How To First Base in Youth Baseball
A good first baseman has the power to make all of the other infielders better. So learning how to play first base correctly is just as important as any other position in youth baseball. The youth baseball first baseman’s primary job is to catch throws
from the other infielders and help his team record outs. Its important to realize this as a youth baseball coach. Statistically there are fewer baseballs hit to first base than any other position on the field. So the theory that your first baseman doesn’t have to be the best ground-ball fielder on the planet has some truth to it.
Even at the big league level I believe that having a good defensive player at first base is underrated. To have a first baseman who is skilled and can make plays takes a lot of the pressure off of the other infielders. Infielders who know they are throwing to a first baseman that they can count on are less likely to hesitate on needed quick turn plays. And, when they do make a throw that is slightly off line, a first baseman can turn that into a routine out. Fewer bad throws means fewer errors which in turn means fewer base runners and fewer runs allowed.
If the first baseman isn’t skilled around the bag – if he doesn’t have good footwork and good hands – some throws that should result in outs are going to end up landing in the dugout or out of play. At younger levels and even into high school, a first baseman who fields his position well will save his team many runs during the course of a game and season.
2 Rules for Playing First Base in Youth Baseball
Here are the primary defensive responsibilities for the youth baseball first baseman. In doing this we must go back to the fact that probably fewer balls are hit in the direction of first base than any other position.
Rule Number 1 | Get to the bag fast in time
The most important job for the first baseman in youth baseball is to field throws on all of the balls hit to the other infielders.
One thing that I always come back to when I talk about team defense is this: The better we play catch, the better we play baseball. Unlike a quarterback, baseball players are used to throwing to stationary targets. When we are playing catch to warm up before a game or practice our partner is facing us and standing still. Almost all of the throws we make on a baseball field in game situations are to teammates who are standing still and waiting for the ball. Our muscles and our minds are not trained to throw the ball to someone who is moving. That means the first baseman’s number one priority is to make sure that he can get to the bag in time to set up as a stationary target when a ball is hit hard at one of the other infielders. If he can’t get there quickly enough to be stationary, his teammate is likely to throw the ball to the spot where he last saw the first baseman. Also, if the first baseman is moving when the ball is thrown, it is much harder for him to execute the proper footwork and catch even a good throw. Finally, if the first baseman is moving when the ball is released, it will be that much more difficult for him to bail his teammate out if the throw is not right on target.
So, when it comes to positioning I would argue – especially in the youth baseball – that the first baseman should not be worried as much about covering balls hit to his part of the field. I would rather see the first baseman set up close enough to the bag that he is sure he can be a stationary target any time a ball is hit to one of his teammates. Remember, a lot more balls are hit toward second, short and third then are hit toward first, and the first baseman’s most important responsibility is to receive throws on balls hit to his teammates.
There also is a concern when a first baseman plays deep, especially on a field with 60-foot bases, about putting more pressure on the pitcher to cover first base on a ground ball to right side. This is a difficult skill for young players to master, especially with shorter base paths, creating another argument for the first baseman to position himself closer to the bag. As a youth baseball coach you have to consider all of the above mentioned when implementing your coaching youth baseball drills.
Rule Number 2 | Dont stretch to soon
The other golden rule of playing first base in youth baseball, in addition to getting to the bag early enough to be a stationary target, is to not stretch too soon. When the ball is hit the first baseman must get to the bag as quickly as possible, setting up with the heel of the throwing-side foot (the right foot for right-handers and the left foot for left-handers) on the center of the inside part of the base and the body square toward the person making the throw. By getting there early and placing the throwing side heel on the bag, the first baseman can slide that foot up and down along the base to adjust to throws that are up or down the line. It also is important to be as big of a target as possible for the fielder. While a slight knee bend is important for agility purposes, the first baseman should never crouch down and create a smaller target for the infielder. It is important for the first baseman to expect a bad throw – to be in a good, athletic position that allows him to move quickly from side to side if necessary. Keep in mind that there is a big difference between an athletic position and a crouch, however.
A lot times young first basemen – and older, professional first basemen, for that matter! – will stretch before the throw is made. When this happens the first baseman must bring the foot he is stretching with back to its original position or “retool” in order to stretch toward the ball. Many times the player will stretch too soon and get locked in that position, which substantially limits the amount of ground that he can cover side to side. Often when this occurs a throw that should have been routine for the first baseman to handle ends up in the dugout, up against the fence or in the crowd.
Summary
The key components of good fundamental fielding first base play in youth baseball and how to play first base is as follows:
- Be able to get to the bag quickly to be a stationary target for the infielder who will be making the throw.
- Do not crouch down; set up in an athletic position square to the fielder with a slight knee bend, but be a big target.
- Put the throwing-side heel on the base and take the glove-side foot and glove toward the ball.
- Don’t stretch too soon; see the ball travel and step toward the path of the throw.
Here are some good tips and photos for how to play first base with or with out base runners
