[BuddyBear]

can anyone explain to me what a first base coach does other then pick up a player's shin gaurd, batting gloves, helmet, and pat them on the back.....

first base coach does not seem like anything more than a glorified bat boy....

[Mudcat]

what's the point of a first base coach...

It's not a bad question. I have done some first base coaching and sometimes I would be asking myself that.

Sure I would say, "Nice stroke," and holler my opinions on whether I thought the runner should try to get another base or I would remind them how many outs there were and stuff like that. But everyone in the dugout was hollering the same stuff. The fact I was standing there didn't make a lot of difference to anything.

[Willie Bee]

You could say the same thing about the coach at third as well, Mud. There are guys in the dugout hollering, "Go home!" just like the man whose job it is at third to send that runner home, or stop him.

The primary differences between a first and third base coach, at least to the masses, is that the coach on third is the one who relays signs to the batter and runners from the manager. This wasn't necessary 40-50 years ago and longer since the coach at third was the manager a lot of times.

The reason you have coaches at the two bases for the runners is simple: What happens when half of the dugout is yelling, "Run!" and half the dugout is yelling, "Hold up!" ????

[Mudcat]

I hear ya, Willie.

The thing that gave me a laugh was the idea of first base coaches picking up other player's shin guards, batting gloves, helmets etc. When I coached first base, I was also a player and if one of the other player's thought I was going to pick up his stuff I would probably have said, "Clean it up yourself, you lazy POS!"

Granted, this was a long way from the major leagues.

[Willie Bee]

Yeah, I realize that picking up shin guards, elbow pads, batitng helmets, etc., seems like the only thing a lot of MLB 1B coaches do.

We have one manager in the Little Leagues who uses his kids for 1B coaches. It's a great way to keep kids more into the game. He also used one kid in particular a lot of the time because that kid was sort of a cut-up on the bench

[BuddyBear]

well a third base coach has some important duties I would think and duties that can affect the outcome of the game:

1) Relaying the proper signs to a batter and a runner

2) Sending runners from third to home

3) Knowing the arm strength of each outfielder to make the right decisoin on whether to send that runner home or not

To me...a first base coach does not have those responsibilities....i guess a first base coach can get into an argument with the first base umpire if need be but a third base coach could do that but with far less frequency.

[Willie Bee]

1) Relaying the proper signs to a batter and a runner

True, but why not just stick the manager out there like it used to work as I mentioned?

2) Sending runners from third to home

A first base coach sends runners from 1B to 2B. If they never get to 2B safely, they never get to 3B before going home.

3) Knowing the arm strength of each outfielder to make the right decisoin on whether to send that runner home or not

The 1B coach needs to know this as well, needs to follow the ball into the gaps or into the corners and make judgment calls just the same as the 3B coach, maybe even more critical since the throw should arrive 90-120 feet sooner to second base than a throw to the plate.

The 1B coach also has to watch for pickoff attempts at 1B and often 2B. Start watching those 1B coaches in the future and tell me how you see more and more of them with stop watches.

[bigboydan]

lets not forget this one either. there out there trying to steal the other teams signs.

[pags11]

great thread here...

I would also say the first base coach would always remind runners on first how many outs there are...a big one is letting the base runner know (especially with a left-handed pitcher) if they have to get back on a pick-off move...they are in constant communication with the third base coach to re-inforce what signs have been sent to the runner...there are times (especially at the lower levels: high school) where the first base coach (usually while wearing sun glasses) will attempt to steal signs from the opposing pitching coach or the opposing catcher...and much like others talked about, the first base coach is there to pump the hitter up after they've gotten on base...

[presley177]

Pags is right with a few things..stealing signs..(in high school the 1st base coach would "whistle" for a breaking ball...and to get the timing of a pick-off move. You probably won't see it on tv but if you were to watch the 1st base coach...most have stopwatches to time how fast the pitcher gets the ball to the plate..and on occasion on a steal how fast it took from the ball to get to the plate and then to 2nd...for future references. It also helps to have "eyes in the back of your head" when the 1st baseman is playing behind you and you're focusing on the pitcher.. just a simple "BACK!" when the 1st baseman comes running in behind you. Another thing although simple and obvious is the reminder of outs, situation, scouting report on outfielder's arms, etc. Ofcourse also more common than most think is the 1st baseman telling them to take the extra base(although it's more the player's job) and to remind the player of where the cut-off/throw home is going.

It's not hard obviously to be a 1st base coach...but an alert one who does his homework on the opposing team can be very beneficial.

[David]

The first base coach should relay the signs to right handed hitters so they don't have to turn around.

[Mudcat]

Now see, I like that. Progressive thinking.