Third base Help!

[trugunzn]

Anybody know a good website to learn to play third base better and learn different stuff?

[Ohfor]

Field the ball with your chest first, glove second.

95% of the time the ball will not get to the chest.

On the high chop you have to field it on the short hop.........whether you want to or not.

Every ball to your left is yours.

Throw that thing to first base like you're going to throw it into the next count.............every time.

On the double play, if you've never thrown it into right field because the second basemen wasn't there, then you're not quick enough. Make the 2B say, "Oh sh*t", when a dp ball is hit to you.

[Jake Patterson]

Played third base for most of my playing years.... The best advise.... "Knock it down, pick it up, throw' em out."

[YankeesCatcher]

Another thing I want to say is to play deep, better to be way safe than to let the ball get by you by playing up close. And if you know a big guy who can take your head off with a liner is coming up, back up.

[XFactor]

Yeah, have someone hit you grounders, both hard and soft, and practice throwing on the run, diving and getting up and throwing, all the throws you'd have to possibely make in a game, practice them.

[Riverdog]

3rd base is about quick hands and quick feet. The strong arm is second to these because you have to get the ball first and be in a strong position to throw second and then your strong arm comes in to play. There are two positions played by people who don't value human life - catcher and 3rd. It's also not a position that has much written about it. Although it's called the hot corner, it's not well understood.
Knock it down, pick it up and throw him out is good advice for the position. However, there's alot more on how to play the position well when someone isn't trying to drive a hole through you with a baseball.
There's usually some good stuff on the webball site. Here's the address for 3rd base: http://www.webball.com/skill/third.html
You can also try Skilton's site for links to other baseball coaching sites.

[Jake Patterson]

Another thing I want to say is to play deep, better to be way safe than to let the ball get by you by playing up close. And if you know a big guy who can take your head off with a liner is coming up, back up.

Respectfully disagree- WHERE you play is dependent upon how well you throw. I agree with Ohfor its about quick hands and feet. Best combination on the left side is a SS with great range and a third baseman that can play in on the grass. I had a weak arm and always played in.

[Ohfor]

You play in and you're giving up unnecessary hits......unless of course there is a speed factor involved.

[retkag]

more 3B tips

Field conditions do dictate sometimes where the 3b must play. Some fields have terrible lip from the grass to agg.

Take a close look at how a tennis player gets set to recieve a serve. Very similar to the 3b because most of the plays are to the R and L. We teach a Side to side prep were both feet get set just before the ball is in the hitting zone. A 3b can't track the ball the same so they do most of their focus on the hitting zone.

Make sure when you come to a set you aren't frozen like a statue, again watch how a tennis player does it.

3b must be able to make these four plays. ball right at them, to the left to the right and the slow roller. Work on your foot work and remember that you wear the glove to catch the ball. Nothing worse than a double play ball that 3b doesn't field and plays it off the body.

hope this helps

retkag