First Baseman Pick Drill ~ Realistic Repetitions For Fielding Throws In The Dirt!

The first baseman pick drill is a quick and effective activity for developing those slick fielding players that are the glue, holding your infield together.

Someone once told me that anyone can play this position. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Your infield will be as successful, as the player on that corner, is competent.

Photo Bill Stanton: Checkswing.com

Equipment Needed

• Infielders at all positions



• Coach with fungo and basket of baseballs.



• Infield with bases.



• Bucket for 1B's to collect baseballs in.



• To take this activity to another level, consider equipping your infielders, including your first basemen, with a infield training glove, to increase the challenge and improve their fielding focus. It is an add which pays dividends.

The Activity

• Coach works around the infield, hitting or throwing ground balls to the infielders back hand side, glove side, slow rollers and straight on.



• Infielders field the ball and purposely throw a ball that requires the 1B to pick the ball and/or adjust his foot position to catch.



• First basemen are concentrating on footwork and picking the bad throws.

Firstbaseman Pick Drill ~ Tips From the Dugout

Have the 1B's start from off the bag so that they have to move and locate the bag with their throwing side foot.

They should square up to where ever the ball is coming from.

Watch to see that they wait to see where the ball is headed, before they stretch. Stretching too soon can get them tied up.

Play the ball first, the bag second.

Go down to up with your glove, dragging your glove along the ground, as long as possible.

The Key: Make the pick with the glove open.

Anything from your glove side leg, towards your back hand side, back hand the pick.

It's The Little Details That Are Vital. Little Things Make Big Things Happen! ( John Wooden )