What makes a good first baseman?

First off, Welcome to the HSBBW MHC77.

Is your boy Rt. Handed or Left Handed?

At 16 your son should not limit his positions just yet.
One coach might see a 1st baseman, another coach might see an OF.

Your son's footspeed will determine if he's an Outfielder or not.

EH

Practice picking those throws out of the dirt.

Sometimes it's partly what one can't do well combined with what he can do well.

In college, I could get on base, I could field and dig, and I was left-handed. I could not make the throw from the outfield with any "authority."

First base.

As already stated his foot speed, quickness, and arm strength will determine if he can play in the OF at the next level. If he is to be a first baseman then generally a good stick with some pop is needed. Even though it's not thought of as important but good defense for the position helps. If he is LH then he has more range to his glove side (2nd base hole) but overall if he can cover the hole and the line and handle bunt coverages then he is fine on defense. But again he is at a position where offense is expected over there when playing first.

Typically, 1st Basemen have the big bat. Usually # 4 batter, expected to bring in the runs. My son, 1B, Lefty, good foot work and range around the bag. Must be able to pick out of the dirt, over the head, and be able to come off the bag for wild throws so runner doesn't head to second. Be able to read the pitcher/catcher for throw downs. He also has various coverage for bunts, and cut offs. Normally 1B men aren't known for their speed, but my son does have speed and runs a 6.77 60 last time he was clocked,which is a plus.
(This info is mostly from my observation)...

My son was a pretty successful first baseman and I agree with what has been written.

However, as a young person don't let him become completely focused on 1st. My son was only a first baseman which limited his opportunities. Could he play the outfield (he was left handed); yes, but everyone started viewing him as a first baseman.

There is many a coach that views 1st base as the postion that "anyone can play". As such; you will see many a player whose "normal" position may be elsewhere being put at 1st. If your guy has limited their skills only to first this can be a problem as they move forward.

As someone that has been down this road; if they are left handed, make sure that they become good outfielders as well as learning to play 1st. There will be far more options for good outfielder that can play first than a 1st baseman that is not viewed as an outfielder.

quote:

Originally posted by ILVBB:
There is many a coach that views 1st base as the postion that "anyone can play". As such; you will see many a player whose "normal" position may be elsewhere being put at 1st. If your guy has limited their skills only to first this can be a problem as they move forward.

Really? Here is what you should look like as a 1st basemen.

Or this:









Julie

quote:

Originally posted by MHC77:
... almost 16 and 6'3" tall...

The wingspan is is a big plus - it can hide a lot of throwing errors.

The hitting photos above were posted partly in jest, but meant to emphasize that at college and pro levels, generally 1Bmen are good hitters, usually power hitters.

At the high school level, it is very important for 1B to be able to catch MOST errant throws, within reach. HS teammates will not always make perfect throws. A taller 1B who can stretch for the high or wide throw while keeping a foot on the bag saves many an error. So his team has another out on the scoreboard, rather than a runner on 2B or maybe a run scored against them. A tall 1B who can also dig throws out of the dirt saves his team even more errors and runs. The HS 1B who can reliably catch anything that is thrown in the vicinity of the base becomes the pitching staff's hero.


Julie

Good question. My son was put at first as a sophmore on varsity because the incumbent simply could not catch. He had the glove and to his HS coach, that is what makes a good 1B. My son was an outfielder/LHP by trade that can run 6.8 60 but yet to have the offensive punch you need at 1st. His profile is counter to the sterotypical 1B BUT will take any opportunity to play varsity full time as a sophmore. Different coaches see players in different roles and/or help them fill needs. Enjoy the playing time and don't worry about the position if he has field under his feet and not pine under his seat.

I hadn't heard this one before, but I like it!

quote:

...if he has field under his feet and not pine under his seat.

Julie

quote:

Enjoy the playing time and don't worry about the position if he has field under his feet and not pine under his seat.

DuckinDD:

I have said this many times - where you play on a HS Varsity team has as much to do with who is ahead of you at a particular position than any thing else.

Footwork, hands and big bat = good firstbaseman.

Love the quote about field under the feet is better than pine under the seat.

Thanks to all for the great responses. My son and I got a chuckle though from everyone who said "don't limit him to a single position". Can they come to NoVa and coach? Seems like virtually everyone we know was pegged by their coaches in LL and have barely changed positions since. My son's middle school travel coach refused to teach him 1B...and now everyone else expects him to know it. Live, learn, and just keep plugging, I guess.

quote:

Originally posted by MHC77:
Thanks to all for the great responses. My son and I got a chuckle though from everyone who said "don't limit him to a single position". Can they come to NoVa and coach? Seems like virtually everyone we know was pegged by their coaches in LL and have barely changed positions since. My son's middle school travel coach refused to teach him 1B...and now everyone else expects him to know it. Live, learn, and just keep plugging, I guess.

versatility is an excellent selling point but this is as good a time as any to share what a former AAA mgr friend told me... just hit the ball. There are many threads here about should I go here play at that level etc and I think about what he told me every time I read them. To me this will guide our decision process more than anything... can he succeed at the plate in whatever situation he is looking at. If you can hit they will find a place for you to play. As he told me: "even the greatest glove of all time Ozzie Smith eventually had to hit the ball".

IMO... its more important that a good first baseman be able to scoop the low throw than be a big target at first. Herzog mentioned many times how many errors Hernandez saved at first.

Read the book "Nine Sides of the Diamond" http://search.barnesandnoble.c...sides+of+the+diamond

The article by Keith Hernandez is outstanding.
You may "U-tube Keith Hernandez for film clips on his great defensive fielding. When we travel Internationally, I give every player this book.

When I played 1b, I taught myself the "splits"
on low throws.
I could give you the 10 minute instruction or the 10 hour instruction.

Bob Williams

a lot of good points have been made. for my son, being able to consistantly make picks out of the dirt won him the job. as a freshman he proved he could catch most anything thrown his way. beating out several established upperclassmen to get the spot. as a freshmen they DH'd for him, which in hind sight was a good move since some seniors were a little jealous of him taking their spot. he soon earned their respect.

First baseman are generally taller players with exceptional foot and glovework...Although I am not scared to put a smaller player there if need be. Lets face it, a good throw is a good throw.

Some of the best first baseman that I have seen were ex- 3rd baseman and shortstops that have hurt their throwing arm in some capacity and do not posses the arm strength that they once had. They are able to field the position such as groundballs and able to scoop and save many bad throws.

Once I was finished playing baseball in my mid 20's, I decided to play some softball. Our first baseman on the team was an all american shortstop that added some extra pounds over the years and had to move over to 1b. He was incredible with the balls he could field and scoop.

Natron