Outfield strategy

[NBECoach]

I saw a defense today for a U16 lefty slap/slasher that I had not seen previously. Situation was no one on and 1 out with the score 2-2. This occurred in the 4th inning so I'm assuming that this was the second time up for the batter.

The coach calls time and moves the 3B in to about 40 ft. from the plate and near the line. SS in to the baseline. 2B 5 feet inside the baseline. First baseman back near the base. LF and CF move in and shade to LF. Now I have seen and done that myself for a slapper. Here is the part I have not seen before. The coach moves the RF into the infield 5 feet in front of 2B and leaves RF completely open. His final words of wisdom to his pitcher, "you need to hit your spots". You know what? It worked the kid went 0-2 with foul slaps and then popped up.

Anyone ever seen that before?

 

[Big Glove]

I saw a defense today for a U16 lefty slap/slasher that I had not seen previously. Situation was no one on and 1 out with the score 2-2. This occurred in the 4th inning so I'm assuming that this was the second time up for the batter.

The coach calls time and moves the 3B in to about 40 ft. from the plate and near the line. SS in to the baseline. 2B 5 feet inside the baseline. First baseman back near the base. LF and CF move in and shade to LF. Now I have seen and done that myself for a slapper. Here is the part I have not seen before. The coach moves the RF into the infield 5 feet in front of 2B and leaves RF completely open. His final words of wisdom to his pitcher, "you need to hit your spots". You know what? It worked the kid went 0-2 with foul slaps and then popped up.

Anyone ever seen that before?

Ballsy.

So what spots do you hit there? Low and outside?

 

[Cornbread]

I don’t pull the pull side of the field in on a slapper. Most balls that are pullside are hit harder. Good slappers can power slap and hammer it to the pull side

 

[bmakj]

as far as keeping them engaged, one of DDs teams had all players other than P and C start off about two steps behind where they wanted them to start play, and as pitcher wound up, stepped to that spot into ready position. prevents them from becoming statues, and makes them pay attention.

I also think it is great that someone is paying attention to OF positioning, most teams, including DDs current (I guess not previous team) only yell at them after a play that they were out of position, to me that is coaches fault, not players.

 

[canyonjoe]

I saw a defense today for a U16 lefty slap/slasher that I had not seen previously. Situation was no one on and 1 out with the score 2-2. This occurred in the 4th inning so I'm assuming that this was the second time up for the batter.

The coach calls time and moves the 3B in to about 40 ft. from the plate and near the line. SS in to the baseline. 2B 5 feet inside the baseline. First baseman back near the base. LF and CF move in and shade to LF. Now I have seen and done that myself for a slapper. Here is the part I have not seen before. The coach moves the RF into the infield 5 feet in front of 2B and leaves RF completely open. His final words of wisdom to his pitcher, "you need to hit your spots". You know what? It worked the kid went 0-2 with foul slaps and then popped up.

Anyone ever seen that before?

I've never seen it before. However, I like coaches who will think outside the box a little. Maybe the kid can turn on an outside pitch and you just gave up an HR, but for an at bat or 2 it's worth trying something different.

 

[Gambler Bob]

I saw a defense today for a U16 lefty slap/slasher that I had not seen previously. Situation was no one on and 1 out with the score 2-2. This occurred in the 4th inning so I'm assuming that this was the second time up for the batter.

The coach calls time and moves the 3B in to about 40 ft. from the plate and near the line. SS in to the baseline. 2B 5 feet inside the baseline. First baseman back near the base. LF and CF move in and shade to LF. Now I have seen and done that myself for a slapper. Here is the part I have not seen before. The coach moves the RF into the infield 5 feet in front of 2B and leaves RF completely open. His final words of wisdom to his pitcher, "you need to hit your spots". You know what? It worked the kid went 0-2 with foul slaps and then popped up.

Anyone ever seen that before?

It is almost funny you mentioned this defense. Just last weekend I saw a 10u team do this exact defense against my daughter. As soon as they did this defense I told my daughter to get up on the batters box line beacuse the team will be pitching you outside the entire at bat. First pitch the pitcher misses her spot and daughter pulls the ball about 180' down the right field line but it was foul about 5 feet. The team immediately went back to their original defense.

Couple pitches later she puts a hard slap in the 5-6 hole that goes to the outfield.

 

[uncdrew]

as far as keeping them engaged, one of DDs teams had all players other than P and C start off about two steps behind where they wanted them to start play, and as pitcher wound up, stepped to that spot into ready position. prevents them from becoming statues, and makes them pay attention.

I also think it is great that someone is paying attention to OF positioning, most teams, including DDs current (I guess not previous team) only yell at them after a play that they were out of position, to me that is coaches fault, not players.

Creeping. We do that too.

 

[canyonjoe]

It is almost funny you mentioned this defense. Just last weekend I saw a 10u team do this exact defense against my daughter. As soon as they did this defense I told my daughter to get up on the batters box line beacuse the team will be pitching you outside the entire at bat. First pitch the pitcher misses her spot and daughter pulls the ball about 180' down the right field line but it was foul about 5 feet. The team immediately went back to their original defense.

Couple pitches later she puts a hard slap in the 5-6 hole that goes to the outfield.

It's easy to defend a simple slapper. It's the really good hitters like your DD who can also slap that cause all the problems.

 

[Vertigo]

I saw a defense today for a U16 lefty slap/slasher that I had not seen previously. Situation was no one on and 1 out with the score 2-2. This occurred in the 4th inning so I'm assuming that this was the second time up for the batter.

The coach calls time and moves the 3B in to about 40 ft. from the plate and near the line. SS in to the baseline. 2B 5 feet inside the baseline. First baseman back near the base. LF and CF move in and shade to LF. Now I have seen and done that myself for a slapper. Here is the part I have not seen before. The coach moves the RF into the infield 5 feet in front of 2B and leaves RF completely open. His final words of wisdom to his pitcher, "you need to hit your spots". You know what? It worked the kid went 0-2 with foul slaps and then popped up.

Anyone ever seen that before?

Very good slappers read the defense before every pitch. If dd saw this she’d probably hard slap with everything she’s got and I pray 3B is wearing a mask, or depending on the field condition, chop slap it so it bounces high up to give her time to get to 1B. With runners on she also might swing vs. slap. She has an uncanny ability to lift it just high enough out of 3B reach and short enough that it drops in before LF can get to it.

 

[badmonkey]

Playing outfield 15’ from the fence doesn’t make much sense or maybe girls that don’t listen. You’ll have 10 balls fall in front of you for every 1 that goes over your head. And 15’ from a fence it will be a homerun regardless. Even at the HS Level, I’m constantly bringing my OF in as they always seem to wander closer to the fence every pitch. They must learn that in travel ball

Especially at younger age. This board is entertaining to read. So many tales of 12U girls hitting 200’ shots and then somehow by the time they get to 16+ and I see them, very few are home run hitters. It’s a mystery.

Some of that mystery can be explained by the quality of pitching improving. I’ve seen the 12U bombs. They usually come from the fully developed girl that won’t grow an inch the rest of her life, and the bomb is hit off the 4’10”, 70lb girl throwing 40mph. Flash forward 4 years and these two players are the same size, and tge pitcher is in the upper 50s with three more pitches in her back pocket.
Even in 10u, you are more likely to see girls hit bombs in C than in A because of the quality of pitching, even though the hitters are obviously bigger, stronger, and just better hitters.

You seem to be suggesting that some people are exaggerating the accomplishments of their children. It’s my experience that parents are extremely objective when evaluating their kids skills, and are very careful not to oversell their DDs abilities. So if dad says his 11yo phenom hit it 200’, I just assume he’s being modest and she really hit it 215’.