1B question

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Apr 16, 2013
1,113
83
Not to deter from another thread where I posted some info on my lack of understanding, I'd like to openly ask a few questions here. My DD's main position is C then 1B. As I'm mentioned many times, she's coming from BB. Catching there's little to no difference. 1B though has some differences and her coaches really aren't helping her learn those differences. Keep in mind, she's not a larger girl that usually plays 1b. She's agile and can move.

1.) How many steps should 1b take when going "after" a ball. In BB it's 1,2,3 dive or get back. (Steps that is.) Pitcher covers. SB, apparently 2B does. Should I be teaching her less steps?

2.) With no runners on, should she be behind the base, even, or in front?

It seems pitcher and C still cover on the bunt for our team. I never really see 1b crash. So that also applies for the previous Q and the next.

3.) With runners on, where should she play? (Stating no obvious attempts to bunt.)
 
Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
I can't think of any team DD's been on that had 1B play behind the base path. It's always a few steps in front.
 

SB45

Dad, Coach, Chauffeur
Sep 2, 2016
150
28
Western NY
Not to deter from another thread where I posted some info on my lack of understanding, I'd like to openly ask a few questions here. My DD's main position is C then 1B. As I'm mentioned many times, she's coming from BB. Catching there's little to no difference. 1B though has some differences and her coaches really aren't helping her learn those differences. Keep in mind, she's not a larger girl that usually plays 1b. She's agile and can move.

1.) How many steps should 1b take when going "after" a ball. In BB it's 1,2,3 dive or get back. (Steps that is.) Pitcher covers. SB, apparently 2B does. Should I be teaching her less steps?

2.) With no runners on, should she be behind the base, even, or in front?

It seems pitcher and C still cover on the bunt for our team. I never really see 1b crash. So that also applies for the previous Q and the next.

3.) With runners on, where should she play? (Stating no obvious attempts to bunt.)

The P really never covers 1B...just can't get there...it's either 1B or 2B.

1B usually maybe 3 steps in front of the base...some teams with great pitching or less agile first baseman...they'll stay closer to the bag, but never behind or even.

Who actually fields a bunt really depends on the quickness of your players...you may have a C that eats everything in front of her up...lots of P's jump on bunts...lots of 3B's will charge and be all over it. But if you never charge the 1B...teams will bunt down the first baseline all day long.

How many steps should the 1B try to field? Good question and I would say this is baseball thinking. It is probably about 2 steps on a well hit ball...but I believe the mindset has to be to field the ball if she can. the big difference between softball and baseball is the size of the base paths...speed of the game. (that's why the P can't cover first) If the 1B is going for a ball hit between them and the 2B...the 2B is on the run towards 1B. In most cases if the 1B can field it she should...you can't wait for it to get to the second baseman...you won't make the out. 2B has to cover first. If the first baseman takes 3 steps to field a ball...she likely won't make it back to first...2B has to cover. BUT...that doesn't mean she shouldn't field the hit...if the first baseman can field a ball after 3 or 4 steps...your only shot at an out is having her field it...can't let it go to the 2B.
 
Feb 21, 2017
198
28
Personally I wouldn’t get over complicated about this stuff as it sounds she has a handle on it. Her only major area of learning will be transferring the game speed from BB and I think that is what you are really asking. That is going to be player dependent in many cases.

For example #1. I think you said your daughter is ‘03 so at this point she should understand the plays and will be doing what I call a “read on situation”. Is the runner fast, was the ball hit hard, can anyone else get to it, etc. From there she makes the call. There is no real cut and dry answer.

#2 Like #1 but FWIW I would play in front of the bag all the time but where specifically would depend on situation and who is at bat. There are no slappers in BB so if my DD2 (‘02) is AB and your coach thinks P/C can handle her drag bunt just pencil her in for 4-for-4. I have seen solid 18U teams try to employ corners back on her and other slappers and doesn’t work. (As BB person the whole slapping thing still boggles my mind)

#3 see #2 and if I learned one thing in softball, almost every AB is a bunt situation. Which is why most 1B are in a step or two.

Honestly I would pull up the ESPN app and watch some USA or college softball games and pay attention to the positions your DD plays.

CoC


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
This is the general rule. 1B plays about a step in front of the base. The bigger the risk of a bunt, the closer she goes. If there is no threat on a big hitter then go back to even with the base or even behind.


1.) How many steps should 1b take when going "after" a ball. In BB it's 1,2,3 dive or get back. (Steps that is.) Pitcher covers. SB, apparently 2B does. Should I be teaching her less steps?

It is really can I get to the ball so going to depend on how it is hit - but yes - unless it is a slow roller 3 is too many. If you have to take 3 steps to the ball, field it, turn and throw you are not going to get the average runner out beyond any decent 12U team.You just don't have that sort of time.

You play so close in softball it is probably only 1/at most 2 steps and never leave your feet. The great thing about 2B covering 1B is that she is going to be in position to field the ball getting past the 1B OR 2B can just continue to the bag if 1B fields it.

We tell our 1B, if you can get it cleanly and quickly, get it

On bunts (in general), 1B charges and fields the ball down the 1B line - 2B is covering anyway.

2.) With no runners on, should she be behind the base, even, or in front?

That depends. For the average batter you will be in front of the bag almost 100% of the time. If I have a big, slow batter, maybe she plays it even or behind the base. See the general rule.

It seems pitcher and C still cover on the bunt for our team. I never really see 1b crash. So that also applies for the previous Q and the next.

3.) With runners on, where should she play? (Stating no obvious attempts to bunt.)

That is up to the coach. Our travel team crashes 1st - but she is a strong fielder and has a good arm. Our HS team has a great 1B but her throwing is terrible - we move the 2B up and leave 1B to cover.

No different than the general rule - start about a step in front of the base and adjust based on the chances of bunting. Without lead-offs in softball, 1B doesn't have to adjust to the runner at 1B at all except to make sure she doesn't obstruct her.
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
I've done this for instructing both 3B and 1B on their fielding coverage...

From "normal" position (2-3 steps in front of the base, and as far off the line as they can get while still being able to cover the line with 1 step), draw a line in the dirt to the edge of the pitching circle. Everything in front of that line is yours to field, if you can get to it. Behind the line belongs to the middle IF. If F1 can get it, that's fine. I want my F5 - especially - to be aggressive about attacking everything along and in front of that line. Get to it fast, and make the out.

On bunts, both corners crash. F4 covers 1B. F6 covers 2B. If F5 fields the ball, F2 covers 3B. If F5 does not field the ball, she returns to 3B. Generally speaking, I want F5 to make the play whenever she can because she is already moving in the direction she will be throwing. If the ball is close enough for F2, that's fine. IF F1 can make a play, that's fine. Some adjustments may be made for the strengths and weaknesses of your players.

In all cases, everyone should be moving with the initial intent of fielding the ball, until they know they can't get it, or someone else calls for it. Every ball is yours...until it's not. Communication between fielders is critical.
 
Last edited:

NBECoach

Learning everyday
Aug 9, 2018
408
63
Not to deter from another thread where I posted some info on my lack of understanding, I'd like to openly ask a few questions here. My DD's main position is C then 1B. As I'm mentioned many times, she's coming from BB. Catching there's little to no difference. 1B though has some differences and her coaches really aren't helping her learn those differences. Keep in mind, she's not a larger girl that usually plays 1b. She's agile and can move.

1.) How many steps should 1b take when going "after" a ball. In BB it's 1,2,3 dive or get back. (Steps that is.) Pitcher covers. SB, apparently 2B does. Should I be teaching her less steps?

2.) With no runners on, should she be behind the base, even, or in front?

It seems pitcher and C still cover on the bunt for our team. I never really see 1b crash. So that also applies for the previous Q and the next.

3.) With runners on, where should she play? (Stating no obvious attempts to bunt.)

There are variations to these questions so it’s difficult to say exactly what will work in all situations. So for the sake of discussion let us assume a 14U team, no outs, runner on 1B, the batter is RH, has medium speed, and the pitcher is throwing buntable balls. Also you are reasonable sure the bunt will be on and they will not be stealing on the pitch.

1. Play F3 4-5 steps in towards home from 1B, and 2 steps in off the baseline. Prior to the pitch we move F4 2 steps towards 1B to make it easier to get to the base to receive a throw. This allows F3 to cover 2 steps left or right. In softball the pitcher seldom covers 1B.

2. With no runners on you have to look at where the opponent is in the lineup, the count, and the number of outs to understand the possibility of a bunt, for defensive alignment. Yes the depth F3 plays can depend on the count and outs. We have F1, F2, F3, F4 crash on bunts with F2 covering 3B if F5 fields the ball. If not then F5 goes back to cover 3B.

3. Once again depends on the score, inning, count, and where they are in the order. Are you willing to trade outs for runs? Then play back. If the game is close play in for a possible bunt. Once again read the tendencies and abilities of the opposition. If they never bunt then play even with the base. You may get burned by a weak grounder but that’s the nature of the game.

If in any of the above situations the hitter is LH or even better she is a slapper then the answers are different. We have multiple defensive calls to deal with these type of situations.
 

Cannonball

Ex "Expert"
Feb 25, 2009
4,854
113
We give our 3B and 1B numbers for where we want them to play. When we play a #3, we want our 1B to be a good 3 steps in. When we play a #2, we want them to be a normal step in front of 1B. When we play a #1, we want them to play 1 to 2 steps behind 1B depending upon how good the hitter is. For our "slapper defense," they are 2 good steps behind 1B. That is also how my dd played 1B in college.

Per steps, Coach gave her a very definite range but she had an all conference 2B playing on her side. If it involved more than 2 steps to her right, she was to let it go. I hated that but it seemed to work out. At times parents would ask why BB did get to a ball. It was hard to say, that is what Coach wants but I kept my mouth shut. Coach knew exactly what he wanted and he practice it. Really, that is all that you can ask.
 

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