Can an infielder be too fast?

jose Reyes
Upton
Rollins

Just to name a couple. If you can pick it you can play there. I would rather be strong at SS than in CF.

Not to good a choice with the Uptons. I believe they were both SS's and converted to the outfield. At least I know that is what happened to Justin.

But I was really thinking about HS more than anything else.

Now that I have read this and thought a little more, I guess the question is, when you have two good SS's and you want both of them in the lineup, how do you choose? Do you go with the better SS or do you go with which one you think will be a better outfielder and put him there based on speed or other issues?

My son went through the shortstop moved to center scenario last year on JV. He was told to spend the year at short with the plan being playing short on varsity this year. After the cf'er got injured and a few balls went up the gaps my son was moved to center. The JV coach said he could handle someone else not playing short as well, better than he could handle base clearing gappers that should have been caught. You play where it best benefits the team.

So your coach was more interested in having a fast outfield than infield. Thanks.

quote:

Now that I have read this and thought a little more, I guess the question is, when you have two good SS's and you want both of them in the lineup, how do you choose? Do you go with the better SS or do you go with which one you think will be a better outfielder and put him there based on speed or other issues?

It seems that you're really asking whether your best player should be in CF or at SS. RJM makes a good point. The decision should be on what is best for the team and your personal philosophy on which 'problem' you'd rather have....

BTW, we lost 5-3 yesterday in large part because their CF made at least three difficult catches. We almost won when their SS made an error....I wish their coach had switched those two guys...

quote:

Originally posted by Doughnutman:
So your coach was more interested in having a fast outfield than infield. Thanks.

He was more interested in seeing base clearing doubles caught. If a high school infielder makes the routine plays the team is usually OK. When balls start falling in the gaps the team is in trouble.

A mistake in the IF is a single; a mistake in the OF is at least two, maybe more. The higher the level, the more important the OF is and Strength Up the Middle includes SS & CF.

An OFer needs to be fast; a MIFer needs to be quick; two related, but qualitatively different characteristics. And it's real tough to teach wheels.

HS kids generally regard SS as the glam spot, but I'd be willing to bet for every Big Deal SS your son can name, he can name at least one Big Deal CFer. (Try that with 2nd, third, or the corner OFers)

But RJM is spot on --- what's best for the team?

We like speed both in the outfield as well as at short and second

A middle infielder with an exceptional arm will make up for lack of speed by playing deep. He will get to more balls than a faster SS with a weaker arm that needs to play shallow or cheat. As the game gets faster the arm is the thing. An arm is great in the OF but flat out speed gets you to the ball. There are 2 sides to the coin ....

What about centerfield and right field? Would you sacrifice a little speed in center to put a faster guy with a cannon in right just because of his arm?

When the centerfielder on my son's HS team moved out of position, my son was moved over from right to play CF. He was the 2nd option at CF. No infielders including the SS played OF or one or one faster outfielder didn't play there. I assume it was done this way because the best outfielders were the ones who played there regularly. My son wasn't the second fastest but I think his coach felt he was the quickest at getting to balls. He was a take-charge outfielder who communicated well with his fielders and would have been an above-average centerfielder if he played there regularly. However, our regular centerfielder was very fast. One of the fastest in the county and could cover a ton of ground. Our outfield had good speed.

quote:

What about centerfield and right field? Would you sacrifice a little speed in center to put a faster guy with a cannon in right just because of his arm?

I think it can be done as long as you don't give up much speed and the player you put in CF can get to balls and the guy in RF is comfortable chasing down those slicing shots which is a common complaint by outfielders who are moved to RF with little experience there. IMO, a cannon for an arm in right is as key as a fast centerfielder.

Yeah my coach said he wouldn't be surprised if I was moved out into the outfield in college mainly because of speed

still prefer the MIF any day tho =/

Doughnutman ... son's HS coach likes a speedy outfield. We have had lots of IF errors this spring, and coach considered moving son to 3B (where he split time last season as a junior). In the end, he told son he "didn't want to mess up his outfield".

RJM,
Sounds like possibly a lack of communication between the varsity and JV coaches. Is it more important to win JV games or to develop next year's varsity shortstop? Obviously there are a lot of variables we don't have any insight to that could have affected the decision.

Where's he playing this year?

quote:

Originally posted by CADad:
RJM,
Sounds like possibly a lack of communication between the varsity and JV coaches. Is it more important to win JV games or to develop next year's varsity shortstop? Obviously there are a lot of variables we don't have any insight to that could have affected the decision.

Where's he playing this year?

The varsity coach starts tracking kids in the middle school. He'll attend games that don't conflict with his schedule. In 8th grade on two occasions he asked the middle school coach to play my son in center. I don't know what communications took place the following year with the JV and varsity coach. I would't ask. But this year (soph year) the varsity coach said he may switch him to center next year after the player graduates.

He's starting at third on varsity this year. A junior projected to start at second played short last summer and did well. I'll guess the coach went with seniority and experience at short. The kid was a utilty player last year who got some starts around the infield. He has very good hands. Between the two of them they're a wall on the left side. With a first baseman who can pick it they're not afraid to make any off balance throw.

I asked my son if he thought playing half the season in center cost him the shortstop job. His response was, "Who cares. I'm starting." He really likes playing third. He'll play short on his travel team.

quote:

asked my son if he thought playing half the season in center cost him the shortstop job. His response was, "Who cares. I'm starting." He really likes playing third. He'll play short on his travel team.

Thats what most good players say. they are in the line up. sounds like some good D on the left side.

Don't forget the pitching. If he is projected as the number one next year, the coach may not want him at SS. Outfield/pitching combos are a lot easier to deal with than pitcher/SS combos.

I have always put the players in the posistions that helps my team have the best chance to win. If moving a kid from SS to CF makes us better then that is what I am going to do. And the player above all else should want his team to be the strongest it can be. If that means by him moving to CF the team has a better chance to win he should be good with it. When a player is in HS he may be the best SS but he may be needed more in CF. Or he may be the best 3B but may be needed more at 1B. There are many times the best option at a certain posistion is moved to a posistion that does not have an adequate player to defend. This will happen when another player is adequate at that posistion but not at the posistion the player was moved to.

At the next level you will find that players will almost always play the posistion they are best suited to play.