Making the transition to first base
03/01/2006WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- Spring Training is in full swing, and everything is going great.
We have been at it for about a week now, and all of the guys are getting into shape and getting excited for the upcoming season. We have spent the last few days working on our individual skills, as well as some team drills and live batting practice. Our team drills include bunt plays, first and third defense, cutoffs, pickoffs and rundowns. We do the same drills in camp every year, and it does get pretty tedious, but these are very important parts of the game and all the guys take them very seriously.
Most of the responses I received after my first diary entry were about making the move from catching to first base, so I thought I would write about it this week. I am pretty excited about making the move, because I think it will only increase my value as a player and help me make rosters down the road. I definitely am not giving up catching, and I still plan to do that at some point again in my career. But it is my goal to be an everyday player with the Indians, and the more versatile I am can only help me achieve it.
A lot is demanded of a player when he learns a new position at the big-league level. So far in my experience, the biggest adjustment has been having balls hit at me by other players. A catcher has a totally different view of the game than the other eight guys on the diamond. Turning around and having to go after balls off the bat is a much different experience than receiving the ball from a pitcher.
Reading the ball off the bat seems to be the most important thing for me to work on right now. My footwork around the bag feels good, and picking balls in the dirt is pretty easy after dealing with balls in the dirt as a catcher all the time. But seeing the ball off the bat is something a catcher never experiences. Other than that, I have to know where to be in every situation and continue to work on scooping throws out of the dirt. I am definitely learning that this is not an easy position to play, if you want to be a good first baseman. There are a number of nuances and skills the good ones have that save runs for their teams and errors for their teammates.
I appreciate all of the e-mails and questions I received, and I thought I would answer a couple this week. Games start this week, and I can't wait to get out there and start playing again. Until next week, take care.
With things like aluminum bats, playing positions, and innings pitched by pitchers, would you recommend or not recommend the college experience for high school draftees (say, those drafted in the first five rounds)? Also, outside of baseball, what has the Stanford experience in particular given you? -- Scott C.
I get asked questions about college all the time. The funny thing is, looking around the locker room, there are a hundred different guys in the room and each one has taken a different path to get there. For me personally, there is no amount of money I would trade for my college experience. I got to play for a great coach at a great school, and I learned a great deal about life and the game of baseball. Pro ball is fun, but it is definitely a job and it is a grind. I am glad I made the choice to stay in school and be a kid for four more years.
Do the veteran players mingle with the new kids on the block, such as yourself? -- Lee M.
The older guys on the team definitely share a lot of advice with the young players. I feel lucky to have so many guys that are role models in the same locker room. It definitely makes the transition from the Minor Leagues to the Major Leagues a much easier one. My go-to guy on most subjects is actually Grady Sizemore. Even tough he is a younger guy, he has proved himself in every way and has a lot of good advice about breaking in and succeeding out of Buffalo.
Source: http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/
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