The speed of the batter

I think knowing the speed of the batter could be one of the more neglected elements of infield defense. Sure it effects the urgency in which you approach a ground ball to record an out at first base but it can be the primary reason that errors occur at 2nd base.

Here is what I see more often then I would like as a coach.

Man on 1st base with an "A" runner at the plate. Batter hits a ground ball to the SS. The shortstop fields the ball and thinks "Hey, this should be a double play." The problem though is that the runner simply isn't a person that is going to get doubled up. So, the shortstop hurries the throw to the 2B and the 2B tries to make a pivot in a millisecond to record the double play.

Rather than witnessing the near impossible double play, the shortstop either bobbles the routine ground ball or maybe more likely the 2B fumbles the exchange trying to be too quick.

What should happen with situations like this is the SS field the ball routinely and fires to a 2B who should act like a 1B at 2B. The 2B should receive the ball without the idea of relaying the ball back to the 1B. Simply, receive the ball and record one out instead of bringing an error into play.