How to efficiently play with 8 players?

[Jordan]

We had a tournament today and our team ran into a bit of an issue. We only had 8 players and one of the missing players was our main pitcher. Since we didn’t have a pitcher we had to put our 1st baseman as our pitcher since she pitches a bit. Then since our catcher was missing we had to put our second basemen as our catcher since she is the only other player who can catch. In order to fill in the two missing positions we brought our LF and RF in to play 1st and 2nd. However, we ran into a big problem with the outfield. The only other person we had left was an injured former 2nd basemen. Since she was injured (not to bad but bad enough to slow her down a bit) and had never been too fast we knew that she wouldn’t be able to help much in the outfield. So we had to move our SS, who is our fastest player (and my DD), to play outfield (thankfully we had her practicing outfield every now and then so she was pretty prepared). However this meant we had to put the injured girl at SS cause even injured she was still our next fastest girl (everyone else on the team besides the SS and CF are pretty slow). During the games the outfield actually did really well and didn’t let anything get past them (I was so proud of my DD and the CF who is my DD’s friend). However, the infield struggled quite a bit. The LF at first missed some throws that were catchable, the RF at 2nd actually didn’t do bad, and the SS missed a lot of balls and let some hits that could’ve been outs turn into singles and doubles (I can’t be too hard on her though as she was injured). In the end we lost 10-6. Do any of you guys know how to be able to efficiently play with 8 players. We will only have 8 again tomorrow. Should we keep the SS at short and hope for the best in the outfield? If you have any suggestions I would really appreciate them.

 

[Quigs10]

Depends on age level, but I've found over the years of doing 8u and 10u and a time or two in 12u, that playing with 2 outfielders (LF and CF) spread apart and shaded a bit to RF and then play the 2B really deep, almost like a RF that has come up really shallow. The deep 2B can still make plays on "normal" ground balls and still have a chance to catch pop ups in RF. Then if it's deep to RF, you have the CF that is shaded over to get anything that goes deep over RF head. I also shift the 3B and SS just a bit more toward the left so SS can get to balls up middle where CF has vacated a little bit. This worked for us more than anything else. BUT, our league stated how many IF can be on the dirt and how many OF must be on grass.

Also, vs bunts the 2B can still cover 1B in time if the 1B has to go up to field bunt. Push bunts toward 2B are the biggest weakness. But in 8U and 10U, there are not many of those.

 

[Jordan]

Depends on age level, but I've found over the years of doing 8u and 10u and a time or two in 12u, that playing with 2 outfielders (LF and CF) spread apart and shaded a bit to RF and then play the 2B really deep, almost like a RF that has come up really shallow. The deep 2B can still make plays on "normal" ground balls and still have a chance to catch pop ups in RF. Then if it's deep to RF, you have the CF that is shaded over to get anything that goes deep over RF head. I also shift the 3B and SS just a bit more toward the left so SS can get to balls up middle where CF has vacated a little bit. This worked for us more than anything else. BUT, our league stated how many IF can be on the dirt and how many OF must be on grass.

Also, vs bunts the 2B can still cover 1B in time if the 1B has to go up to field bunt. Push bunts toward 2B are the biggest weakness. But in 8U and 10U, there are not many of those.

It’s an 18u team. Thank you for the tips I will suggest them to the head coach tomorrow (I’m one of the assistant coaches for our team).

 

[YOCOACH]

The question I have is how are you even playing a game at all? Is this rec ball with it's own local rule set? All rule sets specifically state you need 9 to start a game. You can finish with 8 but you can't start a game that way.

 

[Tango]

In the fall we were playing a tournament (14U) and in the last inning of the semi final game our catcher broke her leg sliding into home on offense and our third baseman broke her finger (surgery) somehow in the last inning. Now we have to get three outs and DD is pitching. The coach decides to play with 3 outfielders- 1st pitch fly ball to LF, 2nd pitch fly ball to CF, 3rd pitch fly ball to RF. Unbelievable a 3 pitch inning to each outfielder.

Now in the championship game- we score 5 in the first and they hit ground ball roller after roller between 1st and 2nd and score 6. At the beginning of the 2nd inning we play with two outfielders and neither team scores again. Lose 6-5. Who knows? LOL

 

[Strike2]

The question I have is how are you even playing a game at all? Is this rec ball with it's own local rule set? All rule sets specifically state you need 9 to start a game. You can finish with 8 but you can't start a game that way.

USSSA Rule 5 Section 2B says " A team may begin the game short-handed..."

I believe that's the same as the other rule sets.

To the OP's question, the best option is to have as many playing a position they're comfortable with as possible. It's funny how some think you can just put anyone at 1B. It's harder than it looks, especially when the ball isn't coming right to you. I've never been short in a FP softball game, but played short a couple of times in men's SP and won. We had a couple of very good outfielders, and nobody was playing out of position.

 

[whiporee]

Are you having to take an out at the ninth spot? We had todo that in a tourney a couple of years ago, and you wouldn’t think it would suck but it did.

 

[625ender]

Pitch to your fielders tendancies and positioning

 

[Jordan]

Are you having to take an out at the ninth spot? We had todo that in a tourney a couple of years ago, and you wouldn’t think it would suck but it did.

No, the tournament we are at lets us play with 8 players without any penalty.

 

[flash277]

Are you having to take an out at the ninth spot? We had todo that in a tourney a couple of years ago, and you wouldn’t think it would suck but it did.

That shouldn't be. If you have 8 players on your lineup card, then there is only 8 batting spots. You shouldn't be penalized .