9U/10U - SS/2B positioning

9U new TB team. My perspective (as AC) was from the 3b dugout during our first double-header of the season yesterday. It seemed like the preferred positioning of the SS and 2B left a big hole up the middle, and a lot of ground to cover on a steal or force at 2B.

At the lower levels, do you bother trying to move the middle infielders around much (runners on, no one on, LHB / RHB, etc.). Do you cover the holes, and hope the pitcher can react in time for the ground ball up the middle?

At 9 we were not going to throw the runner out stealing 2nd anyways so we not move them around to much.

Our SS covered 2nd and the 2nd basemens job was to just stay out of the way of runner so 2nd shouldn't be moving regardless.

You can cheat your SS over a little bit if you want.

In rec 10U all-stars, with a runner on 1B, we would have the middle IF pinch in towards 2B a couple of steps. It seemed to improve our ability to get the force out on the lead runner, and we managed to get the occasional 6-3 or 4-3 DP where F6 or F4 could step on the base for the first out.

In 10U TB, the coaches moved the players around regualrly depending on the situation.

My kiddo plays ss. She learned (I did too) a bunch of things. She's playing 12u now but learned some of this the last season of 10u. And I agree with quincy. My kid was 10 going on 11 when she started learning all this. 9 would've been a bit overwhelming for her. So maybe one thing at a time?

When there is a LHB, she plays closer to third.
RHB, she plays more towards second.
Runner on one, a little closer to second (about 2 steps closer than she would with a RHB) since she's the one that receives the throw down.
Runner on two, she moves step closer to third (about 1 step when facing a RBH) to beat the runner if she tries to steal.

A lot of playing MI is them learning to field the ball at angles because they have so much ground to cover (up the middle and behind the corners). If you can teach them to attack balls in those areas at an angle, it will turn a lot of "doubles" into singles.

Assuming you play with 3 outfielders and runner can leave base on pitch.

DD plays 10U and has been playing SS. With a runner on first, her coach has her cheat a couple steps toward second base to get the throw down (and 3B cheats a couple steps toward SS as well).

Other coaches have their RF and LF pinch in toward CF and have their CF start on the lip of the grass (DD's league requires outfielders to be on the grass until the ball is released by P) and then run in to cover the infield and close that big hole.

Depth, especially at SS, depends primarily on arm strength (with the obvious exception of playing the IF in ). I see too many coaches play their players too close just because the kids don't charge the ball correctly. Fix that instead of putting a bandaid on it.

Positioning with regards nearness to 2nd when there is a man on first depends on the player's ability to get to the bag on time for force outs and stolen base attempts. By on time I mean they get to the bag earl enough such that they waiting there for the ball to arrive and not still running. In particular at 2nd. I've seen many coaches yell at the MI that they aren't getting to the bag in time when in reality from where they were positioned they just couldn't get there. At SS on DPs as they get older they will be able to time it such that they catch the ball on the move as they are sweeping their right foot across the outside part of the bag.

I would say at that age 99.9% of the time SS covers 2nd on steal attempt since having a 9O 2nd baseman get around the bag to a good position to apply a tag
is highly improbable..a lot easier for the SS.

With nobody on I wouldn't cheat much either way..scouting reports on 9 YO are probably not very useful

Assuming you're playing with three outfielders, or you're doing four across instead of shortfielder:

I tell my 3B to get to every ball she can going to her left. It's an easier throw as she's moving to her left, toward first base, than to expect a SS to backhand a ball going to her right and still make a strong throw to first.

That way you can play your SS deeper and slightly shaded toward the middle. She takes the catcher's throw to second (but as quincy said you aren't going to throw out many runners at second at 9U, but someone has to take the throw) with 2B looping around behind to back up (and centerfielder sprinting in as the last line of defense). As pattar said it's a very tough play for a 2B at this level to take that throw and drop a tag.

pattar said:

With nobody on I wouldn't cheat much either way..scouting reports on 9 YO are probably not very useful

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Reminds me of Bad News Bears... "THE COOL CARL PARANSKI SHIFT!"

njdad said:

Assuming you're playing with three outfielders, or you're doing four across instead of shortfielder:

I tell my 3B to get to every ball she can going to her left. It's an easier throw as she's moving to her left, toward first base, than to expect a SS to backhand a ball going to her right and still make a strong throw to first.

That way you can play your SS deeper and slightly shaded toward the middle. She takes the catcher's throw to second (but as quincy said you aren't going to throw out many runners at second at 9U, but someone has to take the throw) with 2B looping around behind to back up (and centerfielder sprinting in as the last line of defense). As pattar said it's a very tough play for a 2B at this level to take that throw and drop a tag.

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At 9U/10U 2B backing up a catcher's throw 9 out of 10 times ends up with them being about 5 feet in back of the bag in my experience (my kid plays on a 9U team..and no I don't coach )..they just aren't fast enough to get far enough away for the backup to be useful. Better off just having the CF come in 5 or 6 steps to backup the throw IMO. I would have the 2nd baseman move towards the bag such that they can retrieve any ball that is deflected back towards 2nd base. Agree with everything else.