Archive for Coaches Corner
Playing First Base – Footwork and Catching the Ball
Posted by: | CommentsFundaments of playing first base
- Footwork and receiving the throw
- First baseman should move to the base as soon as the ball is put in play.
- He should then face the fielder making the throw over to first.
- He should have his knees slightly bent with his heels touching the edge of the base closest to the field.
- He is now waiting for the throw from the fielder.
- As the ball comes toward the base the player should wait until the last possible moment before stretching out towards the ball.
- You don’t want to start the stretch too early as that will not allow you to adjust to an errant throw.
- Should the throw be off target it’s the first baseman’s responsibility to move off the base and catch the ball to avoid an overthrow and advancement of the runner.
- Remember, the first baseman will have to leave the base on errant throws. Keep in mind the top priority is to catch the baseball.
- Inexperienced first baseman will keep their feet on the base way too long and allow an errant throw to get away from them allowing the runners to advance.
- First baseman must know where the throw is going before stretching out to catch the baseball.
- The player should stretch out with the leg on the glove side hand. Right handed first baseman stretch out with the left foot and a left handed first baseman stretches with the right foot.
- There are times when throws will come to the outside of first base and the player will be forced to field the ball on the foul side of the base.
- The player must realize in this situation the runner is coming hard down the line and he should not try to reach across the base line to field the ball or there could be a violent collision.
- The player will move across the base to the foul side and receive the baseball from that position. Should it be impossible to get the foot back on the base the first baseman should quickly put the glove out in front of the base runner to get him to run into the tag.
Our next post will cover throwing the baseball from first base.
Until then, play hard and enjoy this great game.
Playing First Base
Posted by: | CommentsWe are starting a series of post’s on how to play first base the right way. Over the next few days we will post the fundamentals of playing firstbase.
You will discover…
- What type of player shoudl play the position
- The fundamentals of the position
- Footwork needed
- How to correctly receive the throws
- Throwing from first base
- Holding runners
- Fielding at first base
Today we will start with what qualities and skills make a good first baseman.
Playing First Base – Qualifications and Skills
What type of player should play first base?
- Have above average height
- Left handed but not a complete necessity
- Should be able to move quickly and make quick decisions
- Good reflexes, agility and coordination is needed
- Arm strength is not a concern but the player should throw accurately
- Must be able to catch well and can move around to catch errant throws
Stay tuned…
Tomorrow we will start our look into the fundamentals of playing first base.
Problems with a heavy bat
Posted by: | CommentsA few additional problems heavy bats cause
- The heavy the bat the harder it is to control thus you will strike out more.
- A heavy bat can make your upper body have to do all the work and that will cause you to pull your front foot off the ball.
- And last but not least it will slow your swing down considerably and actually cost you power.
What do Baseball Scouts Look For?
Posted by: | CommentsSo… What do Baseball Scouts look for?
All good baseball scouts will evaluate players in five areas:
- Arm Throwing Ability
- Hitting for Average
- Hitting for Power
- Running
- Fielding Ability
We will break these down in future posts for you to get an idea of what scouts consider good, average or great. You have to keep in mind that a lot of it depends on the scout so there is no magic number they are looking for.
Intangibles that a player has can also go into the evaluation. Here are a list of several that scouts tend to look for.
- Team Work – Are you a good teammate?
- Hustle
- Work Habits
- Your Maturity
- Aggressiveness
- Intelligence
- Composure
- Desire to play
- Dedication
- Respect of Coaches and the game itself
- Instincts
- Leadership
- Knowledge of the game
- Desire to help others
I’m sure the list could grow but just remember there is more to playing this game than just the 5 tools listed above. Other things make the difference from being average or great at this game. Focus you time and energy on the five skills above but keep in mind the other important attributes of a great player.
Check back with us often as we will continue to break down this post skill by skill to give you a better idea what baseball scouts are looking for.
Just to give you a taste of what I’m talking about:
Baseball Running Speed – 60 yard dash time
- Acceptable Time – 7 seconds or less
- Good Time – 6.6 to 6.8 seconds
- Great Time – 6.2 to 6.5 seconds
Remember these are guidelines and vary by scout or organization. I discussed this with several professional players and coaches as well as averaging some online resources to get a feel for what they consider when looking at running ability.
This is just a taste of what the Youth Baseball Insider plans to provide you in every area of baseball. Our research will give you the knowledge to judge yourself against what it takes to play this game at the Major League level.
Good luck and until next time….
Running Practice Without Help
Posted by: | CommentsYou should know how to run practice alone without help.
You should always be prepared to handle practice yourself without the help of assistant coaches or parents. You should focus on team drills during this time so things run smoothly. I would suggest working on game strategy drills like cutoffs and relays. You can also plan to work on baserunning and throwing which involves all players on the team. You can also line up your players along the outfield and work all the dry hitting drills you will find from our website or fundamental hitting programs.
It’s very important to keep the players engaged and active with minimal time waiting around to do something. This will help keep the practice running and everyone will stay engaged.
Have a plan written out and follow it. It will work.
Lower Back Stretch
Posted by: | CommentsLower Back:
- Lie down on the ground on your stomach.
- Push your Upper body off the ground by pushing up with both arms.
- Make sure your lower body stays on the ground.
- Hold for 10 seconds and rest. Complete 5 sets.
Upper Back Stretch
Posted by: | CommentsUpper Back:
- Stand tall.
- Hold your hands out in from of you.
- Lock your fingers together and raise your hands above your head pushing your arms up toward the sky.
- Turn your hands so the palms face the sky.
- Hold up for 10 seconds. Complete 5 sets.
