First Baseman Receiving Balls Thrown from the Catcher
There are times when the first baseman will be required to receive a throw from the catcher. The most common occurrences will be when the batter bunts (or hits the ball softly) or when a third strike is dropped.
When the catcher is preparing to throw to first he should move away from the baseline, either into fair or foul territory so that his throw will not be obstructed by the base runner. If the catcher moves into fair territory the first baseman should position himself on the second base side of the bag with his left foot on the base to receive the throw. If the catcher moves into foul territory the first baseman should move into foul territory and receive the ball with his right foot on the base.
In either instance the first baseman should get into position as quickly as possible to set a good target for the catcher to throw to. The first baseman should be sure that he does not interfere with runner's ability to get to the base.
Go To: Fielding at First Base.