1B coverage

[jasoftball]

What would you define as the area the 1B should be responsible for making the catch?

Have run across a few 1B's that don't seem to make much effort and teammates are receiving errors on their throws. Does the throw have to be dead in their chest to be a good throw, or what is the range that it would still be considered a good throw and the error should be on the 1B instead of the thrower?

 

[Amy in AZ.]

People can't throw. Make certain that they are using as close to a 4 seem grip as they can get - or at least ahold of some seem on the ball.

I can remember showing my teammates that I am 5'9" and what my reach is. I was not happy that they couldn't get the ball somewhere within a 7 foot square area.

The mistake that almost every first baseman makes (I did too, until I played in a college class) is too run to the bag and put one foot on it. That cements you to the bag. What I want girls to do, is straddle the inside corner of the bag and once the throw leaves the fielder's hand - then, they know where they need to be on the bag. If the throw is high, I need both feet together so that I can jump. If the throw is going to be really short, I have needed to get both toes on the bag and lay out flat on the ground. Or, if the ball is thrown over 8 feet from me, I need to abandon the bag and get the ball.

There are a few times, when the ball is thrown so high that I would stay out of the play all together and hope that the catcher and RF were backing me up.

 

[Hit by the Pitch]

This is a loaded question.

I do not care what is in the scorebook, get it anywhere near 1st base and it should be caught. If they are pulled of the bag so be it. Charge the error to who you want.

 

[wichita]

All throws are not going to be perfect .... That being said ..... Teammates have to help each other out.... throws in the dirt to 1st base need to be dug out of the dirt to the best ability of your first baseman the ones that cant be dug out will be an error on the thrower its just that simple.... Reasonable effort is the phrase that is what you need to remember when giving an error. My DD got errors from running from ss to shallow center field to catch a pop up that should have been caught by the cf and while diving for balls both of which are not reasonable effort. Also every base a runner takes needs to be accounted for in the score book either it is a hit an error or an out of some kind.

 

[Hit by the Pitch]

In 40+ games last year DD was charged with 1 error, she happened to be playing 1st base. Throw was a little off, not perfect, and she did not make the play. On this play a scorekeeper could have made 1 of 3 decisions. Hit, was going to be close, E6 or E3. DD got tagged with it.

There is a runner on 1st now, I do not care whose fault it is or if she earned it get off my base!

 

[GOINGDEEP]

MLB 10.12 If a throw is low, wide or high, or strikes the ground, and a runner reaches base who otherwise would have been put out by such throw, the official scorer shall charge the player making the throw with an error.

These type stats sometimes have to take in account the level of play. If I got a 10u rec team and SS throws one a little wide and tips off the 1b glove, SS gonna get the error. If I've got a 16u A team and SS throws one a little wide, 1B probably gonna get that error, because at that level 1b should be able to handle "most" wide throws.

Like others have said, ordinary effort, is the key. What may be ordinary for Sally may not be ordinary for lil Susie.

 

[starsnuffer]

Goingdeep cited the general rule for scorekeeping.

That said, 1B is expected to catch or dig anything close to them. They should expect every throw to be bad and need to know how to pull a ball out of the dirt or one thrown at their ankles. A first baseman can make a great infield look bad or a mediocre infield look good.

-W

 

[wichita]

In 40+ games last year DD was charged with 1 error, she happened to be playing 1st base. Throw was a little off, not perfect, and she did not make the play. On this play a scorekeeper could have made 1 of 3 decisions. Hit, was going to be close, E6 or E3. DD got tagged with it.

There is a runner on 1st now, I do not care whose fault it is or if she earned it get off my base!

If the ball was catchable she should have got the error....

I also agree with GD you do have to take into account the level of play ....

 

[Greenmonsters]

Goingdeep cited the general rule for scorekeeping.

That said, 1B is expected to catch or dig anything close to them. They should expect every throw to be bad and need to know how to pull a ball out of the dirt or one thrown at their ankles. A first baseman can make a great infield look bad or a mediocre infield look good.

-W

What he said ^^^^^^. A very good 1B instills confidence in the other IFs and really elevates the quality of IF defense.

 

[Hit by the Pitch]

If the ball was catchable she should have got the error........

Players need to be aggressive, it is hard to teach. Like you said in your previous post put yourself out there and play the game. Scorekeeper can do what they wamt.