Baseball Bases
Bases are an essential piece of equipment for baseball. Without bases the standard baseball diamond would be far different in both appearance and function. Read on to learn about what exactly bases mean to the game of baseball.
What Are Baseball Bases Used for?
Every baseball game will feature three standard bases on the diamond: first base, second base, and third base. Baseball bases can serve a few different functions during a game. They help create boundary lines, which determines whether a ball will be considered in play or foul. Specifically, first and third base assist in marking these boundaries.
Overall, the bases serve as designated points on the field that a runner must touch in order to score a run. This means that a runner must touch first base, second base, and third base before crossing home plate and earning a run for their team. If a player is on base during a baseball game, they are designated as safe. Each base has a length and width of 18 inches.
Things to Consider
When looking for baseball bases, you'll want to consider the following:
- What kind of bases do you need?
- Where will you be using the bases?
- How much money do you have to spend on baseball bases?
- How frequently will the bases be used?
What Are You Looking for in Baseball Bases?
- Affordability
- Durability
- Indoor use
- Outdoor use
- Use in adult leagues
- Use in youth leagues
- Easy to remove
- Easy to store
Types
The three types of baseball bases include removable, permanent, and mat. Read on to learn more about each type of base, including pros and cons of each type.
Removable
Removable bases are distinguished by a metal anchor that’s attached to the bottom of the base. A mounting system in the ground allows the anchor to be properly placed around the baseball field. These anchors are typically eight inches long. This type of base is able to easily absorb the impact of a slide without coming loose from the ground.
Pros:
- Easy to put into place and remove
- Absorbs impact of aggressive slides
- Can be removed for daily cleaning
Cons:
- Can be more expensive than other types of bases
- Risk of having the base become loose
- Requires more initial work to put in the mounting system
Permanent
Permanent baseball bases are bases that can’t be taken out of the field. This type of base stays bolted on the field for its whole lifespan. This allows the base to remain secure at all times and prevents it from being stolen off of the baseball field. This type of base features the same size and durability as removable bases.
Pros:
- Doesn’t become loose from hard slides
- No risk of being stolen
- Similar in price to other bases
Cons:
- More difficult to clean
- More difficult to replace
- Increases likelihood of injury
Mats
Mat baseball bases are made of bendable rubber material. The mat base is characterized by its ability to be rolled up while also maintaining weather resistance. As a result, the base is great for temporary instances in practices or exhibition games. These bases can easily be moved and stored as well.
Pros:
- Easily stored and transferred
- Weather-resistant
- Inexpensive
Cons:
- Not the greatest quality or material
- Can be torn or bent
- Doesn’t stay in place as effectively
Brands
The three distinguished brands that produce baseball bases include Franklin, Champion Sports, and Schutt Sports.
Franklin
Franklin offers a set of baseball bases made specifically for tee ball players or indoor use. All of the Franklin baseball bases are marked by a large logo in the middle of the base. In addition, each piece of equipment is very light for easy portability.
Champion Sports
Champion Sports offers a wide variety of permanent, removable, and mat bases. Their anchored-down bases come with anchors that can be attached to and removed from the base. In addition, they have high-density foam in order to increase durability and strength.
Schutt Sports
Schutt owns the Jack Corbett Hollywood base, which is the exact base used in the MLB. They engineer all bases to have special ultraviolet inhibitors for UV resistance. Schutt also sells anchors for their bases separately.
FAQ
What are the bases in baseball?
The bases are mounds of sands that mark the field of play in baseball. There are four bases called 1st base, 2nd base, 3rd base, and home plate that are in the infield. In order to successfully score a run, a player must touch all bases in sequential order without being tagged out by a defensive player.
How do you clean baseball bases?
To clean a baseball base, you’ll need a hose, scrub brush, and cleaning solution. The bases need to be taken out of the ground anchor for proper cleaning. Once the bases are out of the ground, you should rinse the base off with water. Next, spray on the cleaning solution. While the solution is on, the base should be scrubbed aggressively. Finally, the base should be rinsed and air-dried.
What are the dimensions of baseball bases?
The dimensions of a normal baseball base are 18 inches by 18 inches. As a result, the area of a base is 324 square inches. The height of the base will be anywhere between three and five inches. The outside edges of the base will be three inches, while the center of the base is five inches. A normal baseball base refers to first, second, and third base. Home plate is an irregular pentagon, with one 17-inch side, two 8.5-inch sides, and two 12-inch sides that form a point.
What are the best kinds of bases to use indoors?
Baseball base mats are the best kind of base for indoor usage. Another name for the baseball base mat is the throwdown mat. This kind of base is made of a rubber material that’s very light and portable. The base can be easily transferred for various baseball games and drills. In addition, they can be easily stored since they are small and lightweight. Throwdown mats normally come in different colors, which can help distinguish the bases when using them indoors.