Lefty infielder other than 1st

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Thanks cjs , nice to see one of your posts again.

 

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I have seen some lefty SS's do a good job at younger ages, but they are more rare then common.

I agree as they get older you will not see many if any at high level travel ball, but have seen some in high school.

I think a lefty can be considered for SS if they are clearly better then other options.

Otherwise only option I see is catcher and 1st. JMHO

 

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Which raises interesting questions: how much of our coaching is the result of what we as coaches have been programmed, either consciously or subconsciously, to think is "normal"? Does that "normalcy" programming fairly treat the player who is asking for the opportunity to put our senses of normality to the test? Are we justified in throwing up barriers and ignoring the prospect that a particular kid might have the talent to blast those barriers away?

As coaches, players and parents we are far safer to do everything the way that it has always been done. We have a tremendous amount of baggage that we've drug in from baseball. Softball is a substantially different game and the 'Truth' just don't automatically transfer from one game to the other. The rules-of-thumb need to be challenged and if found wanting, then discarded. This lefty in the infield question is simply one of those questions. The size of the field and the girl/boy differences all effect the game at its fundamental level. Yet most of our cherished traditions are blindly handed down from baseball.

A speedy lefty batter plays a much more important role in our game than in baseball. You are beginning to see teams batting 3 or 4 lefties in their line-up. The coaches are going to have to find places to play these girls when all the traditional spots are consumed. 2b seems like a logical place. Not to play a kid there simply because she is a lefty when she has the talent does her a great disservice.

 

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Well I'll put this out there. We have a left handed girl that is a absolute beast in CF goes and gets it and has a cannon of a arm, but wants to play infield.

She is a game changer in cf so think it more important for her to be there then put her somewhere else and weaken outfield, so she can play where she wants.

 

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A speedy lefty batter plays a much more important role in our game than in baseball. You are beginning to see teams batting 3 or 4 lefties in their line-up. The coaches are going to have to find places to play these girls when all the traditional spots are consumed. 2b seems like a logical place. Not to play a kid there simply because she is a lefty when she has the talent does her a great disservice.

Buckeye Heat 95 has four natural lefties and 2 who TR/BL. In any particular game, therefore, that team could be batting six lefties, four of whom might be in the field TL. That line-up sometimes includes a lefty 1B, a lefty 2B, a lefty C, and a lefty LF. The odd thing is that none of these lefty players have been artificially "forced" into their fielding positions. These are the positions that they have pursued since they were playing 10U ball.

It will be interesting (and hopefully fun) to see how that team performs in those games in which there are six left-handed batters.

 

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I would put a lefty anywhere if it contributed to our best lineup. I used to have a lefty SS in travel ball. It will be rare to see a lefty at 2B, SS and 3B in college because by then, the talent level of the players will be close enough that the disadvantages of being left-handed will likely make the righty the better option.

I don't think playing a lefty at 2B, SS or 3B in high school or travel hurts that player for recruiting, though, as any college coach will see the athlete and simply transfer her to the OF in their mind. It probably actually helps them, as the college coach is probably thinking that this girl is a good enough athlete to be placed in the infield, despite being a lefty.

I don't see a lefty at 2B being much of a disadvantage. As someone above said, they are more natural for covering 1B on bunts. You won't get 6-4-3 DPs, but that will cost you maybe one out per season. And they are in a better position to start a 4-6-3 DP. The angle of a throw to 1B on a ground ball is a tad awkward, but not likely to cost a team more than one or maybe two outs per season.

 

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Well I'll put this out there. We have a left handed girl that is a absolute beast in CF goes and gets it and has a cannon of a arm, but wants to play infield.

She is a game changer in cf so think it more important for her to be there then put her somewhere else and weaken outfield, so she can play where she wants.

Simple....you play her infield when you play teams that you know you can beat, esp. a team that doesn't have big sticks in the line-up. There is always a way if you just take the time to think about it.