WebBall.com - Know Your Role

Every play is yours - consistency counts.

This page features some of the essential skills and know-how you must have to be good at 1st. Check the in-motion and recommended drill pages for techniques and practice suggestions.

Timing your moves

Before the pitch...
- Get off the line, check lead runner, think position.
- LH batter - remind pitcher to cover.
- To hold runner - back heel on bag (LH or RH), or straddle bag (RH).
On the windup...
- Lean in, balls of your feet, square to the plate.
- Glove down, butt down, head up.
On contact...
- Go straight at it (don't let the ball play you)
- Or cover the bag.

Fielding and Coverage

To field it...
- Short hop - scoop it on glove side, backhand stab on throwing side.
- Long hop or chopper - get behind it, plant foot, toss with no spin.

To cover bag ...
- Start with both heels, get the target up. Step off on catch, don't freeze.
- High throw - springboard off bag, step back on landing.
- One-hoppers - learn your circle and don't get locked. (The circle is the stretching range - farther out you pull in and take it on the hop.
- Check lead runners - look them back (stride towards).

Drill work

All drills help, these are especially important if you play first. Put extra effort into them when the coach runs these during practice.

Double Play Drill... work on moving on and off the bag, finding catch angle quickly and timing your stretches.

Round the Bags... you won't be at 1st much in this drill, but you can treat every throw at every bag the way you would at first.

Bunt Loops... work on your first reaction steps, charging hard, getting glove right to the ground. Also work on communication with pitcher, 2nd base.

Pick-Off Playbook... with pitchers because you need to know their moves and how their throws might drift

Pre-Game... primarily an outfield drill, but 1st has special duties including relays to home

The Rundown... work on coverage and technique.

Special Skills

Double Plays
- Work on communication - who's got the bag?

Bunt defense
- Work on communicating with pitcher (especially RH) and 2nd base
- Hard bunt - charge it.
- Soft bunt - get back for throw.

Ball at the fence...
- Feel for fence with throwing arm, get there early.
- Test the warning track before the game - count the running strides.

Tag plays...
- Glove down, runner comes to you.
- Swipe tag - don't freeze.