Utility Player?

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Dec 19, 2021
259
43
I wish there were a better term than "utility player". It's a leftover baseball term for someone that isn't good enough to play every day. Many kids can play plenty of different positions. They should be valued. Why does that player become a 2nd class citizen when they don't want to lock themselves in to just one place on the field? I hate the questionnaires that only allow for one or maybe two choices. In the last year, DD1 has played every spot on the field except catcher and 2B.

We need a better way to describe a versatile, athletic player.
 
Apr 20, 2018
4,581
113
SoCal
Just say she is a C/SS. A good SS can play 2nd,03rd and OF because they are athletes. Good catchers can play 1st and 3rd. Everything covered. My DD joined a team as a utility player (C/SS). Within 2 weeks she was the starting 3rd baseman. Hit, hit, hit.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
Just say she is a C/SS. A good SS can play 2nd,03rd and OF because they are athletes. Good catchers can play 1st and 3rd. Everything covered. My DD joined a team as a utility player (C/SS). Within 2 weeks she was the starting 3rd baseman. Hit, hit, hit.
Not sure about good catchers being able to play third. Obviously they can be trained to, but it isn't as simple as a SS transitioning to 2B/3B/1B or even OF IMO.
 
Jan 22, 2011
1,610
113
Just say she is a C/SS. A good SS can play 2nd,03rd and OF because they are athletes. Good catchers can play 1st and 3rd. Everything covered. My DD joined a team as a utility player (C/SS). Within 2 weeks she was the starting 3rd baseman. Hit, hit, hit.

Love this, but the one position my DD refuses to play at a lefty is SS.
 
Feb 24, 2022
211
43
My daughter has become a utility player this past year. She's played SS for the past 4 years. Our team has 2 pitchers that also play SS. Rather than have her rotate and take her bat out of the lineup they started playing her in the OF. She's played a very good outfield this year (even though she prefers SS). So far this year she has played every outfield position, 3rd, SS, and for a long stretch 1st when we had an injury (plus, was the starting catcher on our Middle School team because we didn't have anyone else).
At a try out I would probably put her 2 best positions down (SS and OF), but make sure the coach knew that she could play any position that they need. I know it can be a little frustrating to not play the position that you want, but right now she is helping the team more by playing OF (and I actually think that's where her future is). Everything in softball is a chance to learn and grow as a player.
 
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radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
Regardless if someone wants to call them self a utility player or a specific position player in either case I would look at the ability to be a starter as an important goal.

Comment to this because there are some coaches throughout younger ages that use a player to fill the void for a fix to a weakness they can't recruit enough talent to be a strong defense.
So they put/shuffle one player in the problem spot and shuffle them around each game thinking that's the fix.
(Shuffling one player around rather than establishing a team that can be competent starting at 9 positions.
They use one person to shuffle to the position that's weakest because they don't actually have strong enough players to fill those positions. But the weaker players are still out on the field while the one who is shuffling tries to fill the problem but shuffling the one player who can do it does not actually fix the problem out of the nine on the field)
So instead of that one player developing a good strong hundred percent at one/two positions they partially learn many.
Or the exact opposite happens and the person who's shuffling is the weakest and they try and stack all the other positions while shuffling the weak person.

*Best to know one or two positions really well.
in the long run, Knowing you have a starting position and are really confident in at least one position should be on a players resume. Otherwise it will be very hard to beat out players who are 100% trained in a certain position.

Have a #1 and #2 position at a competent level that is an asset to any team. And back that up with knowing other positions is a fair way to be considering yourself a utility player.
 
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Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
I agree with others that pitcher/catcher are premium positions. If a player can fill either of those positions, that is what should be mentioned first. However, it's always helpful to list other positions as well.

At the younger ages players should have the opportunity to learn as many positions as possible. As they get older, they will gradually find themselves in a position that is either most suited to their skill set or where they are needed the most. DD played every position on the field at various times. Her primary positions were P/1B/3B, but she played other places as well.

As a freshman in high school she was asked to play the outfield because of incumbents (juniors and seniors) at each of the infield positions. She also pitched whenever the primary pitcher (senior) struggled.

She was once asked to guest play for a team as a shortstop for a tournament. DD is not blessed with speed, but she is sure handed and has a strong arm. My guess is that the team trusted that her bat would make up for her lack of range.

Having position flexibility can help get you on the field in high school or college.
 

radness

Possibilities & Opportunities!
Dec 13, 2019
7,270
113
I agree with others that pitcher/catcher are premium positions. If a player can fill either of those positions, that is what should be mentioned first. However, it's always helpful to list other positions as well.

At the younger ages players should have the opportunity to learn as many positions as possible. As they get older, they will gradually find themselves in a position that is either most suited to their skill set or where they are needed the most. DD played every position on the field at various times. Her primary positions were P/1B/3B, but she played other places as well.

As a freshman in high school she was asked to play the outfield because of incumbents (juniors and seniors) at each of the infield positions. She also pitched whenever the primary pitcher (senior) struggled.

She was once asked to guest play for a team as a shortstop for a tournament. DD is not blessed with speed, but she is sure handed and has a strong arm. My guess is that the team trusted that her bat would make up for her lack of range.

Having position flexibility can help get you on the field in high school or college.
May I ask
does your daughter have a goal to play in college and does she have number one number two position on her resume?

Bring this up because imo just putting utility is too general of a blanket statement.
To your point there are some positions that players are better suited for. Plus when it comes time to earning a spot on the field it generally takes beating out players who are position specific.

On well-developed rosters while they may recruit say several talented middle infielders and disperse them to other positions those players are already talented. And I think that's what the root of this discussion really should be about, Talent level that is an asset to a roster. Not just flexibility that is 50% to 70% developed.
 
Jul 16, 2013
4,659
113
Pennsylvania
May I ask
does your daughter have a goal to play in college and does she have number one number two position on her resume?

Bring this up because imo just putting utility is too general of a blanket statement.
To your point there are some positions that players are better suited for. Plus when it comes time to earning a spot on the field it generally takes beating out players who are position specific.

On well-developed rosters while they may recruit say several talented middle infielders and disperse them to other positions those players are already talented. And I think that's what the root of this discussion really should be about, Talent level that is an asset to a roster. Not just flexibility that is 50% to 70% developed.
DD's career is now over. She did play three years for her college but was derailed by a shoulder injury. Entering her senior year she decided to focus her time on an internship rather than softball. Ultimately she was on the roster as a pitcher, but also had some time at 1b.

Although I am no longer personally involved in softball, I still frequent this site because of some friendships that have developed over the years. There are several posters still around that I root for. It's nice to see their DD's have success.
 

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