How QUICK do Middle inflielders need to,... yes you S.S. & 2nd...

Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch

Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
How QUICK do Middle infielders need to be?
Faster than the runners?
Or
Faster than the CATCHER!

it is certainly a developed skill set for defensive players to react to not only what the batter is doing but,
Equally important covering the bases with runners on after the batter does nothing.

With catchers working to throw runners out
And pop times to 2nd base under 2.0 seconds.
Even pop times under
1.7 to 2nd.
ZAP

12U 2.6
By 14U 2.0

For the defense
it's a reaction that happens instantaneously to the batter 'not putting the ball in play' sprinting to the base just in case the catcher has already chosen to throw it. Catchers can release the ball within half a second, plus flight time of the ball, the fielders need to be faster than the catcher!
*Fielders cannot wait to watch and see if catcher is going to throw or not.
Would be waisting precious time!

How about some conversation about how to train specifically your middle infielders to cover bases for back pics and throwing Runners out!

Here is something like doing.
Using a stopwatch~
Timing fielders from a cone at their position sprinting to the base.
10'
15'
20'
25'
Feet away to give fielder a refference of their quickness...
And set goals!

Then add a pitcher, runner, batter...and catcher throwing~
So they can recognize what happens in the brain with reaction time to the batter included.
Using your stopwatch to time the difference!

Its a fun challenging skills developing tool.
Can you be FASTER than the CATCHER?! ;)

GO DEFENSE !!!
 
Last edited:
Sep 19, 2018
928
93
I am going to be unhelpful and say that the fielder better be faster than both!! If the base runner gets there first, the best we can hope for is for the catcher to hit the runner keeping the ball in the infield.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
I am going to be unhelpful and say that the fielder better be faster than both!! If the base runner gets there first, the best we can hope for is for the catcher to hit the runner keeping the ball in the infield.
👍
Okay like throw on target!
And thats another reason for the fielder to be faster than the catcher!
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
Kind of on topic.

SS covered 2nd on steal, DD is playing 2nd base. She was supposed to back up 2nd base. She had 0 chance to get to a reasonable backup position, IMO she would have been better off just concentrating on staying out of the way of runner and just staying where she was. She added nothing to defensive play accept for more confusion.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Kind of on topic.

SS covered 2nd on steal, DD is playing 2nd base. She was supposed to back up 2nd base. She had 0 chance to get to a reasonable backup position, IMO she would have been better off just concentrating on staying out of the way of runner and just staying where she was. She added nothing to defensive play accept for more confusion.
What age are coaches trying that back up strategy?

Think there is value in 2nd baseman lingering
( so to speak)
if the ball gets knocked out or deflected.
 
May 6, 2015
2,397
113
Have always instructed to DD, do not even bother to see if SS or 2B is covering, runner going, throw to your spot. if you hit the bag or within 18 inches of it, ball in CF is responsibility of Ss or 2B. Catcher cannot wait to see if SS/2B is moving, let alone in position. in fact, on clean catch, I have tried to convince DD to close her eyes. she knows where she is, she knows where 2B is. she once threw out a runner at home from shallow OF, told me she never looked on that play, scooped and came up firing.
 
Dec 2, 2013
3,410
113
Texas
Chiming in as a Catcher dad. Rant starts here: I cannot count how many times the SS/2B failed to be at the base on time or better yet before the ball got there. Catchers work their A$$'s off on the pop times, but I don't see MIF's working on the feet work to get to the base in time. In fact saw it happened this week in a college game. Fielder fails to get the base with the ball going to CF, while an error is appointed to C. 1st and 3rd situation, 2B does not get to her proper cut off position and ball flies in the OF.
 
Feb 15, 2017
920
63
Same thing happens with a pitcher fielding a bunt. DD was taught throw the ball to the base the filder better be there. Only exception was if they slipped and fell but they had a code word for that.

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk
 
Jun 6, 2016
2,714
113
Chicago
For the defense
it's a reaction that happens instantaneously to the batter 'not putting the ball in play' sprinting to the base just in case the catcher has already chosen to throw it.

Maybe this is one of those "softball is different from baseball" things that still trips me up from time to time, but why is the middle infielder waiting that long to cover? Because the smaller field should give her time to make sure the batter doesn't hit the ball and still get to the bag? That's not my experience at the lower levels.

I teach my one middle infielder (there's zero need for both) to break for second once the runner takes off. Rarely a ball might get hit to where she was. It happens. That's just part of the game. Doesn't make any sense for me for her to wait, especially if there is a question of whether she can beat the catcher's throw to the bag.

Edit: I can see how some slappers could make this a difficult proposition. That's not something I typically need to worry about. So if a slapper is up, I'd probably try something different.
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
42,830
Messages
679,481
Members
21,445
Latest member
Bmac81802
Top