1st Basemen Question

[dbias]

I like the blind tag for RH first basemen. Always turn glove side, its more natural. We're 12U and we have just changed our great 1st baseman to apply this type of tag. I can't wait for this weekend to give her the chance to try it out. She is very eager to give it a shot & our catcher is primed to keep firing it down.

This is how we have always done it also. Catcher should throw to glove side of firstbaseman and the 1B should rotate toward glove side much like a relay of the SS or 2B from outfield would do... no new skill to teach.... catch and rotate to the glove side. We have the 1B get in the rhythm of taking the deep step back to left (RH) unless there is a bunt so the runner gets used to the motion, when time is right the catcher will fire the ball so be ready every play.

 

[rowdy]

I dont' recall one pick off at first base this year in 75+ games. It is a very low percentage play and if you have a right hander at first don't do it. We get the ball back to the pitcher immediately and make the runners retreat to the base.

We picked off several girls at second this year on a throw from the catcher down to the 2b covering. We got one or two at third but once you have a reputation of having a catcher who has a good arm and knows when to use it the leads become very short.

 

[Mike]

We get the ball back to the pitcher immediately and make the runners retreat to the base.

Bingo, catchers who run runners down are a blessing to the opposing team. IMO the purpose of pick off plays are to keep runners honest, its like a change up, you need to establish early you have one and runners will not take such generous leads. I also don't like 2nd and short holding runners on 1st and 3rd base, just wears them out. All of our infielders move on the pitch, if we call a pick off our corners just start a few feet closer to there bag, Nobody ever notices and occasionally we get an out.

 

[00fpdaddy]

First year 14u "A ball". Our coach put it a pick off sign this season. Our 2 catchers have guns. We have quality 1b players (both rh) what should the proper foot work be if throw is on the money?

 

[cmustangsfp]

A good time for this pickoff is once a batter has stuck out. Runners usually head back to bases with heads down.

 

[Cannonball]

I thought/teach dropstep left foot/glove side foot and angle to 1st base. Swipe tag. In that way, the fielder never loses sight of the ball and should be able to get to the bag quickly. IMO, this allows them to play in further for potential bunt and yet, because they can square their chest up to the bag while maintaining eyesight with the catcher, they can get there fast. For a right handed thrower, this also enables them to throw to 2B should the runner break without having to throw against their momentum. IOW, spin and throw.

 

[Softball_2]

We teach our RH first basemen to drop step with their right foot and square up facing the infield (as opposed to the first base dugout). We do this for a couple reasons. 1) We always want our first baseman to be facing the runner. Her back to the runner is counter-intuitive. When your second baseman covers 2B on a steal, she always gets to the base and faces the runner, even though it would be "faster" and "easier" for her to continue facing 2B and receive it for a blind tag. I understand most situations would allow a 1Bman to spin and throw out a runner who breaks for second base. I also understand the feel of momentum for spinning and throwing. However, a first baseman with her eyes on the field will be able to see the runner take off for 2B and be able to come off the bag and do her footwork (without first dropping a tag on a runner who is not there) and execute that play much more quickly and efficiently, in my opinion. 2) If the first baseman mishandles a throw when facing toward the dugout, the ricochet will take the ball into foul territory and guarantee even a retreating base runner one extra base. If she is facing inward and mishandles a throw, the ricochet is far more likely to be handled by the second baseman or right fielder without a retreating runner advancing. As for a tag being longer or shorter ("across the body") depending on which way the first baseman is facing, it should be a non-issue. When receiving the throw the first baseman should absolutely not reach for the ball and bring it back in to tag...they need to let the ball get all the way to them and snap the tag straight down. It is significantly slower to reach for a ball and bring it back to oneself than to let it travel there on its own, so tag plays should never be reached for, regardless of which way a player ends up facing.

Even at the highest levels (as one poster a couple years referenced Tennessee) some players are taught -- or are given the leverage to continue -- receiving that throw with their back to the field. So I won't say it's wrong. However, the explanation above are the reasons why we teach it the way we do.