Using the Lineup Generator
The Lineup Generator builds fair, balanced lineups that respect your players' strengths while giving everyone a chance to play. This guide walks through the four-step process from start to finish.
Overview
The Lineup Generator follows a four-step flow:
- League Settings: Configure your game rules and structure
- Roster: Add your players and set position preferences
- Attendance (premium only): Mark which players are at the game
- Generated Lineup: View, edit, and export your lineup
Both the free and premium versions use the exact same fairness engine. The algorithm that assigns positions and balances playing time is identical. Premium adds convenience features like saved rosters and lineup history, not a better algorithm.
Step 1: League Settings
This is where you tell the generator how your league works. Get these right and the algorithm handles the rest.
Number of Innings
Set the number of innings for your game, from 1 to 9. Most youth leagues play 6 innings, but shorter formats (4 innings) and full 9-inning games are supported.
Defensive Positions
Choose which positions your league uses. Three presets cover most leagues:
- Standard 9: The nine traditional baseball positions (P, C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, LF, CF, RF)
- Standard 10: Adds a fourth outfielder or extra infielder, common in younger age groups
- Coach Pitch: Removes the pitcher position since a coach handles pitching
If your league uses a non-standard setup, select Custom and check the specific positions your league uses.
All Players Bat
This toggle is on by default, meaning every player in the lineup gets a spot in the batting order regardless of whether they are in the field that inning. This is standard for most youth leagues.
If your league limits the batting order, turn this off and set the batting order size (1 to 20 batters).
Co-ed League
Turn this on if your league requires a minimum number of male and female players on the field each inning. When enabled, you can set the minimum number of female players and the minimum number of male players required per inning. The algorithm will enforce these minimums when assigning defensive positions.
Rotate Positions
When enabled, the algorithm prevents any player from playing the same defensive position in consecutive innings. This encourages player development and ensures kids get to try different spots on the field.
Pitcher and Catcher are exempt from rotation. These are specialized positions, and most coaches need the flexibility to keep their pitcher or catcher in place across multiple innings.
Pitcher Cannot Return
When enabled, once a pitcher is removed from the mound, they cannot pitch again for the rest of the game. This is a common rule in competitive youth leagues to manage pitch counts and arm health.
Max Innings Pitched
Set a global limit on how many innings any single player can pitch, from 1 to 9. You can also leave this set to unlimited if your league does not cap pitcher innings. This works alongside the Pitcher Cannot Return toggle to give you full control over pitching management.
Step 2: Roster
Adding Players
For each player, enter:
- Name: The player's name
- Jersey Number: Their uniform number
- Gender: Used for co-ed league requirements
Position Preferences
This is the most important part of building a good lineup. For each player, add the positions they prefer to play and rate each one on a scale of 1 to 10, where 10 is the strongest preference.
For example, if a player loves shortstop and is decent at second base, you might set Shortstop to 9 and Second Base to 5. The algorithm will try to place that player at shortstop first, but will use second base when it needs to balance the lineup.
Players with no preferences are treated as utility players. The algorithm will place them at any open position. This is useful for younger players who are still learning and do not have strong feelings about where they play.
Practical tip: You do not need to set preferences for every player right away. Start with your key players (pitcher, catcher, anyone with a strong preference) and leave the rest as utility. You can always refine preferences later as you get to know your team.
Free vs Premium
- Free version: Enter players manually each time you generate a lineup. Your roster is not saved between sessions.
- Premium version: Your roster is loaded automatically from your saved team. Set up preferences once, and they carry over to every game.
Step 3: Attendance (Premium Only)
Premium users see an attendance step with checkboxes for each player on the roster. Simply check the box next to each player who is at the game. Unchecked players are excluded from the lineup.
This step does not appear in the free version since you are entering players fresh each time.
Step 4: Generated Lineup
After you click Generate, the algorithm builds a complete lineup based on your settings. You have several ways to view and adjust the result.
Table View
The default view is a grid with the batting order down the left side and innings across the top. Each cell shows which defensive position that player is assigned for that inning. This gives you a complete picture of the game at a glance.
Field View
A baseball diamond diagram shows exactly where each player is positioned for a given inning. Use the inning navigator to step through the game and see how your defense changes from inning to inning.
The Field View sidebar shows additional details about each player's assignments.
Batting Order
The batting order appears in a sidebar and supports drag-and-drop reordering. Grab any player and move them up or down in the order. You can also use the "Add to batting order" button from a player's dropdown menu.
Bench
The bench section shows which players are sitting out each inning. The algorithm distributes bench time as evenly as possible so no single player sits out significantly more than others.
Swapping Players
You can drag and drop players to swap them between positions directly on the lineup. If you want a specific player at a specific position for a particular inning, just move them there.
Regenerating
Click "Generate" again to produce a different lineup using the same settings. The algorithm uses controlled randomization, so each generation produces a slightly different result while still respecting all your rules and preferences. If the first lineup does not feel right, generate a few more and pick the one you like best.
Exporting
Once you are satisfied with the lineup:
- PDF Download: A print-ready document with the full lineup grid, batting order, and position assignments by inning
- CSV Export: A spreadsheet-friendly format you can open in Excel or Google Sheets
Tips for Getting the Best Results
Start Simple
If this is your first time using the generator, keep it straightforward. Set your innings and positions, add your players with just a few key preferences, and generate. You can always go back and fine-tune settings once you see how the algorithm works.
Focus Preferences on Your Key Players
You do not need to set detailed preferences for every player. Focus on the ones where placement really matters: your pitchers, your catchers, and any player who has a strong preference or a position they should avoid. Let the algorithm figure out the rest.
Use Rotate Positions for Development
Turning on Rotate Positions is one of the best things you can do for younger teams. It forces players out of their comfort zone and builds well-rounded athletes. At the competitive level, you might want to turn it off to optimize your defense.
Check the Bench Distribution
After generating, look at who is sitting each inning. The algorithm works hard to keep bench time fair, but if you have an odd number of players for your positions, some variation is unavoidable. Regenerating a few times can help you find the most balanced option.
Manage Pitching Carefully
If your league has pitching rules, use the Pitcher Cannot Return and Max Innings Pitched settings to enforce them automatically. This takes the mental load off you during the game and ensures you never accidentally violate a rule.
Free vs Premium: What You Get
| Feature | Free | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Fairness algorithm | Same engine | Same engine |
| League settings | Full access | Full access |
| Position preferences | Full access | Full access |
| Roster | Enter manually each time | Saved to your account |
| Attendance | N/A | Checkbox from saved roster |
| Lineup history | Not saved | Saved to your account |
| Teams | One at a time | Unlimited saved teams |
| Export (PDF/CSV) | Available | Available |
The free version is fully functional for creating a single game lineup. Premium saves you time by remembering your team, tracking attendance, and storing your lineup history across an entire season.
Troubleshooting
The Lineup Seems Unbalanced
Make sure your position preferences are set correctly. If only one player has a preference for pitcher and you have six innings, that player will pitch every inning. Add pitcher preferences to a few players so the algorithm has options.
A Player Keeps Getting Benched
Check whether that player has very few or very narrow position preferences. If a player can only play one position and another player with the same preference is rated higher, the first player may end up on the bench more often. Adding a few more position preferences gives the algorithm flexibility.
Co-ed Requirements Cannot Be Met
If the algorithm cannot generate a lineup, the most common cause with co-ed settings is not having enough players of each gender checked in for attendance. Make sure you have at least as many male and female players present as your minimums require for every inning.