The Line-Up
If you're a new
softball manager looking for some help with the line-up, look no
further! This line-up will get your team more runs the next time you
take the field! That would be nice wouldn't it?
Below is just a few ideas to think about when making out the line-up card. First off. It's important as the manager to know what you're looking for at each position in the line-up. What kind of team do you think you have? Do have speed? Do you have power? Do you have both? Do you have gap hitters or will you base hit'em to death? Sit down and go over what each player does best. From my experience of 21 years, and a few games of making out line-up cards, there's a lot of different ways to go about this. There's also reasons why the line-up will change from game to game. Be aware. Be prepared.
Players, managers and ex-managers will all give you kinds of advice on a line-up! (If you ask 10 different managers to make out a line-up on the same team. You could get 10 different line-ups!) You're the manager. You know what you're looking for in the leadoff hitter right? Did you say speed? Speed helps, but how about a guy that takes walks? Walk in slow-pitch? Remember, walks scores runs! Make the pitcher pitch. If you hear, "Come on, swing the bat" from the other team, I say good! Now you're inside their heads, including the pitchers! Get'em mad. What about the #2 hitter? How about your best opposite field hitter? The leadoff hitter just walked, your #2 hitter just went to right. Runners on first and second no outs! Who's up next? Your best hitter. So think about what you're looking for at each position in the line-up. Just because the cleanup hitter is coming up, it doesn't mean he has to be a home run hitter. Maybe you don't have a real home run hitter, then what will you do? You got a player that can hit, but you say he's a slow runner. What do you do with him, bat him last? Do you want the weakest hitter or the slowest runner hitting last? Time to think! The leadoff (speed) hitter is coming up next! You need to think about who's batting in front, and behind each batter before you just fill in a name.
Some rookie managers will often ask, is there a basic line-up to use? It all depends on the hitters you got on the team. If you're going to manage for the first time, or you're still new at this game. One word of advice. PRACTICE. Maybe two words. PRACTICE PRACTICE. Do it before the season starts. Watch the hitters during batting practice. Watch how and where they hit the balls. Depending on your batting practice, watch how they swing, and watch how they run the bases. Once you get some kind of idea on the players, then you can sit down and start writing out a line-up! Don't be afraid to move batters around until you like what you see. Ask the players if they played on another team and where they batted in the line-up. Don't forget, some do lie, so use this only to give you some kind of small idea on a player.
The basic line-up I can't really put down a basic 10 - 12 man line-up here. Besides if I did, it doesn't mean it would work for your team. If you have 50% speed and 50% power, that's easy. Speed. Power. That would be great but, let's be real. Some managers use the buddy system by matching two players together. Some like to use clean up hitters batting 4th and 8th. I've seen a manager that used a deck of playing cards to make out the line-up. If you drew the 7 of hearts ect, you batted #7. I would stay away from that one!
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What I looked for when making
out the
line-up.
- Speed at the top and a batter that can take a walk
- A hitter that can go to right field batting second
- The best hitter batting 3rd
- The cleanup guy that can move the out fielders back
- I also like some pop at the end of the line-up, (#7 or #8 spot)
- Speed batting 10th or 11th, right in front of the leadoff hitter
- Also
used a big fellow batting 4th without the home run power!
(The outfield moves out, the #4 hitter is up, base hit works) - If you have a good offense, the #6 spot can pick up a lot rbi's
- Where do you hide a weak hitter? (On the bench)
- That's the hard one but, low in the order and that gives the better hitters more ab's.
Now go make out your line-up! Go over it and over it. It's all a learning experience managers! You need to know that! You also need to know your players! Having different kinds of good hitters on your team helps. Having a coach to help you on the team is always a good idea. Whatever he tells you, just go the other way and you'll be fine. (Just kidding?) Having a coach that knows the game will be a big help to you the manager, and with the team.
The Basics - Batting Tips - Play Defense - Managers Tips - Practice Drills - Base Coaching - Lineup Ideas
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