1st base footwork

Many baseball observers underestimate the value of having a 1st baseman who has sound footwork and technique around the bag.  It is not always obvious because bad footwork doesn’t necessarily translate into errors. More often, it will result in limited range.  In today’s post, I will focus on one fundamental that is extremely important for a 1st baseman- don’t stretch until the ball is on its way.

When you stretch before seeing the ball’s path, you restrict your range in all directions (left, right, up, and down). You will have more success if you 1. see the ball, 2. adjust your feet based on the ball’s trajectory, and 3. stretch to the ball. By doing this, you will have a better chance to catch balls thrown to your left and right. Furthermore, you will dig more balls thrown in the dirt and jump higher for balls thrown over your head.

This is something that should be practiced, so you are able to do it very quickly. In many cases, you will have a split second to complete all three steps.  Once you get it down, you will feel more comfortable around the bag and more confident that you can handle anything thrown at you. You will also make your fellow infielders look better, which they will appreciate.

Coach’s Tip-

Invite your middle infielders when running 1st base footwork drills

This is an important concept for middle infielders to understand because they are often required to cover a base and receive the ball like a 1st baseman (i.e. when a force out is being made and there is no chance to turn a double play). For example, there is a runner on 1st base and a groundball is hit into the hole on the left side of the infield to the shortstop. There is no chance to turn a double play. The 2nd baseman should cover 2nd base like a 1st baseman and concentrate on making one out.

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