it's official, i'm the starting 2B for the team, first game tomorrow. i'll be batting 2nd.
tell me what i need to know about playing 2B. turning the double play, cutting off RF, covering first on a bunt up the 1B line... etc.
― Steve Shasta, Wednesday, 1 August 2007 23:27 (sixteen years ago) link
Too much to teach before tomorrow.
― Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved, Thursday, 2 August 2007 00:00 (sixteen years ago) link
it's a night game (8:30pm)...
plenty of time here.
― Steve Shasta, Thursday, 2 August 2007 01:08 (sixteen years ago) link
Glove down, straight back, straight thighs.
Don't twist anything.
― Andy K, Thursday, 2 August 2007 01:51 (sixteen years ago) link
http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/9895/emanskimcgriffzd3.jpg
Remember to do the open mouth/closed mouth signal to the SS whenever there's a man on first.
― mattbot, Thursday, 2 August 2007 02:26 (sixteen years ago) link
God, yes - keep yr glove on the ground & bend yr knees so the ball don't go thru yr wickets. Also, sacrifice yr body - if you can stop the ball, stop the ball.
& if anyone bunts, find them after the game & beat the shit out of them, because bunting in softball is bush league nonsense & must be punished.
― David R., Thursday, 2 August 2007 03:49 (sixteen years ago) link
Have your team use verbal signals. For instance, baserunners should steal whenever a base coach or loud benchperson says "steal," no matter how it is used in a sentence (regardless of context).
So, each of the following is a verbal steal signal, indicating that the runner(s) should run on the upcoming pitch:
- "OK, steal on this pitch here." - "You should steal on the pitch after this one -- not this pitch, but the one after that." - "For god's sake, do not steal." - "I will be beating your ass if you try to steal." - "Don't steal." - "Steal."
If you want to throw the other team off, you could give the baserunners the option of not running.
Supply a rosin bag for your pitcher and carry it off the field each time your team records a third out.
Almost forgot: bunt whenever possible.
― Andy K, Thursday, 2 August 2007 07:20 (sixteen years ago) link
please advise if i should keep my index finger in or out of the hole in the mitt. i'm torn.
― Steve Shasta, Thursday, 2 August 2007 17:00 (sixteen years ago) link
Finger definitely out.
Also, if the opposing team's first batter happens to hit a ground ball to you, bean him instead of throwing it to first. Claim you thought the game was "bean ball outs." (Or, encourage your fellow infielders to do the same if it is hit to any of them and cheer "Yeah, got him!" if it works.) That should set the tone for the rest of the game.
Is your league hardcore uniform/eye black/stirrups-wearing softball? Or is it casual and/or co-ed? These are important things to know for future tips.
― Andy K, Thursday, 2 August 2007 18:57 (sixteen years ago) link
HIDDEN BALL TRICK
― sanskrit, Thursday, 2 August 2007 19:30 (sixteen years ago) link
League is slow pitch, 2 umps, jerseys & caps (pants optional LOL porky pig), over 30 mens league.
― Steve Shasta, Thursday, 2 August 2007 19:49 (sixteen years ago) link
Range Factor no factor?
― Dr Morbius, Thursday, 2 August 2007 19:52 (sixteen years ago) link
That's a lotta mens.
― mattbot, Thursday, 2 August 2007 20:02 (sixteen years ago) link
>:-O
― Steve Shasta, Thursday, 2 August 2007 20:03 (sixteen years ago) link
Well?
― Andy K, Friday, 3 August 2007 06:45 (sixteen years ago) link
i didn't think stealing was allowed in softball.
― hstencil, Friday, 3 August 2007 06:59 (sixteen years ago) link
Stealing's not allowed in my league. Neither is leading. Or bunting.
― G00blar, Friday, 3 August 2007 09:07 (sixteen years ago) link
:(
― Andy K, Friday, 3 August 2007 12:35 (sixteen years ago) link
okay ready guys! we got our asses beat to hell, 30-3.
According to my doctor, I broke my finger warming up before the game fielding grounders! right hand, ring finger, metacarpal #4. my finger now looks like ET's finger: a big purple bulb at the end.
Anyways, offensively I went 1-3 with a single.
At bat #1: 0-0, groundball single up the middle. pitch was outside but I was able to muscle (sic) it up the middle. #2 hitter should be more selective. runner at 2nd scored for one of our 3 RBIs. I made it to 3rd, did not score At bat #2: 1-1 pitch, bases loaded (!!!). BUT a sharpish grounder to short, called out by a step for the 3rd out. My right hamstring kept reminding about this AB on the bike ride home (ie, uphill and steep). At bat #3: 0-0, runners at first and second but it looked sweet and I put my best swing of the game, right on the sweet spot but the shortstop jumped and stabbed it out of the air. A little higher and I would have had extra bases for sure. Best swing of the game for me. Ump called infield fly on this... Interesting.
Defensively, I had 2 pop-up outs (windy, a little more challenging than I would have liked). I got eaten alive by two of four grounders (one almost hit me in the jewels on a tough bounce). Definitely need some room for improvement, but was feeling the finger at this point and was a little timid with the throwing hand on the two-handed scoop.
I'm missing my next game next week (back east on business) and the following week is a bye. Hopefully my finger will be in good shape by then.
― Steve Shasta, Friday, 3 August 2007 18:25 (sixteen years ago) link
.333/.333/.333 = .667 OPS
Morbius, how do you calculate my BLORP?
― Steve Shasta, Friday, 3 August 2007 18:33 (sixteen years ago) link
Isn't second base where those leagues usu put the keg?
― Dr Morbius, Friday, 3 August 2007 19:00 (sixteen years ago) link
hmmm... not very insightful for a card-carrying SABR member.
C-
― Steve Shasta, Friday, 3 August 2007 19:12 (sixteen years ago) link
What's the PED policy in your league? You might be back on the field sooner than you think.
― mattbot, Friday, 3 August 2007 19:27 (sixteen years ago) link
Ump called infield fly on this... Interesting.
Sounds like someone had just read a rule book and was anxious to point out that he knows stuff.
Hope the metacarpal heals up quick.
― Andy K, Friday, 3 August 2007 20:36 (sixteen years ago) link
Team-The Good: We had 10 guys present We scored 3 runs We had fun The weather was goodThe Bad: They scored 30 runs Parking is sort of a bitchI'm chalkin' this game up to first game jitters. We had opportunities. We left the bases loaded in two of the five innings and didn't score at all in those innings. Our LOB number was outrageous! A few more timely hits and a few more plays in the field and we could have lost by a lot less. Yes, our fielding was below average and we made it easy for them. Another telling stat: We made a grand total of zero outs to first base. Wow!! Rxxxx was ready over there, we just couldn't get it to him. I do think we got into some rhythm later in the game in terms of keeping the ball in front of us and throwing to the proper position. It will come.We've got some additional players available this week so I'll be shuffling the lineup a bit. We should also have one or two DHs.Let's get to the bye week at .500!!8/2 Lineup: LF Sxxxx 2B Shasta LCF Sxxxxx 1B Cxxxxxxxx 3B Kxxxx RCF Pxxxxx SS Axxxxx P Txxxxxxx RF Wxxx C OxxxxxINJURY REPORT: Steve Shasta - Broken Right Ring Metacarpal (Out 2 weeks) Cxxx Txxxxxxx - Abdominal Bruise (Probable)Purple Notes: Cxxx pitched his first game on short notice and did a great job - We let him down a bit in the field Rxxx got catcher duty and given the long innings, showed great stamina - I'll definitely rotate that positionPlease let me know of any availability changes for this week.Go Bxxx!-Cxxx
The Good: We had 10 guys present We scored 3 runs We had fun The weather was good
The Bad: They scored 30 runs Parking is sort of a bitch
I'm chalkin' this game up to first game jitters. We had opportunities. We left the bases loaded in two of the five innings and didn't score at all in those innings. Our LOB number was outrageous! A few more timely hits and a few more plays in the field and we could have lost by a lot less. Yes, our fielding was below average and we made it easy for them. Another telling stat: We made a grand total of zero outs to first base. Wow!! Rxxxx was ready over there, we just couldn't get it to him. I do think we got into some rhythm later in the game in terms of keeping the ball in front of us and throwing to the proper position. It will come.
We've got some additional players available this week so I'll be shuffling the lineup a bit. We should also have one or two DHs.
Let's get to the bye week at .500!!
8/2 Lineup: LF Sxxxx 2B Shasta LCF Sxxxxx 1B Cxxxxxxxx 3B Kxxxx RCF Pxxxxx SS Axxxxx P Txxxxxxx RF Wxxx C Oxxxxx
INJURY REPORT: Steve Shasta - Broken Right Ring Metacarpal (Out 2 weeks) Cxxx Txxxxxxx - Abdominal Bruise (Probable)
Purple Notes: Cxxx pitched his first game on short notice and did a great job - We let him down a bit in the field Rxxx got catcher duty and given the long innings, showed great stamina - I'll definitely rotate that position
Please let me know of any availability changes for this week.
Go Bxxx!
-Cxxx
― Steve Shasta, Monday, 6 August 2007 20:47 (sixteen years ago) link
You should definitely sacrifice in your first AB, it's important to get that first run across the plate.
― mattbot, Monday, 6 August 2007 20:59 (sixteen years ago) link
Oxxxxx
Great baseball name.
― Andy K, Monday, 6 August 2007 21:01 (sixteen years ago) link