4 Outfielders, or 3 with a Short Fielder?

[krunchyfrogg]

This is for a beer league team. Just wondering what y'all think is a better strategy.

I usually go 3 w/ a Short Fielder, but I'm starting to rethink that strategy, especially when playing on fields without a fence.

 

[Goliathxero]

I think it depends on the team your playing. If you are playing against a team with a bunch of power hitters, 4 outfielders is better. If you are playing against a team that doesn't hit as well or is mostly base hitters, I'd play 3 outfielders and a short fielder.

 

[beernbombs]

Never go 3 with a short fielder. Go 5 man infield or 4 man outfield. With no fences in beer league*, 4 man sounds right.


*all leagues should be beer leagues

 

[zuke 37]

if you have 3 fast ball hawks, 3 outfielders will work. you can always go to 4 when the power guy bats

TIP: the middle infielder should play within 1 or 2 steps from second base at all times, always cover second and never go out for any relays you will soon see the confusion it will cause with the extra infielded

REPETE: the middle man 1 or 2 steps from second... faster double plays, a visual deturiant for middle hitting and if he plays
in the regular shortstop- secondbasrman arch it will take too long for some plays to develope

REMEMBER: put yourself in the play 5,6,or 7 steps will take too much time

 

[MH785]

We play 5 man opposite of the guy above. 5 man plays at the grass and fields all cuts. Second and short handle double plays same as always. Playing him at the grass stops the judy's over the 2b bag and middle shots.

 

[OldguyinHavasu]

with 3 quick guys in the OF, I love playing a rover. I'm one of the fastest in our (old guys) league, so I move around from infield to short out field, and take away a lot of slap singles, and I have a decent enough arm to get guys at 1st from the outfield on occasion. I always leave 2nd base to the 2 bagger and short, thats how they learned their positions, so don't get in the way, I take all the cuts. Gives me the freedom to move back on the big guys, and take away the slap hits from the not so big guys.

 

[pudds]

I like 3+1 unless its a big diamond with no fence. Having a smart player in that short position can clean up a lot of bloop hits you won't get with 4 deep. But on big diamonds or ones with no fence, you have to play four deep and fill the holes, because anything that gets through is probably a home run.

 

[MarlSrSoftball]

if you have 3 fast ball hawks, 3 outfielders will work. you can always go to 4 when the power guy bats

TIP: the middle infielder should play within 1 or 2 steps from second base at all times, always cover second and never go out for any relays you will soon see the confusion it will cause with the extra infielded

REPETE: the middle man 1 or 2 steps from second... faster double plays, a visual deturiant for middle hitting and if he plays
in the regular shortstop- secondbasrman arch it will take too long for some plays to develope

REMEMBER: put yourself in the play 5,6,or 7 steps will take too much time

I agree with the first part. Over the years I have found the MF is more effective as a rover especially if he has a strong arm. Some of my most successful teams were with a smart rover with a strong arm. IMO you are wasting a fielder having him play right behind the 2nd base bag.

 

[Exparrot]

The big problem I see with teams that play a short outfielder (rover) is that if the ball is hit on the ground to them, they don't have enough arm or are making too long a throw to first base.

A true five-man infield will take away a lot more base hits than a rover who will only cut down a few line drives or bloopers.

 

[kumslivo]

This is a beer league so I'm assuming that your pitcher is not talented enough to force the other team to hit ground balls consistently so the 5 man infield won't help you that much.

Whether or not to play a short fielder depends on where the team your playing hits. If they can hit opposite field consistently then do not play a short fielder but if they consistently hit to the left side, go with the short fielder.

You can also switch it up for different batters. If your playing the same teams all the time, you should know where players can and can't hit the ball.

 

[rmp0012002]

If you're playing a team with so-so hitters I would play three OF with a roving short fielder but if your playing a team where the hitters have good power and can consistently hit the gaps then I would go 4 across.

 

[franknwhit]

In wood bat leagues a rover works, depending on what ball is being used and if you know a lot of the hitter.

 

[ddoubler]

Most teams don't hit well enough to warrant a 5 man. Most teams just go up to the plate swinging without any clue to where it's going. A 5 man is only effective if the pitcher works it to the strong side as well.

 

[Jroby9]

We only use a 5 man infield against C teams and up.

 

[MarlSrSoftball]

The big problem I see with teams that play a short outfielder (rover) is that if the ball is hit on the ground to them, they don't have enough arm or are making too long a throw to first base.

A true five-man infield will take away a lot more base hits than a rover who will only cut down a few line drives or bloopers.

That is why I said the rover has to have a strong arm to be effective. He will get his share of double plays on ground balls through the infield also.

 

[fierce_gt]

the 'rover' is only effective if you're playing against teams that will pop fly and hit the ball between infield/outfield by accident.

4 man outfield takes away the gaps, makes you hit a lot of singles unless you can go deep. 5 man infield takes away the grounders, but you need GOOD outfielders to make this work. that's why I think it's not done at the lower levels.

 

[spos21ram]

Never ever play with a "Rover" or Short Fielder. When you think about it, the only play they can make is either a line drive directly at them or a short fly ball that a regular infielder or outfielder could have probably gotten to. A ground ball to him is a hit 99% of the time.

3 outfielders with a middle infielder is the way to go. Against a right handed batter that likes to pull the ball, our MIF will play where a SS playing up the middle would play, and our SS is way in the 6 hole. This really screws with league teams that all pull. If you're playing a team with a bunch of middle hitters, then have the MIF pinch the middle more.

 

[stork]

Go with the strategy that you feel is best vs a certain team. We played rover after the 2nd inning a couple weeks ago for the first time this year cuz it made sense, but we would adjust back to 4-man on certain batters. Depends on how well you know the team and truly seeing their tendencies.

 

[BraveSox]

+1. So better off running 4 outfielders against d-e teams. Shallower on the back side

We only use a 5 man infield against C teams and up.

 

[spos21ram]

+1. So better off running 4 outfielders against d-e teams. Shallower on the back side

That doesn't really make that much sense. There are a lot of E and D teams that have power hitters that can't always control their swing. Make them hit it in the air in the outfield. Offensive ejections are a biotch. In E and D, more people are going to try to shoot holes in the infield because of no home runs.

 

[softballin101]

Check with the guys and see what they have more fun doing but if you had to choose, I would go with 3 and a short fielder either way because if you have a bunch of punch and judy hitters, you have someone to pick those off and if you have power hitters, the three outfielders have a little time to go out and get the ball.

 

[Sully]

I think some people missed the Beer League part. Having a 5 man infield with 3 outfielders that may not be great at catching fly balls consistently, not have great arms or speed and a pitcher that can't pitch to the defense on an open field is asking to give up a lot of runs.

Most beer league teams don't have anything close to the personnel needed to run a 5 man. It might have been a little while since some of the people making that recommendation have played in beer leagues.

I would play 4 outfielders if the team has any power to give them less gaps on an open field. If you play a team without much power, or very few people with power that primarily pull, then maybe switch to the rover.

 

[BeagleHound24]

4 OF is a great way to go in my league.

 

[kumslivo]

Another thing people are missing is that they are playing on a field with no fences. Playing a short fielder and and forcing the other team to try and hit opposite field will take them out of their comfort zone and force them into outs. I've done this with great success in beer leagues but would never do it playing a strong team or in tournaments.

Playing a short fielder, you aren't necessarily trying to get the batter out on a line drive or grounder but it prevents base runners from taking extra bases.

The main thing is to know where the other teams hits the ball and play your outfield accordingly.

 

[fierce_gt]

Check with the guys and see what they have more fun doing but if you had to choose, I would go with 3 and a short fielder either way because if you have a bunch of punch and judy hitters, you have someone to pick those off and if you have power hitters, the three outfielders have a little time to go out and get the ball.

this only works if they do it by accident imo.

if the batters are hitting the ball short on purpose, chances are they can hit to the opposite side of the field as where your rover is standing.

there just isn't a lot of times a 'true' 3 person outfield and a single short fielder make sense. even when we do use a rover(which is actually most of the time), we treat it like the name rover implies. with one batter they back up and become the fourth fielder, with another they stand behind 2nd, sometimes they play right down the line, in coed the girls are allowed to bunt, so sometimes they will play right behind where 3rd would be, and 3rd is pinching in to cover the bunt.

a good 'rover' plays in a different spot on the field for every batter, and in some cases that changes based on the situation as well(2outs with a runner on 1, we play differently than having the tieing run on 3 with 1out...)

then again, I used to play on a team with my parents and their work friends, and well, we'd have somebody play rover, and then get them to stand where we knew the ball would never go so they didn't get hurt...

 

[ddoubler]

That doesn't really make that much sense. There are a lot of E and D teams that have power hitters that can't always control their swing. Make them hit it in the air in the outfield. Offensive ejections are a biotch. In E and D, more people are going to try to shoot holes in the infield because of no home runs.

Thing is that most players aren't good Enough to shoot holes consistently... Difference in hitting a hole and consistently putting it there.

 

[spos21ram]

Thing is that most players aren't good Enough to shoot holes consistently... Difference in hitting a hole and consistently putting it there.

Yes, but even when they mess up and don't hit it where they want, the ball is still being hit through the infield. That's why I prefer a 5 man at all times.

 

[rhound50]

A rover in softball is a waste of a defensive position. If you have the speed in the outfield play a 5 man if you don't play a 4 man. The rover rarely adds outs but you still give up all the extra bases as you would with a 5 man.

 

[Fro Joe]

A rover in softball is a waste of a defensive position. If you have the speed in the outfield play a 5 man if you don't play a 4 man. The rover rarely adds outs but you still give up all the extra bases as you would with a 5 man.

^^^This. It's a waste. Most rec teams don't have the personnel to run 5 man though. A 4 man is still the best for them. The issue is most rec teams have OFs playing too deep on 90-95% of hitters. People are too afraid of getting burned.

Here's a hint. If the team hasn't hit a ball over your head, but you've had 15 drop in front of you, MOVE IN.

 

[fierce_gt]

the other issue I've seen with using the rover as a 4th outfielder, is if they are weak, that fielder is a much larger target than the 'gap' between left and center or right and center.

especially in coed, a girl is often the rover. putting the girl in RC(which is usually the case) just means there's a huge gap between the 'CF'(who is now in LC) and the RF(who is now hugging the line pretty much). if the girl can play, great, but I've yet to play against one that had the range to be an effect outfielder.