Pitcher fielding the ball

[MoJo]

A softball field is small (60x60). 4 infielders is plenty to cover the infield (even 10u/12u)

Pitcher is already doing a ton of work for the team. (Same with catcher)

To the OP...that was 2B ball. 100%
Coach should have benched her for not supporting the pitcher and making (another)error.

 

[Sparky Guy]

I never understood the limitations on pitchers and fielding. Some are like Michael Jackson out there. Wearing a glove for no apparent reason.

There is no other fielder on the field who goes through the violent action of driving off of the pitching rubber full speed, landing, delivering the ball to the hitter, then recovering from delivering the pitch. Meanwhile, the pitcher is trying to be in a position to protect herself from a possible combacker. All this leads to not being in the ideal body position to field a ball hit away from them.

I've taught all my pitchers their responsibility is the width of the circle. I want to them to try and get to any ball hit in that area. Anything hit squarely outside of that will be handled by the SS or 2B. I've seen pitchers try to field balls off to the sides and not be able to get there only to deflect the ball the middle infielders had a bead on.

Anything behind the pitching circle is the middle infielders job to get to. To many variables after delivering a pitch, recovering and then try to turn around and get to something behind them.

Your infielders need to know this so they don't hesitate on anything in front of them. What I do with younger teams is to put the kids in their positions. Then I draw lines in the dirt outlining the area of the field that is their responsibility to cover for their position. The pitcher always has the smallest area to cover. And it's right in front of them.

 

[nightskiier]

There is no other fielder on the field who goes through the violent action of driving off of the pitching rubber full speed, landing, delivering the ball to the hitter, then recovering from delivering the pitch. Meanwhile, the pitcher is trying to be in a position to protect herself from a possible combacker. All this leads to not being in the ideal body position to field a ball hit away from them.

I've taught all my pitchers their responsibility is the width of the circle. I want to them to try and get to any ball hit in that area. Anything hit squarely outside of that will be handled by the SS or 2B. .

100% agreed. In 11U my DD was on a team with a so-so left side. In the championship game she tried to field a ball on the left side that the SS missed the previous inning and ended up with twisted ankle and no pitching for 6 weeks.

Since then, we stick the fielding rules I mentioned above.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mmeece]

We always coached our infielders to come get EVERYTHING, and our pitchers to know that unless it is a low pop up directly to them someone will be coming to get it. I don't want my pitcher (or catcher for that matter) to catch any pop up that they don't absolutely have to. Everyone on the field should have a better read on pop ups than either the P or C and should call them off and come get it.

 

[chinamigarden]

There is no other fielder on the field who goes through the violent action of driving off of the pitching rubber full speed, landing, delivering the ball to the hitter, then recovering from delivering the pitch. Meanwhile, the pitcher is trying to be in a position to protect herself from a possible combacker. All this leads to not being in the ideal body position to field a ball hit away from them.

I've taught all my pitchers their responsibility is the width of the circle. I want to them to try and get to any ball hit in that area. Anything hit squarely outside of that will be handled by the SS or 2B. I've seen pitchers try to field balls off to the sides and not be able to get there only to deflect the ball the middle infielders had a bead on.

Anything behind the pitching circle is the middle infielders job to get to. To many variables after delivering a pitch, recovering and then try to turn around and get to something behind them.

Your infielders need to know this so they don't hesitate on anything in front of them. What I do with younger teams is to put the kids in their positions. Then I draw lines in the dirt outlining the area of the field that is their responsibility to cover for their position. The pitcher always has the smallest area to cover. And it's right in front of them.

My dd pitched from ages 9 to 21. Pitchers are not China dolls. They can field more then many are taught. Like Sue Enquist once said about pitchers “you got a bit prissy since we drew a circle around you”.

 

[MoJo]

My dd pitched from ages 9 to 21. Pitchers are not China dolls. They can field more then many are taught. Like Sue Enquist once said about pitchers “you got a bit prissy since we drew a circle around you”.

There isn't an EYEROLL reaction on here....so here it is.

Pitchers are doing hard underhand throws all game. Much better to have the 8 other players make the good throws for the plays.

 

[chinamigarden]

There isn't an EYEROLL reaction on here....so here it is.

Pitchers are doing hard underhand throws all game. Much better to have the 8 other players make the good throws for the plays.

Why? Are pitchers not capable of making throws? Or catching pop ups? Or fielding ground balls? Of course they are, until it’s been trained out of them.

 

[MoJo]

Why? Are pitchers not capable of making throws? Or catching pop ups? Or fielding ground balls? Of course they are, until it’s been trained out of them.

Eyeroll

 

[chinamigarden]

Eyeroll

Try to be a bit more mature. If you don’t agree just say so and maybe post a reason. One that is based on sound softball knowledge.

 

[Sparky Guy]

Why? Are pitchers not capable of making throws? Or catching pop ups? Or fielding ground balls? Of course they are, until it’s been trained out of them.

My DD pitched and paid her way thru college pitching. She could field her position well.

Many pitchers play other positions when not in the circle. So it's not a matter of training anything out of them. What I've always tried to do was to make sure any pitchers I've worked with understood her abilities and that of her teammates as to who has the best opportunity to complete the play on a ball successfully.