as far off the line as they can be but still cover a hit down the line. F4 and F6 a step or two behind the base line, 2-3 steps towards 2B from the mid-distance between bases.

These positions will get adjusted for the situation with runners on base.

Facing a team with the corners behind the base will get destroyed by good bunting and speed.

Throwing on a steal with a runner at 3B will depend a lot on the quality of the team. With my DD's 12U TB team, sometimes the throw would be faked, sometimes it would be cut off by F4 coming across the diamond between F1 and 2B, and sometimes F4 would let the ball go through to F6. HC would call the situation. For a team that isn't exceptionally sharp, you're usually best to just give up 2B and hold the runner at 3B.

bmakj said:

any other thoughts on the corners when they have a runner on? I guess my thing is seems if these girls are behind the bag, as they move up to take ball, they can interfere with runner coming/diving back (in this case they are simply safe, they would not get next base, correct?). In front, they cannot interfere, but at least for right hand throws, throw to inside corner of base puts their glove in good position to make tag.

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I have never witnessed a team play behind the bases at the corners with the exception of some power hitters who were not either going to or not fast enough to beat out a bunt. With that said there is no reason that if the 3B played behind the base they couldn't cover the base on a steal. Baseball players have been doing it for 150 years.

One thing I just noticed a few teams doing this year that I thougt was clever was 1st basemen would stand in runners lane until last second to prevent runner from leaving base early on pitch.