Fielding question

[rdbass]

Dad there will be other fly balls.

 

[doublenickel]

Dad there will be other fly balls.

My problem isn't the actual play made but the coach berating my dd loud enough for all the parents, player and even the other team to hear on a play that was properly called and played. A little perspective, my dd's last travel ball coach who played both college and pro baseball coached that third base has priority in front of the base bath to the pitching circle and the SS has priority behind the base path and the MS coach has not given much direction on anything.

 

[chinamigarden]

That play in the OP is the SS's ball if she calls for it. In fact whose ball it is really isn't the question or the concern, its why is a coach berating a player in the dugout. She should let her know what she thinks and how she wants the play handled in the future, but not in a berating fashion.

Also my ex-coach senses are asking if it was truly berating, or just a correction that is bothering a parent.

 

[T.J.]

Infield pop up five steps to the left of the third baseman, shortstop is playing just off the grass and the third baseman is playing about four steps in front of the base. The pop fly is directly to the left of where the third baseman was playing.

I understand there are times when a player gets called off by the centerfielder or shortstop...but in this case? Based on what the OP is saying...a Pop-up that is settling at a point on the field that is 4 steps IN from 3B and 4-5 steps to the left of 3B would put the shortstop a good 35-40 feet away.

Picture the scenario in your head....You have F5 playing 4 steps in...shortstop (F6) is back by the edge of the clay (just inside the grass)...the pop-up happens....all F5 has to do is shuffle to her left about 12 feet to settle under the pop-up....the shortstop meanwhile would have to hustle and charge, almost sprint to get there from playing just off the grass to safely reach the pop-up. While she is charging, F5 is already settled and waiting for the ball. Heck, the pitcher was closer to this pop-up than the shortstop was.

I understand and agree there are certain pop-ups or plays where "ideally" you would want a certain position player fielding it based on their angle and approach; but if another fielder is already there, settled and ready (and calling it) I feel you need to give way to her at that point.

Coach shouldn't have berated her. All coaches know there is "no mans land" real-estate out there where the players on the field need to do what they have to, to assure someone catches the balls hit in those areas; and sometimes it might not be pretty or in line with what was practiced. All you can do is first hope the catch is made without a train-wreck happening, then take some notes and re-visit it in the dugout and at the next practice.

 

[chinamigarden]

That is the problem, there is not another option for shortstop. I still don't understand why the SS tried to call off on a play the 3B who was camped out under and had already called for the ball. I have NEVER had a problem with a coach getting onto my child but what happened here really got under my skin. I would have understood the coach getting angry if there had been a collision or had the ball dropped between the two fielders but neither happened. I did not like the coach getting onto my dd so publicly, all of the parents could hear what she said, I even heard her and I was behind home plate and my dd and the coach was in the dugout.

5 steps to the left of the third base is directly in front of the SS. The SS is coming in with her eyes on the ball she doesn't see your dd camped, she is watching the ball and doing what she is supposed to do, get to the ball right in front of her and calling for it. According to you, she then stopped and let your dd catch the ball. There is absolutely nothing wrong with what the SS did, other then maybe playing (according to you) almost on the grass. I would forget about what the SS did, she did it right. Your problem is with the coach.

 

[MTR]

Infield pop up five steps to the left of the third baseman, shortstop is playing just off the grass and the third baseman is playing about four steps in front of the base. The pop fly is directly to the left of where the third baseman was playing. The third baseman calls for the ball and makes the play, the shortstop runs up and calls the ball too but does not interfere with the play. Who should have made the play??? Should the third baseman give way to the shortstop who had to run ten to fifteen steps to the ball, or the third baseman who took four to five steps directly to her left?

Always the player to the rear

 

[James Smith]

Obviously the behavior of the coach seems to be your big issue and the way you describe it I tend to agree with you.

The other thing about this specific play is that DD has been taught to get out of the way if someone else calls the ball even if she calls it first and she has “priority”. We will sort it out in practice, just get out of the way if someone else calls it.

 

[doublenickel]

5 steps to the left of the third base is directly in front of the SS. The SS is coming in with her eyes on the ball she doesn't see your dd camped, she is watching the ball and doing what she is supposed to do, get to the ball right in front of her and calling for it. According to you, she then stopped and let your dd catch the ball. There is absolutely nothing wrong with what the SS did, other then maybe playing (according to you) almost on the grass. I would forget about what the SS did, she did it right. Your problem is with the coach.

you are correct, the SS did nothing wrong and yes my problem is with the coach. To add to this the ball wasn't hit very high so the SS would have barely made it to the point to make the play and to those saying the player behind has priority the ball was slightly in front of the point my dd was playing so she went to her left and up about a step.

 

[T.J.]

Always the player to the rear

So what you're saying is this: Given this exact same defensive alignment....If the pop-up went to the left of the shortstop, (at the edge of the grass) where she only had to shuffle 12 feet towards 2B, is settled and waiting for the ball; she should abandon her position and give way to the center-fielder charging in 30-40 feet, saying "I Got It, I Got It"???

 

[T.J.]

5 steps to the left of the third base is directly in front of the SS. The SS is coming in with her eyes on the ball she doesn't see your dd camped, she is watching the ball and doing what she is supposed to do, get to the ball right in front of her and calling for it. According to you, she then stopped and let your dd catch the ball. There is absolutely nothing wrong with what the SS did, other then maybe playing (according to you) almost on the grass. I would forget about what the SS did, she did it right. Your problem is with the coach.

You're right China...the SS did everything right. Ideally it was probably a play she could/should make, but she intuitively pulled off.