How many steps in and over do you teach your SS to move in in a DP situation.
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Depends on his range, ability to turn it, arm strength and ability to judge the ball off the bat. Every kid is different. The best don't move much more than a step or two at most. Others move 5 steps over and two in.
Doughnutman is exactly right. Either infielder needs to be able to get to the bag with time to spare on routine DP balls. You don't want them so far away that they are catching the feed on a dead run...they need to get to the bag early and anticipate a bad throw. No way they can react to a bad throw if they are too far away and are sprinting to the bag and catching the ball at the same time.
I'm thinkin 2 in and 2 over
Cball,
I don't mind the two over, but the two in really hurts a kids range. If you have to cheat too much just to turn two, MI might not be your best choice of positions.
I don't mind the two over, but the two in really hurts a kids range. If you have to cheat too much just to turn two, MI might not be your best choice of positions.
DM
Why is it cheating? It's just moving in to receive the ball quicker to start the DP. I agree a ball in the hole will have a better chance of getting through for a hit, but it is a percentage play like so many other things in baseball.
Why is it cheating? It's just moving in to receive the ball quicker to start the DP. I agree a ball in the hole will have a better chance of getting through for a hit, but it is a percentage play like so many other things in baseball.
cball,
I don't mean anything by it. I mean I don't like it when a kid gives up the hole. I should have used "shading in two steps" instead of "cheating." My bad.
It is just personal preference. I have seen too many kids move way over for a double play and give up an easy out in the hole. It is just my opinion. Kids tend to shade too much up the middle. If you are standing 10 feet from second, the DP is easy when the ball is hit up the middle. Unfortunately, if you have both shading in a lot to turn two you give up one position. Both holes are open and bloops will kill you. When you kill your range, IMO, you might as well play the corners.
I don't mean anything by it. I mean I don't like it when a kid gives up the hole. I should have used "shading in two steps" instead of "cheating." My bad.
It is just personal preference. I have seen too many kids move way over for a double play and give up an easy out in the hole. It is just my opinion. Kids tend to shade too much up the middle. If you are standing 10 feet from second, the DP is easy when the ball is hit up the middle. Unfortunately, if you have both shading in a lot to turn two you give up one position. Both holes are open and bloops will kill you. When you kill your range, IMO, you might as well play the corners.
I agree you give a little something up to gain the advantage of repositioning for a DP but it's done at all levels of the game.
I guess what I'm looking for is, is there a standard?
I guess what I'm looking for is, is there a standard?
Do you teach your fielders and pitchers to "read the bat"?
Bob
Bob
Bob,
what do you mean by "read the bat"?
what do you mean by "read the bat"?
Do you want the 10 minute or 10 hour comment?
Many of the ML players read the bat, starting when the hitter is "on deck". They watch his swing - upper cut, level and swing down.
When they are in the field, their feet on in motion
they know their pitcher [sinker ball, rising fast ball, breaking ball] then they react before the ball is hit. Delmon made a specular catch at age 16 against the Japan National Team. I asked Delmon how?
He said that he noticed the Japanese LH hitters w/ 2 strikes went "inside" out and did not pull.
He played RF and was in motion before contact with a great "game saving" catch in right center.
This is called "proper thinking".
Read the book "Nine Sides of the Diamond".
Each player must self teach. "Field the ball with the left ear". From Pat Kelley, now Mariners scout in Australia, former Yankee infielder.
When we travel with pro scouts and former ML players
our dinner discussions are centered on history.
Do you know Dave LaRoche, Jim Lentine, Pat Kelley,
Don Slaugh?
Bob
Many of the ML players read the bat, starting when the hitter is "on deck". They watch his swing - upper cut, level and swing down.
When they are in the field, their feet on in motion
they know their pitcher [sinker ball, rising fast ball, breaking ball] then they react before the ball is hit. Delmon made a specular catch at age 16 against the Japan National Team. I asked Delmon how?
He said that he noticed the Japanese LH hitters w/ 2 strikes went "inside" out and did not pull.
He played RF and was in motion before contact with a great "game saving" catch in right center.
This is called "proper thinking".
Read the book "Nine Sides of the Diamond".
Each player must self teach. "Field the ball with the left ear". From Pat Kelley, now Mariners scout in Australia, former Yankee infielder.
When we travel with pro scouts and former ML players
our dinner discussions are centered on history.
Do you know Dave LaRoche, Jim Lentine, Pat Kelley,
Don Slaugh?
Bob
Got it. Prepare, know your pitcher and watch for tendiencies
quote:I agree you give a little something up to gain the advantage of repositioning for a DP but it's done at all levels of the game.
I guess what I'm looking for is, is there a standard?
As others have already mentioned, the answer varies depending upon the quickness of the fielders, the speed of the runners, the hitting tendencies of the batter and the pitching strategy. In MLB, they pretty much already know all of this information for all players or they have advance scouts to give them reports. But as a general rule-of-thumb, two in and two over is as good as anything if you don't have any better information to go on.