Mixed Slowpitch strategy question

[Sylvanfan]

Since this isn't pro sports I'll put this in here since there are a few CP'ers who play slow pitch.

So I'm playing in a mixed slow pitch league this year. Being relatively new to the area (South Okanagan not Calgary) I ended up on a patch work team of new players. As a result the female players on our team are not particulary good and aren't the types who played ball as kids.

So you have to put 4 of them on the field and we have 1 who can kind of catch the ball. Where can you hide 3 of them on the field and get away with it? Catcher is obvious, Rover seems like another one, the one who can kind of catch...maybe first base? Although if your first base only catches half of the balls thrown that way you'll give up 7 runs a lot, so maybe third base is better if she's agile and award enough to dodge the odd line drive and not get hurt? As for the other one, one of the outfield positions, or 2nd base and switch with the shortstop if it's a left handed hitter?

[sixpacked]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Since this isn't pro sports I'll put this in here since there are a few CP'ers who play slow pitch.

So I'm playing in a mixed slow pitch league this year. Being relatively new to the area (South Okanagan not Calgary) I ended up on a patch work team of new players. As a result the female players on our team are not particulary good and aren't the types who played ball as kids.

So you have to put 4 of them on the field and we have 1 who can kind of catch the ball. Where can you hide 3 of them on the field and get away with it? Catcher is obvious, Rover seems like another one, the one who can kind of catch...maybe first base? Although if your first base only catches half of the balls thrown that way you'll give up 7 runs a lot, so maybe third base is better if she's agile and award enough to dodge the odd line drive and not get hurt? As for the other one, one of the outfield positions, or 2nd base and switch with the shortstop if it's a left handed hitter?

Catcher, rover, 2nd and if the one who can catch good is very good, I would put her at first. However if she only catches tehm every so often I would put her at third. Remember it's a long throw from third to first. And given that you said it isn't pro sports, what is point of having the SS switch to 2nd depending on the batter. Not only will you alienate that player, how will their skills improve? In addition, if I was playing you and you did that, I try would try my damdnest to smoke every ball I could at that SS.

[IronDave]

Yeah it's tough, catcher is a no brainer especially if you have another player (pitcher usually) cover it when needed and rover can be called off, but definately have a good player at first and leave second base to a weaker player. Its a key base if you have the players but can be avoided throwing to and SS can cover it. That's just how our team plays. And if you're real lucky find girl who can pitch and you're laughing.

[CaptainCrunch]

Put one in Left field, its pretty rare that anyone hits with power there in mixed slo-pitch.

We never wanted a bad player at rover.

2nd base is another place to put somebody terrible.
Catcher obviously.

Can she pitch, it is slow pitch and there's something funny about hearing a scream of terror everytime a batter hits a line drive.

[FlamesKickAss]

I would not put a female at 3rd, that is where most people will hit the ball especiallyy if there is a weaker player there. A hit to the outfield is just as bad as bot catching the ball at first, have her work on keeping it in front of get t first though as it's the over throws and past balls that will make a difference

[octothorp]

I'd discourage switching your girl from second to shortstop when a lefty gets up; I've never seen anyone do it, and it just seems like a rude thing to do. I'm not sure that's even legal. Just have your short play further left and make sure your rover is in position.

As for first base, I'd say it depends on how accurate your other infielders (particularly shortstop) are and how tall this girl is. An inaccurate shortstop and a short first-baseman is a recipe for disaster, even if she can catch. As others have said, having your other players cover is really important, as is communication. On the team I play with, our girls haven't gotten a lot better at catching or throwing, but they've become a lot smarter about the game, and that makes a huge difference.

[jydk]

Originally Posted by FlamesKickAss

I would not put a female at 3rd, that is where most people will hit the ball especiallyy if there is a weaker player there. A hit to the outfield is just as bad as bot catching the ball at first, have her work on keeping it in front of get t first though as it's the over throws and past balls that will make a difference

What? Lol. Shouldn't you be studying for an exam there, FKA?

[Sylvanfan]

Yeah, pitcher would be a bonus given that anything hit at the pitcher is an automatic out. But try to find a girl who hasn't played much ball who doesn't walk every one. Plus they're out for fun and want to be out of the way in the field as much as anything so many don't like being pitcher. Really you want to make sure they are having fun so they'll still show up. Nothing worse than having to forfeit half your games because you only have 2 girls and 9 guys show up.

I actually found that 2nd base can be an important position, because you can turn double plays if you have two good fielders up the middle since most people don't run very good. Plus most guys in this league aren't great hitters either so more balls end up being hit towards 2nd or short if they're ground balls.

[loob job]

Yeah, don't put a girl on third, she'll get killed.

[REDVAN]

Pitcher, catcher, 1st, 2nd, rover, right field, and center field.

I have never seen a girl play ss, 3rd, lf.

And rarely have I seen center or pitcher, but there are some who do...

When you have 4 girls on the field: catcher, 2nd, rover, and then hopefully your 4th girl is good enough to play a position that she's used to. If she's not, then you have to remember that it's just for fun.

[IronDave]

Originally Posted by REDVAN

If she's not, then you have to remember that it's just for fun.

Because you're going to get slaughtered

[Kerplunk]

The obvious are catcher, rover, and 2nd. If one can catch, you could get away with right field and 1st, or center if she can catch and can run. Short and 3rd are the strong side for most people, so a hit that way is usually going faster; putting someone there that can't react is asking for injuries.

[chid]

tbqh, many of the girls on our team are better than some of the men...
but rover, catcher, and right field are pretty good spots for the girls who have little to no experience with slo-pitch or catching.

[Cowperson]

Catcher, right field, second base and, if one of them can catch adequately, first.

I'd hesitate putting an inexperienced person as a pitcher . . . . we had one girl having to have her face reconstructed in that situation. She was pretty and it wasn't pretty what happened to her. It seems like the obvious thing to do but, you know, think about what might happen that close to the plate.

Put a great player at rover and he can cover behind an inexperienced second baseman or move out cover a right fielder, depending on which side the batter is at. In that case a rover is really the guy covering up your inadequate players.

The strategy in mixed should always be to run the other team out of "outs." There are only 27 in a seven inning game and the big failing of most slowpitch teams is not taking that seriously. Throwing to the wrong base, not holding runners up . . . . you can do a lot for yourself just playing the game properly. Because, you know, the other side probably isn't going to do that if we're talking lower level mixed.

Cowperson

[JayP]

Originally Posted by Cowperson

The strategy in mixed should always be to run the other team out of "outs." There are only 27 in a seven inning game and the big failing of most slowpitch teams is not taking that seriously. Throwing to the wrong base, not holding runners up . . . . you can do a lot for yourself just playing the game properly. Because, you know, the other side probably isn't going to do that if we're talking lower level mixed.

That's really the best advice you can give to any new slo-pitch team. Don't throw the ball around the yard and worry about making the safe play and not the spectacular one. If you do that you can avoid those painful singles-into-homers that happen frequently at low levels of slo-pitch because there's a pile of overthrows on plays where it's just best to cut your losses and move on to the next hitter.

As for the actual OP, 1B is probably the worst option unless the girl can catch consistently. When you say kind of catch - that's not good enough for 1st base. Not only will she be dropping routine catches (from the sounds of it), but there's no way a girl like that is going to be able to do anything with an off-line throw.

A lot of it really depends on the other team and the quality of the league. If you're in a particularly low-level league, you're going to see almost every hitter pull the ball every time. So if you have a righty heavy team you can put girls at 2B and RF. If it's a more even lefty-righty balance then put the girl at 3B and rover and shade your best fielder in at CF to compensate for rover. A lot of teams avoid putting a girl at 3B, but I've found it's a pretty effective strategy. There's not a lot of good third basemen out there in slo-pitch that can make the tough play on the corner and still have a strong enough arm to get the runner off the long throw. If you can find a girl that can at least knock the ball down and keep it in the infield you're doing as well as most guys would.

[Sylvanfan]

There is no question that in slow pitch, most of the time the easiest out on ground balls usually isn't at first base. Especially when you can't lead off, and have to go on contact, and you can't over run the bases or slide. Even on soft liners you can get outs at second base. In fact most of the time rather than bother with run downs....force the runner back to the base rather than risk throwing it away and having that runner on third. 75% of the time a good guy running will get out of the run down in slow pitch.

[squiggs96]

I always find when you have a weaker girl it is better to put them at 3rd base over 1st base. Way too often you see a throw go over to 1st that is not perfect, and may only be an inch or two away from the target, but the girls don't move their glove or body. Yes you are going to have some infield singles if a weaker arm or defence plays third base, but what good is having three strong fielders in the infield if the ball gets dropped or goes through the first basemen. Your shortstop and first basemen need to be your two best infielders.

Teach one of the girls to pitch. Then you can play them pitcher, catcher, second and rover.

[troutman]

Less strategy, more hot pants.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by chid

tbqh, many of the girls on our team are better than some of the men...

[Aeneas]

Originally Posted by JayP

That's really the best advice you can give to any new slo-pitch team. Don't throw the ball around the yard and worry about making the safe play and not the spectacular one. If you do that you can avoid those painful singles-into-homers that happen frequently at low levels of slo-pitch because there's a pile of overthrows on plays where it's just best to cut your losses and move on to the next hitter.

As for the actual OP, 1B is probably the worst option unless the girl can catch consistently. When you say kind of catch - that's not good enough for 1st base. Not only will she be dropping routine catches (from the sounds of it), but there's no way a girl like that is going to be able to do anything with an off-line throw.

A lot of it really depends on the other team and the quality of the league. If you're in a particularly low-level league, you're going to see almost every hitter pull the ball every time. So if you have a righty heavy team you can put girls at 2B and RF. If it's a more even lefty-righty balance then put the girl at 3B and rover and shade your best fielder in at CF to compensate for rover. A lot of teams avoid putting a girl at 3B, but I've found it's a pretty effective strategy. There's not a lot of good third basemen out there in slo-pitch that can make the tough play on the corner and still have a strong enough arm to get the runner off the long throw. If you can find a girl that can at least knock the ball down and keep it in the infield you're doing as well as most guys would.

Agreed. If you have the right girl, it's great. I like to have guys at 2 and SS for the double plays.