2B's footwork turning a double play?

[ANNASDAD]

I'm coaching MS baseball, but this applies to the same age group in softball. I always received the ball from the 3B and SS with my left foot on the back corner of the bag then cleared myself just before the throw to 1B. My issue is these small boys are having an problem getting anything on the throw, this is the first time these boys have had to make that 90' throw to first!

Just curious if any of you are teaching any different footwork around the bag, these kids are wanting to come across the bag and throw from inside the baseline, problem there is their accuracy while throwing on the run.

My way, the way I described above is with a perfect throw, I understand the throw dictates exactly where I receive the ball and that will dictate my footwork, and trust me.......I haven't seen many perfect throws yet! It's looking like the force at second may just be good enough for now!

 

[Hawk_]

Played 2nd all the way through college and its a timing thing. If I get to the bag early, I'm back corner of the bag with the left foot and clearing towards the outfield. If I get there late and I'm moving forward then same spot on the bag but I clear towards the infield as that's the way my momentum is taking me.

 

[_MIA_]

 

[_MIA_]

I played SS my whole life until I got to college and then had to play 2nd for a year..damn pain in the arse turning DP at 2nd

 

[_MIA_]

Just work with them on the proper way of doing it. The arm strength will come..assuming they are throwing correctly...

 

[EC22]

Just work with them on the proper way of doing it. The arm strength will come..assuming they are throwing correctly...

Good answer IMO. Teach proper technique, results come later. We threw at base stealers at a young age, never really thinking we'd make outs. Usually resulted in runs when asked why we try, I'd say learn now so when we can we will while they learn.

 

[ANNASDAD]

Just work with them on the proper way of doing it. The arm strength will come..assuming they are throwing correctly...

This is my third week with them, there’s not a lot that’s going on correctly! Three of them play TB, one thinks he’s the second coming of Derek Jeter.......he’s not!

I haven’t been around MS boys in a good while, without sounding mean, they’re pretty stupid!

These boys probably average 115 pounds, that’s purely a guess though, small kids, we played our first game yesterday, an away game at a much bigger school. We lost 5-4, it was somewhat a victory in my mind, their starting pitcher was 5’11”, maybe 6’0” and weighed 240, the reliever was 6’1” and 190, both 8th graders, I thought they somehow screwed up and we were playing their varsity?

We were ahead 4-3 with one inning to go, yeah, I was shocked! But 3 boneheaded plays later we hand delivered the tying run and then the go ahead in the bottom of the last inning.

We had a bases loaded catchers interference that killed our momentum, our catcher is by far our leader, he looked at me and said “sorry coach, I’m just so excited at the moment!!” Our SS threw a ball wide to 1B on a routine ground ball he played beautifully, our 2B covered a steal instead of our SS, beautiful throw that had the runner dead, 2B just flat out missed the ball?

In our meeting afterwards, the only kid I called out, and I did it nicely mind you, was the 2B. I asked him, “hey ****, what made you cover 2B on that steal over your SS? Now this kids funny, he said “well coach, I don’t know..........cause I beat him there?” I smiled and said, okay, good answer, now let’s get this straight right here today, I want our SS to cover on a straight steal......yes sir!

They haven’t been on a field in over a year, me and the other coach are new, didn’t know what to expect, overall there was a lot of good, and a lot of bad! Just young and inexperienced, and panicked trying to hold a lead against a team that was just better.

 

[Hawk_]

This is my third week with them, there’s not a lot that’s going on correctly! Three of them play TB, one thinks he’s the second coming of Derek Jeter.......he’s not!

I haven’t been around MS boys in a good while, without sounding mean, they’re pretty stupid!

These boys probably average 115 pounds, that’s purely a guess though, small kids, we played our first game yesterday, an away game at a much bigger school. We lost 5-4, it was somewhat a victory in my mind, their starting pitcher was 5’11”, maybe 6’0” and weighed 240, the reliever was 6’1” and 190, both 8th graders, I thought they somehow screwed up and we were playing their varsity?

We were ahead 4-3 with one inning to go, yeah, I was shocked! But 3 boneheaded plays later we hand delivered the tying run and then the go ahead in the bottom of the last inning.

We had a bases loaded catchers interference that killed our momentum, our catcher is by far our leader, he looked at me and said “sorry coach, I’m just so excited at the moment!!” Our SS threw a ball wide to 1B on a routine ground ball he played beautifully, our 2B covered a steal instead of our SS, beautiful throw that had the runner dead, 2B just flat out missed the ball?

In our meeting afterwards, the only kid I called out, and I did it nicely mind you, was the 2B. I asked him, “hey ****, what made you cover 2B on that steal over your SS? Now this kids funny, he said “well coach, I don’t know..........cause I beat him there?” I smiled and said, okay, good answer, now let’s get this straight right here today, I want our SS to cover on a straight steal......yes sir!

They haven’t been on a field in over a year, me and the other coach are new, didn’t know what to expect, overall there was a lot of good, and a lot of bad! Just young and inexperienced, and panicked trying to hold a lead against a team that was just better.

I just put together in my head that you are coaching the same age as my son. He plays 2nd pretty much exclusively. At this point they pretty much should know where to be and what they are doing. My son runs our defense from second base, positions everyone on the field based on situations. We work on DPlays every practice, not just with our starting MI but the whole team. One coach at second base making sure they are getting to the right spot with the right path, another running the drill.

 

[Hawk_]

I played SS my whole life until I got to college and then had to play 2nd for a year..damn pain in the arse turning DP at 2nd

Literally footwork and getting the ball out of the dang glove. lol

 

[_MIA_]

Literally footwork and getting the ball out of the dang glove. lol

Footwork from SS a lot easier...