Softball Team Defense

[maddash]

I always had/have issues with throwing a softball in from the outfield. I'm so used to throwing a smaller baseball that when it comes time to palm the softball and chucking it in, I have to use a very deliberate motion. I'd throw a baseball like a fastball, where it would roll off the two fingers, and getting used to palming a softball and throwing it was never one of my strong suits.

[BenNX74205]

I didn't go hard on anybody at the game. I don't expect every play to be made in the field in a softball game. The entire outfield only had 1 misplay and that was a guy who had unexpected power. Every other catchable ball to the outfield was made, including one guy up against the fence (guy went up there swinging at everything inside, and I gave him one a foot off the plate he hit a lot farther than he had any right to).

I was just frustrated because I was actually getting people to hit the ball on the ground or pop stuff up, but the grounders weren't turning into outs. Hence the rant.

I never really had trouble getting used to catching a softball at first, and I use my old fielder's mitt from when I last played ball (8th grade--so basically it's a nice size for a softball infielder), but that could be that I outside of the two short seasons I played college club baseball, I haven't played baseball in the last 10 years.

[JCShutout]

You're too used to playing with gold glove caliber first basemen who also occasionally used a hockey goalie's trapper in softball. With that unnamed defensive stalwart leading the team, you would have had two shutouts.

[BenNX74205]

You're too used to playing with gold glove caliber first basemen who also occasionally used a hockey goalie's trapper in softball. With that unnamed defensive stalwart leading the team, you would have had two shutouts.

Yes, we really could have used that guy. Dunno if I would have had two shut outs, because I probably gave up enough legit hits for them to score some runs (it's softball--you don't shut people out), but this mysterious hockey fan of a first baseman would have been quite the asset.

[Spider John]

I used to play softball two or three times a week, plus tournaments on Friday night and Saturdays, and would play a baseball doubleheader on Sunday, and I don't remember having much trouble switching between the two balls when fielding, but that doesn't mean others don't. I do know that softball in general had more hard hit infield grounders and line drives than baseball, and you are closer to the batter since the bases are closer. It also makes a difference if you don't play on a regular basis, since it takes a bit to get your skills back. Maybe with a little time they will all improve.

Maybe if you brushed a few batters back you might keep them from digging in and getting good rips.

[BenNX74205]

Maybe if you brushed a few batters back you might keep them from digging in and getting good rips.

Oh I made sure to come in on the guys standing right on top of the plate. I also worked the outside when guys were standing way back. I worked up, down, left, and right. The ump wasn't giving me much in the way of called strikes--apparently the ball had to land between the back of the plate and the back of the batter's box for him to call it a strike, instead of, you know, looking at where the ball was crossing the plate.

The best player on the other team got a good hit off me in the first game, but I kep pitching him inside and he kept trying to pull it only to fly out to left. Except his last at bat, where he did the same thing only it was caught about a foot in front of the wall. He wasn't happy about missing a HR, but he shouldn't be swinging at pitches a foot inside.

[cardsfansince82]

I've played on everything from beer league to pretty competitive and I've only gotten mad at someone once. Usually I'm just out there to have a good time and don't really care what was going on. But when I was in college we were playing a rival fraternity in the intramural championship. We were good but didn't take things too seriously. They were dicks that took everything way too seriously. We were up one with two outs in the last half inning. A guy hit a sharp single to me in left and a guy was trying to score from second. I made an absolutely perfect throw that beat him to the plate by 15 feet. Somehow our catcher managed to completely whiff the ball and it hit him in the chest. Guy scores, next guy hits a homerun and we lose. I was so pissed that I didn't talk to the catcher for a week. I wasn't really mad at him so much that I was mad that we missed a chance to stick it to these dbags.

As for softball itself, I never had any trouble with the conversion to playing defense in softball vs. baseball. And I use my baseball glove which is small even for baseball standards. I still haven't figured out how to hit a homerun though. I eventually just gave up and shortened up to hit a sharp single or double everytime rather than really trying to drive the ball.

[Bo Hart]

I started my first year of softball this year (beer league). I can't believe how fun it is. We're 0-4 so far and we've got demolished, but I'm just having a blast.

The only bad part so far was when I was buzzing pretty good in the outfield and had this line drive coming my way. I was somewhat disoriented and I couldn't focus on it that well, and I ended up completely missing it with my glove and getting drilled in my shoulder. It hurt for like five days. I thought it was hysterical though.

Anyway, our team defense is absolutely laughably bad. Even the athletic jocks on our team are terrible fielders. I don't think a single one of our guys can consistently field a ball, despite the fact that we have some pretty athletic guys.

[Radio_Bugtussle]

I never blamed the pitcher for giving up runs in softball. I did blame the fielders plenty. Outs are hard enough to come by--you don't need to give the other team freebies.

Exactly. The other team will hit the ball eventually-- and they'll hit it hard somewhere.

The glove comments elsewhere are on target. I see guys with gloves intended for baseball have trouble handling a softball. Get the biggest glove the law allows for softball.

Getting used to the larger ball shouldn't take that long. I also play on a vintage base ball team. Remembering to take my glove into the field for softball is more of an issue here. Vintage base ballists don't use such ridiculous things.

Saw a girls high school team get pounded one night in large part because some total eejitt of a know it all coach sold the infielders on having small gloves. The ball kept squirting out of the glove on a cold (31 degree/19 degree wind chill night) The other team had larger gloves and had no problems with the slick ball and slick gloves.

[M1IRONMIKE]

If you only gave up 24 runs in a doubleheader you should have got out of there with 2 victories if your team has any hitting ability at all. I played slow pitch for 15 years and probably played anywhere from 50 to 100 games a summer. It is a hitters game obviously and towards the end to be quite honest defense was an afterthought. Making the routine plays 75 percent of the time was the best you could hope for from older teams but older teams always knew that they could and would put a 12 spot on you in the next inning. Bat technology has put fear into the minds of infielders as the ball jumps off the bat at rocket speeds now. If you were getting ground balls it is likely your fielders were a little hesitant because of this.

The best defense in softball is a great offense!