Sweet Fielding First Basemen
February 5, 2010Somewhere I stumbled on an article about the defensive prowess of Casey Kotchman. It probably came from Buster Olney’s baseball insider blog. Anyway, that got me to thinking about how important (and what a pleasure) it is to have a great defensive first basemen.
It’s funny because until you’ve played with one, you really don’t know what you’re missing. Like most folks, I perceived first as the easiest of all infield positions and the place you put the guy who couldn’t play anywhere else. Then along comes a guy like Kotchman…or for me, JT Snow or Rex Peters.
JT was the best I one bagger I ever played with at any level. He won six gold gloves and saved about a billion throwing errors from infielders who couldn’t feel their hands in the freezing cold of Candlestick Park. He had amazing range, was fearless, graceful, and innovative…I’d venture to say he’s the best to ever play the position.
Despite the fact he’s probably the greatest 1st baseman ever, JT will probably be best remembered as the guy who saved 3 year old batboy Darren Baker from collision at home plate during game 5 of the 2002 World Series.
Whoa, that was close. JT saves Darren Baker.
Prior to JT, I had the pleasure of playing college ball with another great 1st basemen named Rex Peters. Rex never made it to the show, but played a number of years in the minor leagues and since 2002 has been the head coach at UC Davis. Rex, just like JT, made the position look real easy. And in a weird twist, Rex was actually married to JT’s sister Michelle.
UC Davis head coach (and slick fielding 1st baseman in his day) Rex Peters.
Both of them were outstanding athletes, but the thing that stood out in my mind was their focus and ability to anticipate action. It’s the same quality that I’m always harping on catchers to cultivate. Anticipation. Seeing all the possibilities before they happen. All for now…..be well.
I agree completely.
Good defensive 1st basemen save a ton of infield throwing errors. Just like catchers seldom get credit for calling a great game (where’s the list of catchers who’ve caught no-nos or perfect games?), 1st basemen don’t get much credit for taking throws from gold glove winning infielders.
And given the unique challenges of (1) fielding bad throws while trying to keep a foot glued to the bag, and (2) having to field bad throws from pitchers (and a few catchers) trying to pick off a runner, and (3) having to field hits to the right side of the infield after coming off the bag, I would argue that 1st base was the second most technically challenging position on the field (after catching of course). Someone wrote that the 1st baseman handles the ball more often than anyone else except, again, the catcher. I guess that’s true too.
Thanks for elevating the “prestige” of the position just a tad.
BTW, a guy named Keith Hernandez is said to have been a pretty good first-bagger himself. Wasn’t known for his hitting, but the guy sure was an innovator.
Keep up the great commentary!!
Hey Gerry, good points. As to your question about a list of catchers with no-no’s, etc., check out this great website http://www.baseballcatchers.com/. If it’s about catchers and you can’t find it there, you won’t find it anywhere.
Glad to have stumbled upon this ode to JT (via the whole pitch-tipping debacle.) I had the pleasure of watching JT play for many years and have always thought he oozed the essence of the game. The attitude, the god-like defensive abilities, and the occasional dinger into McCovey Cove. Old number 6 will forever be my yard stick for a good ballplayer, first basemen or not.
P.S. I’m hoping to see him manage a team one of these days.