Turning The Double Play From Shortstop

Turning a Double Play (From SS)

          Turning a double play from the shortstop position is probably the easier of the two middle positions, mainly because as a shortstop you’re already moving in the general direction of first base. Making the turn at short really comes down to getting the hips and feet in position. To make a successful turn the shortstop need to remember a few things; approach the bag so that your hips are squared to the player fielding the ball, catch the ball with two hands, as you receive the ball move your feet and hips in position to throw to first, and finally follow the throw with the back leg. A very important thing to remember in addition to everything else, is that being prepared for a bad throw will make the turn that much easier. A bad throw may create different techniques, but if the being ready for it will allow you to handle it. Expect a bad throw and you will be able to handle anything.

          First let’s talk about the approach; when the shortstop approaches the base preparing to turn the double play his hips and feet should be squared to the person getting ready to throw him the ball. He will have his feet about shoulder width apart, in an athletic position and be positioned with the right foot on the bag or about half a step behind the bag. Whether you’re on the bag or just behind it is a little bit preference, and a little bit where the ball is coming from. On balls that bring the 2^nd baseman closer to the bag the shortstop will most likely stay behind the bag. Balls that take the 2^nd baseman away from the bag or balls from the 1^st baseman the shortstop will be better off starting with the right foot on the bag allowing the shortstop to stretch to the ball and get away from the bag as the runner will be closer to him when he receives the ball.

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          As the ball is being thrown to him, he then reacts to the throw. A good throw, being on the outfield side of the bag, will allow the shortstop to step towards the throw with his left foot gaining ground away from the bag and slightly towards first. This also helps the shortstop get out of the base path where the runner will be sliding. After the ball is received and while it is being transferred to the hand to throw the feet should be moving into a throwing position, allowing the hips to get pointed in the proper direction.

          There are some throws that will take you in a different direction, but the majority of the throws should be to the shortstops left of the bag. For the throws that take you in a different direction the footwork changes. If the throw takes you to the infield side of the bag the left foot should be placed on the bag and the shortstop will catch the ball and step to his right to complete the throw, avoiding the “danger zone”. Footwork is extremely important to turning the double play at shortstop.

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          When making the throw on the backside of the double play, the shortstop should keep a short arm action and focus on keeping the ball down. It is very common for a shortstop to try and rush the turn and end up throwing the ball too high. By thinking about keeping the ball down and staying on top he will be more likely to keep the ball in a range where the first baseman can catch it. One piece of advice when turning a double play from either side of the bag is to think about being smooth. Many young players are trying to be fast when they turn a double play, but if the player focuses on being smooth they will in turn be faster and be more likely to complete the play errorless. If the player does their pre-pitch analysis correctly they should know how much time they have to make the turn. Knowing the speed of the ball and the speed of the runner is key to being smooth, because the fielder can then adjust their quickness based on that knowledge.