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Show Here's the Pitch Left-Hand Thrower Has Advantage at First Base eLaa.W ,. j0 v '" " j Kddle Waitkua . . . Tells how the first base portion Is played. (This Is another In a serine an Inside baseball written for the Telegram. This ene waa written by Eddie Waltkus Just before ha waa wounded by gunshot.) By Eddie Waitkua Phillies' First Bascnsaa Making the double play from first to second and back la difficult for the first baseman. With a man on first, he has to field the ball, throw to second, hustle to first for the return throw. I This Is why a left-hand thrower 'has a physical advantage at first, rftastVTfe has a distinct bulge in throwing to second and third, although al-though he rarely la called upon to throw to the latter. Tha bases are right In front of him. whereas a right-hand thrower has to turn. The right-hand thrower haa the same edge making a throw to the plate, but this play cornea up only when a baeerunner attempts to score from third or second on. an Infield out. In that case it la tha t left-hander who has to turn. I Hardest for many first basemen j lis making the decision of whether! to go Into the hole after a ball. I That to. on balls hit far to his right, the first baseman has to ; make up his mind whether to take tha baU and let tha pitcher cover, or rely on tha second baseman to field the ball. Usually It It best to break for the ball, make the pitcher cover. Watching the ball which practically prac-tically everybody does, tha fans don't see how the first baseman gets In position. They see him only as he takes the throw. Covering I he bag. the first baseman stands with his legs spread, and with the bam behind his feet, not be-' tween them. The left-handed first baseman tags the base by kicking back with j his left foot. The right leg Is stretched out leaving him In position to throw immediately. Naturally, tha right-handed right-handed first baseman does It lust the opposite. Tha moat Important aaaet of a: first baseman la a long stretch. I Unless he reached for the ball; many runners would be safe by a hslf-step or less, j A long stretch many times turns Into an out what otherwise would ' be an infield hit. j The stretch eliminates difficult pickups. It enables a first base- man to gat the ball on a short hop, or before It hits the ground. I Inexperienced f I r 1 1 basemen sometimes find It difficult to decide de-cide whether to play tha bag or tha bail oa a throw pulling their foot from the bag. They must play the ball, of course, get back the best way they can. On hurried throws, say from deep shortstop, msny of which are baa, the ball usually Is thrown Into the runner, thst Is on the home piste side of first base. Here the first baseman can leave the bag and attempt to tag the runner. I First basemen do not play place-1 hitters as deep as left-hand pull hitters, or as close to the foul line. With a fast man at bat, the first baseman plays closer to tha bag. gives himself enough time to cover. Tha first baseman moves In to be in position to field a bunt. If tha bunt Is on the third base side, he triee to get back in tuna to cover the bag. On balls hit Into the hole, or far I to the first baseman's right, and on balls hit deep to first base, and on drag bunts to first bast, the pitcher j has to cover the bag. 1 The second baseman Is respon-i slble for first base on all other! plays taking tha first baseman off tha bag. 1 |
