Best Base for Lefty to play AFTER 1st base?

[James Smith]

I know you are working on hitting too but think hitting, if your DD can hit she is going to be in the lineup.

DD is mostly an infielder but being able to play OF has gotten her some playing time. I am sure other players are going to catch up but in the next couple years DD being able to play OF, if needed, has come in handy for her.

 

[abbygale]

Agree with rtech. There is the chance for so many dbl plays with a pitcher who fields quickly and properly. Ensure she is taught proper footwork for throwing to both sides of the infield, and then works hard on it. Don't let her be one of those pitcher's who fall on the ball and then hope to get the out at 1st. This is the best thing my daughter ever did regarding playing the infield.

Then go hit her thousand's of fly ball to the outfield while you stay at home plate so that she learns to read a ball off the bat in relation to the field. If she has any sort of speed she won't end up at first very often, down the road.

Mines a lefty who stopped playing 3rd at 12's unless a desperate situation arises.

 

[GatorGirl]

Good point Abbygale! I never thought of that! If you could offer some resources on the proper footwork for throwing to both sides of the infield it would be most appreciated. My husband was a lefty pitcher so I will get his input as well.

 

[FastPitch-Dad]

So we just finished our 3rd season of softball and sad to say, there really hasn't been any real teaching of individual bases or the mental aspect of fielding.
......
GG

no teaching???? Is getting "real teaching" a priority for you and your DD?

If so, that would be my suggestion, find a new coach/team that provides age appropriate skills development / teaching .. see what they say.. I suspect they will fall more or less in line with conventional wisdom, absent extreme circumstances.

 

[abbygale]

Howard Kobata is a great starting point. Nothing wrong with mirroring the footwork. Your husband could be a valuable resource.

 

[GatorGirl]

I have emailed around to the 3 other local leagues and I was a little nervous with the responses I got, but we are going to keep them all on the calendar and try to attend a winter work out if they are available. We will be taking private lessons all fall and winter for pitching, fielding and hitting have a signed up for a 6 week pitching clinic at a local college and have signed up for a Bill Hillhouse clinic and private lesson. We pitch in between lessons at least 3 times a week. I have every piece of equipment possible and have access to a gym and my basement is huge. We go out to the fields to here and there to do fielding and hitting. I don't think we could do much more right now.

I have heard on here that if she works hard and can perform she will earn her place, but have also been told by others on here that if "Daddy's" girl wants the position we will still loose out no matter how well she does. So, right now we are just going to focus on the work and keeping it fun and see what the spring season brings.

GG

 

[Little Angels Softball]

I have emailed around to the 3 other local leagues and I was a little nervous with the responses I got, but we are going to keep them all on the calendar and try to attend a winter work out if they are available. We will be taking private lessons all fall and winter for pitching, fielding and hitting have a signed up for a 6 week pitching clinic at a local college and have signed up for a Bill Hillhouse clinic and private lesson. We pitch in between lessons at least 3 times a week. I have every piece of equipment possible and have access to a gym and my basement is huge. We go out to the fields to here and there to do fielding and hitting. I don't think we could do much more right now.

I have heard on here that if she works hard and can perform she will earn her place, but have also been told by others on here that if "Daddy's" girl wants the position we will still loose out no matter how well she does. So, right now we are just going to focus on the work and keeping it fun and see what the spring season brings.

GG

Love the dedication and work ethic, and quite frankly, the willingness to spend money on her. After all, it isn't just work and talent to play softball at a high level, it takes tons of money.

The whole "daddy ball" thing as you describe it above isn't always true. I've seen plenty of dads and moms over the years who give all their players a fair shake. I believe I do, but I also coached travel ball at a very high level for several years before ever coaching my own DD and tend to use the lessons learned there when I returned to coaching. If you look for such coaches, you can find them.

 

[GatorGirl]

You can look, but people don't always show their true colors when you are looking. Plus we are still at the rec. league and you get who you get. You can bet your last dollar that if she wants to progress to travel I will def. be putting any program we consider trying out for under scrutiny from all the things I have read on here. But sadly, there are not a lot of travel teams that are very local to us and I really just can't justify traveling an hour plus each way for the interest level my daughter has.

Our first goal is to be successful at rec. and see if there is even a 10U travel team in the spring to consider(I guess). On that note, someone posted a link to find local travel ball teams. Does anyone remember that? Maybe there is one I overlooked.

GG

 

[MandM]

My DD is leftie and has played C, 3B , SS, 1B, OF. Her principle desire is to pitch, however. She has been solid in those positions as she has good fielding skills and instincts. My observation is however, that she can't be as good, but has to be exceptional to be considered in the infield at anyplace other than 1B. That is the mindset and there is truth to that because it is definitely more difficult for her to make certain plays so that as the level of play increases, the slightly slower time to make the turn and to throw makes a difference. This is particularly true at 3B where fielding a well-placed bunt could be a real challenge against a speedy runner.

That being said, there is no reason not to encourage your DD to excel and reach for those positions if she is as good or better than the other players on her team. The skills readily transfer to other positions. The worst thing that will happen is she will be an excellent fielding 1B- but don't narrow her choices prematurely, (my DD is currently 16U BTW)

 

[chinamigarden]

Its nice to hear about other lefties getting the chances to show what they got at non traditional positions. Someone once told me that lefties at a young age should never be allowed to play on the infield (other then first) and then used the lack of lefties playing those positions as his proof that its not a good idea. Maybe there is a lack of lefties playing those spots because coaches won't let them try.

The funny thing about a lefty at ss is her glove hand is on the wrong side, so she actually can get to balls in the hole the RH ss can't. The SS might not get the out, but she keeps the girl from scoring from second by stopping the ball from getting through.