Footwork for First Base Pickoff Moves

Part of the Video Series Pickoff Moves for Pitchers

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To pickoff a runner on first base as a baseball pitcher, you must step off the rubber first. Learn the proper footwork for first base pickoff moves in this free baseball video lesson for pitchers.

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Video Transcript

Footwork for First Base Pickoff Moves
Hi! My name is Mike Lumley. On behalf of Expert Village, I'm here to teach you pitching. What we're going to do is going to go through some of the footwork here that's very important. What we do is we're going to draw a line from the outside edge of the rubber just to kind of show a positive or negative step. As a right-hander, I'll come into a set position. My back foot must disengage first. What I mean by that is this foot, my back foot, needs to come off the rubber first before I can pick the first base. As I come set, this foot comes out. A little slight turn in so I can open up and throw to first base. Why put that line there? There's quite a few pitchers, especially young ones I see and the older ones I do see, is that they start to step out to come over to first base. That's what we call a negative step because you're taking part of your body momentum and carrying yourself out towards 3rd base, and then back towards 1st. It just takes a slight second longer to get you over first base, and it really spreads out your base and your pick. Some guys really get too wide and that forces them or lessens the chance that their hips get through and they can get to 1st base accurately.

About the Expert

Expert: Mike Lumley, President & head instructor of Lumley School of Baseball, has played professional baseball and has 25 years of coaching experience. Read More