Outfielders

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Apr 26, 2015
704
43
This might belong in the whining forum...LOL.

WHY do people assume outfielders are a dime a dozen? I am so tired of people saying "my daughter got stuck in the OF", or "any good infielder can be a good outfielder" or "put the weak player in outfield".

Good grief - my daughter has spent most of the past 4 years behind the plate, but over the last few months has started to play some CF. She is a great catcher - but maybe even a better outfielder. She is fast, she is not afraid to dive, she can track a ball great, she is smart - knows where to throw after the catch and she has a cannon for an arm and can throw in quickly.

We have watched numerous games be decided based on missed catches in the OF, or girls who don't know what to do with the ball after retrieving it.

The OF is so important - especially at the upper age levels. They are the last line of defense! If a ball gets missed by the infield it is usually a double. If the ball is missed in the OF it is a triple or HR. It is a SKILL to be able to track a ball and catch it, a SKILL to know how to drop step and run, rather than back pedal, a SKILL to know when to lay out for a catch and when to stay on your feet, a SKILL to know where to throw, when to use a cut, etc. I hate how people just assume that girls who play outfield "can't" play infield. People are so quick to fault an OF if a catch is missed, yet when an IFer misses the ball it's ok. It's assumed "anyone" can play OF. So not true. DD's coach last year thought he could turn any infielder into an outfielder - it was a disaster. Between the "I don't want to" attitudes and the lack of outfield skills DD's team lost a lot of games. DD's new team celebrates their outfielders - gotta love that!

Now admittedly - at 10s and 12s the outfield could be pretty boring...but now that the girls are older and stronger so much depends on the SKILLS of the girls in the OF. I truly believe a strong, smart OF is just as important as a good SS or 2nd baseman (or 1st or 3rd or C or P).

My DD is proud of being a catcher, but maybe even more proud to be a CFer.

Ok - vent over...
 
Jul 15, 2015
87
18
Couldn't agree more with OP. It stems from younger ages when most action is in the infield. But as a parent of a pitcher who is getting ready for 14u, having a quality OF is huge. Knowing she has players that can back her up on the field does wonders for her in the circle. It's also frustrating for the other team when they hit to the OF and plays are made on the ball.
 
Jul 3, 2013
438
43
This might belong in the whining forum...LOL.

WHY do people assume outfielders are a dime a dozen? I am so tired of people saying "my daughter got stuck in the OF", or "any good infielder can be a good outfielder" or "put the weak player in outfield".

Good grief - my daughter has spent most of the past 4 years behind the plate, but over the last few months has started to play some CF. She is a great catcher - but maybe even a better outfielder. She is fast, she is not afraid to dive, she can track a ball great, she is smart - knows where to throw after the catch and she has a cannon for an arm and can throw in quickly.

We have watched numerous games be decided based on missed catches in the OF, or girls who don't know what to do with the ball after retrieving it.

The OF is so important - especially at the upper age levels. They are the last line of defense! If a ball gets missed by the infield it is usually a double. If the ball is missed in the OF it is a triple or HR. It is a SKILL to be able to track a ball and catch it, a SKILL to know how to drop step and run, rather than back pedal, a SKILL to know when to lay out for a catch and when to stay on your feet, a SKILL to know where to throw, when to use a cut, etc. I hate how people just assume that girls who play outfield "can't" play infield. People are so quick to fault an OF if a catch is missed, yet when an IFer misses the ball it's ok. It's assumed "anyone" can play OF. So not true. DD's coach last year thought he could turn any infielder into an outfielder - it was a disaster. Between the "I don't want to" attitudes and the lack of outfield skills DD's team lost a lot of games. DD's new team celebrates their outfielders - gotta love that!

Now admittedly - at 10s and 12s the outfield could be pretty boring...but now that the girls are older and stronger so much depends on the SKILLS of the girls in the OF. I truly believe a strong, smart OF is just as important as a good SS or 2nd baseman (or 1st or 3rd or C or P).

My DD is proud of being a catcher, but maybe even more proud to be a CFer.

Ok - vent over...

Average OFs are a dime a dozen. So are average infielders. Great ones are rare. I've seen very few players out there that have all the skills and smarts you listed above. It probably stems from the 'stuck in the outfield' or 'hide her in right field' attitudes.

I don't get why a player can't be taught the game instead of being taught a position I taught my DD how to play softball, she is a catcher, but can and has played every position but pitcher.

Two quick 'are you serious?' stories-

14U- We rotated players through IF and OF too see everyone's overall skill level. A high pop fly hits a girl in the head. Her parents angrily tell us that she's an infielder not an outfielder. Good thing there are never any popups on the infield.

18U- Girl quit the team after our fall tournaments. Reason given was that she didn't want to be stuck in the outfield. We were short 2 outfielders and all but one girl played at least a few innings out there. She had played 5 innings in RF out of 11 games.
 
Jun 21, 2015
201
0
I love good a good OF and totally appreciate it! My daughter is a catcher/1B. I wish she could play OF but she is not as confident out there and it shows. Thankfully we are blessed with some good OF'ders and I love watching them in action.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Ken Krause

Administrator
Admin
May 7, 2008
3,911
113
Mundelein, IL
Funny how things turn. One of my catching students would play outfield on her HS team when she wasn't catching. At first she didn't much care for it. By senior year she actually looked forward to it. Catching was still her first position (she's at UIndy now) but she took a lot of pride in her ability to run down balls (she's very fast) and throw runners out.

It's an important position, and many games turn on good or bad outfield play.
 
Jun 21, 2015
201
0
My daughter is not fast, and that's why she is not confident in the outfield. I keep telling her just do your best if you find yourself out there. I watched our center fielder in practice last night run down a ball, make the catch and then make a beautiful throw to home. I was like, wow!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Feb 21, 2009
6,168
38
New England
...I don't get why a player can't be taught the game instead of being taught a position I taught my DD how to play softball, she is a catcher, but can and has played every position but pitcher...

Good plan that more should follow. DD was a catcher, but her secondary position was IF/OF. Thanks to a decent stick, sound basic fielding skills, and a good understanding of the game, she was always in the line up thru college even though she had average catcher's speed (i.e., read slow!).
 
Jun 11, 2013
2,619
113
Obviously speed helps in the OF, but getting a good jump and reading the swing is also important. Everyone should learn to play OF. It's such a great feeling to be able to fire out 3 good outfielders on Sunday. Conversely it's an awful feeling at 14U and above to have a terrible one out there. Outs are singles or doubles. Singles turn into triples. To see routine balls drop is just a killer for a Pitcher.
 
Apr 26, 2015
704
43
I don't get why a player can't be taught the game instead of being taught a position I taught my DD how to play softball, she is a catcher, but can and has played every position but pitcher.

I totally agree that everyone should be taught the game, rather than a position. DD is lefty. A lot of people automatically decide she's too little to play 1st, and doesn't pitch, so she must be OF. Thankfully her old coach gave her a chance to catch and she was pretty darn good at it. Earning the starting position for 4 years. She decided to change teams for a variety of reasons and her new coach works everyone everywhere. Everyone practices outfield and everyone practices infield. Including DD. Her new coach even commented how she is fast enough on her feet and has quick enough reflexes that even for a lefty he would like to try her at short...She's not thrilled with that idea because she is comfortable playing C or CF (and very OCCASIONALLY 1st), but she was grinning ear to ear to just hear him say it. He does appreciate her speed in the OF though and he makes she sure know it - always commenting on how she's "money" out there.

DD is SO very happy to have a team who appreciates every position on the team.
 

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