So I was watching the Rangers lose yet another game after leading through 7 innings yesterday, and I noticed something that I’ve always wondered about, but have never gotten an explanation for…
When the defensive players are running back to the dugout at the end of an inning, someone always throws a baseball out of the dugout to the first baseman. I’ve noticed this in major league games, college ball, and the minor leagues.
What’s the deal with that? It’s not like he needs an additional baseball at that moment, as he often will have made the third out himself and either has just tossed a ball back toward the mound or to a kid in the stands…
It puts a practice ball in the first basemen’s glove that he can take to the field the next time his team is playing defense, so he can throw grounders to the other IF’s before the next batter. While he could probably get the ball himself, its a tradition, and baseball is rife with tradition.
While the pitcher is taking his warmup tosses, the first baseman gives the infielders a few tosses to first to loosen up. By throwing him a ball after the inning, he will have a warm-up ball in his glove, all ready for when he takes the field again.