Pitchers' fielding duties

[Crystol Owens Brown]

I am curious to what you expect your pitchers fielding duties once they pitched the ball? I have heard that the pitcher just pitches the ball and to let her infield work. Why overwork the pitcher, right? Then, I heard the pitcher becomes part of infield once the ball is release...even the area they should cover varies. Anywhere from the circle and near the circle to all the way to each base line and in front of the catcher...since it is harder for the catcher to get up, right? I am just curious to what other people think about concerning the pitchers fielding duties.

 

[Rocketech1]

All pitchers should be able to field their position until if and when they are called off by the other fielders. They can and should attempt to field any ball close to them, cover home on passed balls/wild pitches and back up throws coming to home plate from the outfielders to name just a few duties. Once the ball is put in play, every defensive players should be doing something. Somebody said the three B's. Get the Ball, if not cover the Base, if not Backup a throw.

 

[marriard]

I am curious to what you expect your pitchers fielding duties once they pitched the ball? I have heard that the pitcher just pitches the ball and to let her infield work. Why overwork the pitcher, right? Then, I heard the pitcher becomes part of infield once the ball is release...even the area they should cover varies. Anywhere from the circle and near the circle to all the way to each base line and in front of the catcher...since it is harder for the catcher to get up, right? I am just curious to what other people think about concerning the pitchers fielding duties.

Catch easy popups back to her
Field come backers (i.e. grounders right back to them)
Field bunts until called off (on this years team our P fields most short bunts to the right side, as we crash our 2B not our 1B as our 1B has throwing issues)
Catch line drives hit right back at her (or at least protect herself)
Cover the plate on wild pitches/passed balls
Field cutoffs from outfield throws coming to home
Situational backups of 3rd and home

Now, if an infielder calls her off she is low person on the order - she gives way to EVERYONE else. But unless that happens, she is a fielder just like all the other players out there.

 

[riseball]

The only thing I really prefer my pitcher not do is go backwards for a fly ball. That said I have had some make some amazing plays in no-mans land.

 

[marriard]

The only thing I really prefer my pitcher not do is go backwards for a fly ball. That said I have had some make some amazing plays in no-mans land.

Agree there. Our SS/2B better be making that play coming forward on any flyball the P would think about backing up on.

 

[riseball]

She fields only in the circle on pops ups and a few feet in front of her on bunts. For ground balls the width of the circle only. I have tried to have her cover on some things when first must stay back and she came too close to a collision with the runner, etc., so I have since nixed that permanently. I find that 'boundaries' are necessary to keep order in the infield. I have gone so far as to draw them in the dirt, and only allowed two fielders to own those spots, by hierarchy.

There is an infield pop up hierarchy in one of the coaching books.

You may get away with that in REC or HS but a good 14U TB team would eat you alive with well executed small ball.

PS - I have found that great on field communication is much better than arbitrary "boundaries".

 

[dmaeganx2]

Field anything up front of them till called off, anything they can get to on there glove side only. Backhand side I like to let the second base or SS play those balls to prevent errors on something they would field easily. Pass balls there at the plate and they back up throws to third from right and center field

 

[corlay]

one more duty to add: get in line on a run-down

 

[maksoftball]

Probably the toughest thing DD had to deal with as she is the most defensive pitcher you will meet. She is getting a lot better at relying on her IF...but she has been known to throw games where it was just her and the catcher and 1B making the outs.

 

[JAD]

Catch easy popups back to her
Field come backers (i.e. grounders right back to them)
Field bunts until called off (on this years team our P fields most short bunts to the right side, as we crash our 2B not our 1B as our 1B has throwing issues)
Catch line drives hit right back at her (or at least protect herself)
Cover the plate on wild pitches/passed balls
Field cutoffs from outfield throws coming to home
Situational backups of 3rd and home

Now, if an infielder calls her off she is low person on the order - she gives way to EVERYONE else. But unless that happens, she is a fielder just like all the other players out there.

We do something very similar, except we move our 1B in to take the outfield cutoffs, while the pitcher is backing up 3B or HP depending on where the play will be.

Depending on the situation we can also ask our pitchers to cover the 1B side of the pitching rubber on bunts, allowing 1B to stay back and cover the bag.