How To Play Baseball: Covering First Base

Learn how to cover the first base correctly to defend the field.

[Music Playing] You notice I am in the first base area. A lot of times during a ball game, balls will be hit to the first baseman right would just going to take him to his right where he cannot the back, which leaves the pitcher to slide over and fill the position. What we ask for the pitcher is to do is to run a direct line from the mound to the first cut in the grass as he approaches his cut. He is now going to come parallel, chopping his steps with his hands up and I am going to feed him the ball. This is mainly a time and play between a pitcher, first baseman, and sometimes the second baseman. So what we would do is work on it. Timmy and Phil will simulate a throw, they are going to make a direct line to the first cut then they are going to come parallel with the bag, hands up, chop your steps. Once the hit the inside of the bag, they are going to push you off, and determine what is going on with the rest of the game. He runs a straight line for the cut. Could he chop his step, hands up. Boom! Push to the inside; see what else is going on. He is going to play the game and not get caught watching the game. Straight line. Hands up. Chop! Chop! Chop! Push off. See what is going on with the rest of the game. There we go. [Music Playing] Straight line. Parallel to the line; feed him, inside, push off. If you do not push it off, some of these big guys are going to get a good piece of you and plant you like a weed. Here we go. [Music Playing] Sometimes I may give it to him a little bit early. There you go. Do not drift into the line; if you drift anyway, you come to the inside. Do not drift in the path to the runner. Here we go Timmy. [Music Playing] Head up a little bit. [Music Playing] Good job. Hit the inner third of the bag, push it off. Come towards the infield side. There is always a chance when it happens that even the first baseman or second baseman may bobble the ball if it happens you are now set up, just like be the first plays when he plants again, I am feeling the ball. Here we go Timmy. [Music Playing] As you are running down the line, you always anticipate a bad throw, he bobbles it. He plants. There is the out. [Music Playing]