Who's on First?

[HeinekenMan]

And What's on second.

When my son was a little younger (6-8), it was fairly standard to put one of the team's best receivers at first base. This year, I decided I needed my best fielders at the other infield positions. So I picked two tall, slow kids to play first base. I figured I could throw a zillion balls at them until they got it down. But I suspect that I'm making a huge mistake. Both kids are scared of the hard throws and have terrible footwork as a result. Of course, they also miss a lot of throws because they're just stabbing at the ball and flinching.

Is it okay to put one of the better athletes at first base on a 10U team? I have a lightning fast kid who fields the ball well but tends to make bad throws. It seems like I can kill two birds with one stone by moving him to first base. He's also my No. 2 catcher, but my No. 1 catcher seems like he would fit well at first base, too. So I'm thinking of rotating the two.

[Bolts-Baseball]

A good firstbaseman will save runs... Players who are 'hidden' there, often get exposed...

[AdamInNY]

You need a good player at first. As someone else pointed out in tour tournament pitching thread at this age it's about getting outs.

Also at 10U, you are still getting a disproportionate number of balls hit to the right side because kids don't get around on the better pitching.

Adam

[bbrages]

It seems like every position is one where you want a good athlete! But the first baseman at least shouldn't be afraid of catching a hard throw. Nothing is quite as frustrating as a catching error at first base after the fielder has fielded and thrown well.

My kids and their cousins often play "hot box" in our small backyard... that's a game that is good for teaching throwing and catching...

[Standballdad]

A good firstbaseman will save runs... Players who are 'hidden' there, often get exposed...

You cannot hide your weak players they will be exposed regardless.:crossfingers: I do agree that you need a
good glove at first, it also adds confidence to your infielders that have to throw to him.

[The Uncoach]

Best players belong where they get the most touches. That's 1, 2, 6 & 3.

[crazyhawk]

There is not a play in little league that can bring a team down quicker than a nice play by a fielder, a good throw over and just a botched/drop by the first baseman. You can just feel the air come out of the players/coaches. First base needs a kid that can flat catch the ball. It is a must.

[tg643]

At ages 6-8 you rotate your players through all the positions and teach them to catch the ball. I never had a kid take one in the head. I never had a first baseman get hurt to where he had to leave the game. If a coach plays his best players at 1,2,6 and 3 he shouldn't be coaching. He doesn't understand what coaching that age group is about.

At 9/10's these positions become more important. But I would still rotate less talented players in at any position in innings they were less likely to hurt the team. In 9/10's there a lot of "get an out at any base." If team morale is hurt by a less talented kid making an error tell them to "get over it."

9/10's was when my son learned self control. He learned on the mound he only had control of the pitch, not the end result. When high school varsity players made errors behind him he was unflappable. I believe it was due to the training he got in 9/10's.

Any coach who has the air taken out of him by an error made by a preteen shouldn't be coaching. Besides, at any level of coaching the coach's responsibility is to lead. The players should never see him deflated during a game.

[Bolts-Baseball]

At ages 6-8 you rotate your players through all the positions and teach them to catch the ball.

For some reason, I completely scanned over and missed the age of these players in the OP...

tg643 is 100% correct...

[crazyhawk]

The OP said 10 year old. You don't need to be rotating players to 1B when they are that old. That is a fine age to put one of your top 4 kids who can catch a ball properly and let them catch the ball.

[HeinekenMan]

These kids are 9-10. In the 6-8 division, I rotated all of my kids and let everyone play first base at least once. Of course, I kept my best receivers at first base during close games. We didn't have many of those, though.

The main kid I'm talking about is one I didn't really know very well. He isn't as skilled as I had imagined. He is on my travel team, too. I think he may excel at first base in time. But it will take several months. I might give him a few innings at first base when I have a flamethrower on the mound and the bottom of the order due to bat.

[real green]

These kids are 9-10. In the 6-8 division, I rotated all of my kids and let everyone play first base at least once. Of course, I kept my best receivers at first base during close games. We didn't have many of those, though.

The main kid I'm talking about is one I didn't really know very well. He isn't as skilled as I had imagined. He is on my travel team, too. I think he may excel at first base in time. But it will take several months. I might give him a few innings at first base when I have a flamethrower on the mound and the bottom of the order due to bat.

If the ball is put in play, were will it go in your scenario? If it's not a K you will see full swing bunts, late swing rockets to the right side, and mishit grounders full of english to the right side. All very tough for experienced first baseman. None of witch will help develop your player.

I would build experience in a first baseman with your best SS and your best strike thrower that produces a lot of routine grounders to the left side. Confidence explodes in your player catching routine plays from the infield.

[raptor]

These kids are 9-10. In the 6-8 division, I rotated all of my kids and let everyone play first base at least once. Of course, I kept my best receivers at first base during close games. We didn't have many of those, though.

The main kid I'm talking about is one I didn't really know very well. He isn't as skilled as I had imagined. He is on my travel team, too. I think he may excel at first base in time. But it will take several months. I might give him a few innings at first base when I have a flamethrower on the mound and the bottom of the order due to bat.

While middle infielders are doing their drills, take a bag of balls out to behind second. Have them get into normal position. Then tap the ball which is their signal to go to the bag...teach them to square to the throw and present a big target. Then just throw them balls everywhere for 20 minutes each practice. Give them feedback and tons of reps. Throw them in the dirt, out wide, down the line etc. Tell them their job is to make the infielders look good and to expect every throw to be a bad one. Hit them tons of ground balls..and work on the little pop up plays behind the bag..how they should turn their hips and get behind the ball. The key is..just like the catchers..assign someone to work with them individually each practice. They will be ahead of most by doing that.