How deep to play shortstop?

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Coach Caz

Fastpitch Junkie
Jan 16, 2014
5
3
DD plays SS for her 14U team (and also pitches), and I feel she plays too deep and missed a few out opportunities. I found several baseball instructions but none for softball.

Her reasoning to play deep is to get the deeper fly balls, since the outfielders behind her do not have great range. Since they moved up to 14U in the fall, they are seeing more power hitters. My reasoning is if the ball gets hit behind her, let it be a single (if it is too far for her to get it.) Yet if it is an easy ground ball, she is too far to make the out (she did throw several to 1st and missed the out opportunity.)

How deep should she play? I want to give her exact instructions as to how many steps she should take from the 2B-3B base line. I am thinking 3 is the max # of steps. What do you suggest?
The Answer is not that simple, The answer is as deep as possible to get to as many balls as possible why getting the out. That being said, there are so many factors to getting the out. For example: How is the SS Arm? Range? Agressivenee? What is the type of batter, what is the situation, are you turning two or just getting the force out. Also what age are we talking about?

With no outs and nobody on, standard right hand hitter with average speed, a SS at the 18U/Colligate level is probably one step in front of the grass. At a 10U/12U level she is probably one step behind the base line. So the Rule of thumb should be as far back as possible while getting 100% of the outs based on the situation.
 

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