Position and Batting Order Strategies

I'm still learning how to construct the perfect lineup and still have questions. With a big roster that includes 14 girls and a continuous batting order, there will be stretches where we could have several weak batters up in a row.

I have tried both stacking the top of the order and "spreading the wealth" and tend to think that spreading the wealth (using several good hitters throughout the full lineup) gives us a chance to sustain a big rally. That said, I hate to get into a situation where a strikeout or weakly hit ball kills our momentum. It's not an easy situation. It's also worth mentioning that in our league, we have a 4 run per inning max - so when I say big rally, I mean making sure we put up our 4 runs each time we bat!

Here's how I will probably start this season:

1. Girl who rarely strikes out and has speed
2. Girl with some speed, rarely strikes out and is a good hitter
3. Best hitter
4. Slower girl but with a good bat (ok if she strikes out a bit)
5. Average hitter
6. Good/great hitter
7. Poor hitter but one who I have taught to bunt!
8. Average hitter
9. Poor hitter (another bunter if possible)
10. Average hitter
    
11. Best hitter left of the bottom 5
    
12. Weak hitter
    
13. Weakest hitter
    
14. Someone who can but and who can run a little

Here's some reality if you are coaching at this level:

• Count on passed balls scoring you a huge % of your runs.
• If you can teach your girls to bunt, you'll also get the added benefit of drawing more walks, and being able to simply put the ball in play which will create opportunities for the other team to make defensive errors).

As for position strategies, I have some pretty specific ideas on defense of what will help us win games.

C - I drafted a good catcher and I hope I can develop a decent back up. At this level, it's becoming extremely important that the catcher simply be able to minimize passed balls.
1B - she must catch everything thrown to her and be able to move her body to field bad throws
2B - great glove, average arm (2B is crucial!)
SS - average glove, good arm
3B - fearless with her glove, great arm
OF - pretty much everyone else
P - I drafted 2 pitchers and have a 3rd who if she can throw strikes will do fine. I have 2 other girls who want to pitch but have a long way to go. I will work with them as much as they want until I feel they are ready to pitch in a game. That's a judgment call to a large extent, but if they can throw 6 of 10 pitches for strikes on a consistent basis, they will get some innings.

While there is no rule this year that says we have to play every girl in the infield, I will do a lot of moving kids around so they have a good experience. Here are some of my unofficial rules:

• You have to earn your way into the infield
• You can't play 3B if you can't protect yourself
• You can't play 1B if you can't handle me (coach) throwing balls fairly hard at you
• You can ask to catch, but you have to put in practice time with me (like I said above, passed balls are crucial at this level)
• I use the 2B position to rotate girls into the infield and reward the ones who make plays with time at SS

It's not perfect, but it's my current plan of record!