Regarding your Answer
Preparation for catcher throw down
Marty asked:
Rick- Thanks for your thorough & quick response. You mentioned: "There are softball teams which throw the ball to the 1B after strikeouts; but it is rare in baseball."
Do you know why the ball is not usually thrown to the first baseman?
Marty
Marty's original question was submitted through my contact page. It dealt with how and why teams throw the baseball around the horn, after an out.
He followed up here, the answer follows:
Rick answered: The most logical theory for that would be that the first baseman generally makes very few throws during the course of a game, thus it wasn't thought to be necessary.
I read somewhere that Pudge Rodriguez is one of the few who prefer to start with first base. I would guess he has a personal theory, possibly to keep that motion in his head in the event he has a dropped third strike, or a bunt out front, he has made that throw.
I have seen a few National's games this year and he wasn't throwing to first. The final decision on what a team does generally lies in the preferences of the manager.
There is a ton of tradition in this game. Most all of it is based on a need from some place and time. If that need has disappeared, the game is still very reluctant to change.
Hope that helps!
Yours in baseball,
Rick
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