Lefty Issue

[WagonPuller]

If she doesn't have the mentality to be a catcher, start working with her in the outfield ASAP, especially if she's fast (if she's not, you can work on that, too!).

Here's the thing: Yes, it might be a little boring at this level. But people still hit the ball to the outfield at 12U. So work with her. Get her to be great out there. Now you have a kid who excels at a position that is typically ignored, which makes her more valuable not just to her current team, but to other teams. Most teams put whomever's left (or whomever's lefty) in the outfield, but you think they wouldn't welcome a player who is actually good out there?

And, as others have said, it becomes really important not too far into the future, so get a head start on it.

Really work on it with her though. Get her to enjoy the experience of tracking and catching fly balls. She may only get one a game right now, but if you get her anticipating, wanting that ball to come to her, she'll be much better prepared for later.

I had a 12 year old this summer who was playing for the first time. Good athlete, picks things up quickly. She became our starting CF pretty early in the season (infield was taken by more experienced players, so I think she realized she had an opening out there; plus, her cousin plays RF on the team). Now she doesn't want to play anywhere else (I've tried!), which is fine with me. I love developing outfielders. As long as she keeps working at it and getting better, she basically has a starting spot with us locked up all the way through high school.

Great advice....thanks! I'll get her to see the opportunity, get over her disappointment of being told "no leftys", and get to work to make herself valuable in a different way.

 

[Tatonka]

Sorry, I have not read all the pages in this thread so far, but after reading the first page here's my thoughts....this team has too many coaches with DD's on the team combined with too much old school mentality rather than a can do attitude. At this age and level of play it would not be uncommon to see a lefty out play a righthander at any position. That may change but so also may your DD's interest in playing other positions (like OF or C). Let the kids play and give them opportunities everywhere on the field...this is not the World Series! Carry on and good luck, there are a lot of good coaches in CO but unfortunately it seems you need to experience a few rotten apples along the way!

 

[WagonPuller]

Thanks. They're all good people -- enthusiastic and encouraging -- and she is learning from them but I will admit the "leftys don't play infield" did take some wind out her sails. But given what I've read from everyone here, chances are much higher that as she progresses, being a lefty will put her in more limited positions, so we may as well get going on getting skilled in those limited positions. I agree that I wish at this level we could just let them learn and play all positions, and it would be nice if they would let her get a little more time at 1B, especially as a lefty, but my kiddo is not naturally gifted and she's going to have to work at it, so maybe having to focus on those limited positions now will benefit her in the future. Thanks for the thoughts.

 

[wheresmycar]

In MLB, since 1900, only two left handed players have more than 5 games played at 2B, SS or 3B. Lefties don't play 2nd, SS or 3B... Sorry.

While she can probably be competent 2B or SS at 10U, eventually, she will have to face this fact. Might as well invest time into a position she can play her entire career. My advice, learn to be an awesome OF, 1B, C or P, or teach her to throw righty.

Article: MLB 14 The Show: A History of Left-Handed Infielders

Using the always helpful baseball-reference.com, I ran a search for infielders (2B, SS, and 3B) who threw with their left hand since 1900. Here are some of the more interesting results:

• When looking at players with at least five games played at any one of those three positions, only two players show up: Mike Squires and Hal Chase.
• Decreasing the number to three doubles the list, adding George Sisler and Don Mattingly.
• If we drop the criterion to just one game played, the list "swells" to 14, including names like Lou Gehrig and Terry Francona."

MLB 14 The Show: A History of Left-Handed Infielders - Operation Sports

Last week, I jokingly commented on MLB 14: The Show's fact sheet, which included the addition of "left-handed infielders." To me, this seemed not only an odd thing to add, but an odd thing to publicize. If you are unfamiliar with why left-handed infielders are so rare, it has to do with...

forums.operationsports.com

 

[Rick M]

You’ve already gotten a lot of the ‘don’t give up’ type of advice, which I mostly agree with. But the reality is, there’s very little chance your left-hander will play infield as she progresses. She can absolutely work her tail off and become a good shortstop, but wouldn’t the time required to get there be better spent working on hitting or pitching? Your current coach will not be the last one to consider lefties to be non-infielders.

Playing the OF in 10U can be a drag, but DD has always played there when not pitching and there’s a lot to work on in the years before the balls start flying out there. First and foremost, become a backup monster. At 10U, play shallow and hustle to back up every ground ball and every throw. Watching the plays unfold in front of you and developing a feel for where to be will give your daughter a game IQ that the kids just getting in front of grounders will not approach.

Practice tracking fly balls, but don’t forget to work in some long toss too. When you get to 14U, an outfielder who knows where to be on every play, makes the catches, and can gun down runners is worth her weight in gold.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[WagonPuller]

In MLB, since 1900, only two left handed players have more than 5 games played at 2B, SS or 3B. Lefties don't play 2nd, SS or 3B... Sorry.

While she can probably be competent 2B or SS at 10U, eventually, she will have to face this fact. Might as well invest time into a position she can play her entire career. My advice, learn to be an awesome OF, 1B, C or P, or teach her to throw righty.

Article: MLB 14 The Show: A History of Left-Handed Infielders

Using the always helpful baseball-reference.com, I ran a search for infielders (2B, SS, and 3B) who threw with their left hand since 1900. Here are some of the more interesting results:

• When looking at players with at least five games played at any one of those three positions, only two players show up: Mike Squires and Hal Chase.
• Decreasing the number to three doubles the list, adding George Sisler and Don Mattingly.
• If we drop the criterion to just one game played, the list "swells" to 14, including names like Lou Gehrig and Terry Francona."

MLB 14 The Show: A History of Left-Handed Infielders - Operation Sports

Last week, I jokingly commented on MLB 14: The Show's fact sheet, which included the addition of "left-handed infielders." To me, this seemed not only an odd thing to add, but an odd thing to publicize. If you are unfamiliar with why left-handed infielders are so rare, it has to do with...

forums.operationsports.com

I did a quick search for MLB left-handed infielders that night and was surprised at the results (though being a Don Mattingly fan, was pretty psyched to see that he did have some success at third). So we're taking your, and so many others', advice and will work hard on her pitching and 1B skills and get going on learning how to be a great outfielder. Thanks!

 

[Tide_will_Roll]

You’ve already gotten a lot of the ‘don’t give up’ type of advice, which I mostly agree with. But the reality is, there’s very little chance your left-hander will play infield as she progresses. She can absolutely work her tail off and become a good shortstop, but wouldn’t the time required to get there be better spent working on hitting or pitching? Your current coach will not be the last one to consider lefties to be non-infielders.

Playing the OF in 10U can be a drag, but DD has always played there when not pitching and there’s a lot to work on in the years before the balls start flying out there. First and foremost, become a backup monster. At 10U, play shallow and hustle to back up every ground ball and every throw. Watching the plays unfold in front of you and developing a feel for where to be will give your daughter a game IQ that the kids just getting in front of grounders will not approach.

Practice tracking fly balls, but don’t forget to work in some long toss too. When you get to 14U, an outfielder who knows where to be on every play, makes the catches, and can gun down runners is worth her weight in gold.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is good advice. My daughter plays mostly outfield, but some 1B and pitches. She just started 12U a couple of weeks ago. Believe me, you get balls in the outfield in 12U. Especially, if you are a new team playing against an experienced team and your pitcher is laying an egg thinking she can just throw fastballs and beat the hitters that way.

10U, learn to back up 1st base and like the poster I'm quoting said, play shallow. My DD threw 3 runners at 1B on hard hit ground balls to RF.

 

[WagonPuller]

This is good advice. My daughter plays mostly outfield, but some 1B and pitches. She jiat started 12U a couple of weeks ago. Believe me, you get balls in the outfield in 12U. Especially, if you are a new team playing against experienced team and your pitcher is laying an egg thinking she can just throw fastballs and beat the hitters that way.

10U, learn to back up 1st base and like the poster I'm quoting said, play shallow. My DD threw 3 runners at 1B on hard hit ground balls to RF.

I instilled in her to back up 1B from RF when she played 10U rec, but I will definitely work with her on her arm so she can look to "infield the outfield" and throw out runners at 1B. Thanks!!

 

[CoachJD]

First and foremost, become a backup monster. At 10U, play shallow and hustle to back up every ground ball and every throw. Watching the plays unfold in front of you and developing a feel for where to be will give your daughter a game IQ that the kids just getting in front of grounders will not approach.

Practice tracking fly balls, but don’t forget to work in some long toss too. When you get to 14U, an outfielder who knows where to be on every play, makes the catches, and can gun down runners is worth her weight in gold.

Great advice here. She may not get a lot of fly balls, but even in our low level 10U league, plenty of balls go to the outfield (base hits, errors, bad throws), and many times those turn into "home runs." If you have someone out there who's alert, knows what to do, and knows where to go to back up plays, she's really going to help the team.

She might not be getting outs by catching a ton of fly balls, but if she gets to a ball quickly, keeps a runner from scoring, and then the pitcher gets out of the inning? That's valuable. But it's up to you to remind her of that. The biggest thing is selling her on how it's important (and fun). So any time she makes a play that keeps a runner from advancing, point out how that helped prevent a run.

Of course, fly balls are still the most fun part of playing outfield, so give her plenty of those in practice. Then give her some more. The biggest thing that keeps outfielders from getting better is the lack of reps. If you're not skilled enough to hit them, throw them. Get a pitching machine and shoot them into the air. But make sure she's getting plenty of reps.

 

[Coachkat]

The 12u team my daughter just left was full of outfielders who only want to be infielders. No matter how hard we worked with them they just didn't care and almost every loss was on the outfield. Even at 12u an outfielder is make or break for a winning team.
I was watching a 16u game a few weeks ago and the CF on one of the teams was a freaking acrobat in the. She was all over the outfield, laying out super girl flying catches in the air. The most amazing plays I have ever seen. I really wish rec coaches would stop using outfield as a punishment so more girls would develop the love of the position that girl had.
Anyway that's my long winded way of saying maybe take her to watch some older girls play so she can see how amazing being an OF can be.