During a tournament this past weekend, our pitchers made two errors fielding pop ups. In both cases, the balls were hit pretty high and the pitchers ended up coming forward toward the plate a fair distance. No doubt the balls should have been caught--and if they are, maybe I am not asking the question. However, I was wondering what different approaches there are to such plays and what balls you want your pitcher fielding and those you don't. To me, the balls might have been easier for third base or even the catcher to get given that they ended up getting played probably ten feet or so in front of the plate. Thanks in advance for the insights.
Approach to Pop Ups in the Infield?
- Thread starter Traps71
- Start date
Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch
Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.
Top_Notch
Screwball
- Dec 18, 2014
- 522
- 63
My DD (a pitcher) is coached to only catch a pop up if it's in the circle.
There was a mile high pop up the was landing right to the pitching rubber. Seemed like it was in the air forever. DD looked around at the other infielders twice before finally taking one step back and catching it. Nearly gave me a heart attack.
There was a mile high pop up the was landing right to the pitching rubber. Seemed like it was in the air forever. DD looked around at the other infielders twice before finally taking one step back and catching it. Nearly gave me a heart attack.
Last edited:
- Apr 28, 2019
- 1,423
- 83
I like to use my SS as my infield General. She has priority on any fly balls especially Middle to left side of infield. She has to use good judgement and yield to other players if they are in a better position to make the play.
Anything behind or in front of the pitcher I would expect my SS to make the play.
2nd has priority on anything hit to right side.
In what you describe is sounds like the pitcher should be able to make the play if they are a good athlete. If not I would expect SS or 3rd to make play depending on who was playing in and how close the fly was to home.
The catcher may be able to make the play but it wouldn’t be my 1st choice especially with runners on base.
- Feb 3, 2011
- 1,880
- 48
1B may not always be the best athlete, but she's got the biggest glove. As you describe the situations, sounds like 1B or 3B should have made the catches. Out of 1000 random pop-ups, catcher would generally be my last choice.
Exactly this.
I ask my infielders to call of the pitcher whenever feasible. I love the corner infielders that treat pop-ups to the pitcher as their ball (with limitations of course).
- Jun 8, 2016
- 16,118
- 113
At the end of the day you want the person who has the best chance of catching it going for it. As you move up in age/skill level the more times that will be somebody other than the pitcher. How many times do you see a MLB pitcher catch anything other than a soft liner or low popup right at them? On the otherhand, in baseball/softball, at the lower levels the best athlete/fielder out there may actually be the pitcher..
My DD is a pitcher. Good athlete, fields the ball fine, catches pop-ups well, but her overhand throw is not good. Her coach told her he didn’t want her fielding anything unless it was in the circle. They spent 10-15 minutes at practice practicing what that might look like. Unfortunately, she sometimes doesn’t field ground balls that she probably should. It’s a mental thing that she needs to work on. I guess I’m saying to just be very clear with the messaging 
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
