1st baseman question

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Any good videos (or explanations) for different technique for a RH girl to get back to first base to allow the catcher the option of throwing a pick-off move?

I have to say, this is one thing my daughter needs to work on from a footwork standpoint, but I don't know if there is a "best practice"?

I will also be asking her HS and travel coaches, but I thought I would throw it out here as well...

Joe

 

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Seen it coached two ways.

#1 Traditional baseball. Retreat such that your left hand can sweep tag at the base while body still faces catcher. Pro's: quick, shortest distance to move, good vision of cathcer and ball. Con's: Very prone to delayed steal which is much more likely with 60' basepaths compared to 90' with baseball and poor vision of baserunner.

#2 Retreat and straddle. Retreat to a position straddling bag. Pro's, better vision of runner, better position to receive the ball and throw in case of delayed steal. Con's farther to move and can make it tough to corral an off throw to the foul side.

I've also seen coached a modified #2 where you take a straddle position 2 ft off the bag towards second to purposefully obstruct the retreating runner. This will usually cause runner to hesitate coming back to bag and some coaches seem to feel it worth the gamble that blue will not call OBS and worst case if they do call OBS just results in runner safe at 1B anyway. IMO this is dumb because the runner has a hard helmet and the fielder doesn't and your setting up a collision your fielder will lose and potentially the ball ends up somewhere in RF.

 

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Thx SNocatz, those were really the only two I could come up with...would never teach the third. Main problem is she likes playing the batter from about 25 feet away.

 

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I have seen more success out of 1B that use the sweep style. if they are RH throwers, they would spin to the left side (glove side) to make the pivot and throw (like a relay).

I think that beats the straddle just collision avoidance alone.

 

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We teach the sweep style as well. The older you get, the stronger catcher's arms become, and the less time to get near the bag so the straddling is next to impossible.

 

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We sweep- but have been fooled by the delay steal .. we are going to work hard on defending that play this spring.

 

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If your 1B is playing more than a couple of feet away from the baseline, it is almost impossible for them to get back to the bag in time for a pick-off, no matter what style you use.

You need four things in order for the pick-off to work.

1. 1B needs to be playing fairly close to the bag.
2. The catcher needs to be quick with a cannon for an arm.
3. The 1B needs to be quick and have an accurate cannon for an arm.
4. Other members of the team need to be vocal and let the 1B know if the runner takes off to 2nd base.

As noted above the bases are only 60ft apart. The runner is leading off so the distance is reduced to somewhere shy of 50ft. Quick runners can get go 2nd base in 2 seconds after their leadoff.

The best option for a RH 1B is to be near the bag, the catcher throws to the bag, the 1B catches the ball and slams her glove straight down in front of the edge of the bag that faces 2nd base......not a sweep tag. Straddle the bag if the 1B is playing behind the baseline, belly button facing the 1B line if 1B is playing in front of the baseline (like taking a relay throw).

Len