One is short, another is tall. One is usually the designated hitter, another punts.

And one thing is certain: the Northwestern baseball team is stocked with first basemen.

NU (23-19, 7-9 Big Ten) has used as many as eight players at first this season. But there have been few complaints. The Wildcats are not concerned about finding an every day player to fill the position — coach Paul Stevens and his players said that the rotation is working just fine.

“The luxury right now is that we’re able to utilize that position to give us more speed coming off the bench,” Stevens said. “It really helps us to keep a flow to the offense, trying to keep it sparked.”

There’s just one problem.

“The only thing that’s not easy to adjust to is (Travis) Tharp’s height,” shortstop Jeremy Kurella said of the 5-foot-10 freshman. “He’s not real tall over there. (Six-foot-three Joe Hietpas) has played a couple of games over there, and Tharp comes in and there’s about a foot-and-a-half difference.”

But seriously, folks.

“They can all play over there and we’re not worried about it,” Kurella said.

The roll call of first basemen Stevens has used so far is impressive: Tharp, Pat Thompson, Wes Robinson, J.J. Standring, Hietpas, Andy Adams, Mike Adams and Bob Dainton, to name a few.

When the Cats travel to take on Iowa today at 3 p.m., the Hawkeyes (13-29, 6-14 Big Ten) could see a new face playing first in each of the four games of the weekend series. NU beat Iowa earlier this season in a March tournament.

Robinson, Thompson and Tharp have spent most of the time at first lately, although Standring — usually a starting pitcher — played there for a game during last weekend’s series against Michigan State.

Tharp said the rotation of first basemen changes up NU’s lineup and creates good matchups against left- and right-handed pitchers. He said it also works different players into the lineup.

“I started out in the outfield for most of the games and I played first all through high school, so I’m loving the chance to get to play there now,” Tharp said.

As for his height, Tharp said Kurella’s ribbing is all in good fun.

“He and J.P. (Williamson) always make fun of me,” Tharp said. “I’ve been putting up with it all year, so I can take it.”

Robinson, who splits time between third base and first, said he was used at first for defensive purposes earlier in the season.

Robinson said the Cats can jump start their offense with pinch runners and pinch hitters and then move them to first base when the team takes the field.

“I definitely think it’s working to platoon the guys there,” he said. “Granted, if a guy gets hot, you should leave him in. But it’s working well the way it’s going now. I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Stevens said he is pleased with the flexibility he has at the position. He said he is not looking for someone to play the position full time.

“Right now we’re just rolling with the hot hand,” Stevens said. “It’s no secret that we’re frontrunners. If you’re doing well you’re going to be in there, and if you’re not, when you get another opportunity, you better make the most of it.”

If nothing else, Stevens has the luxury of getting some field work out of his first basemen.

“Joe Hietpas has gone over there a couple of times,” Stevens said. “When we really need to keep that area over there firm we want Joe over there because he plays really flatfooted, unlike what he does behind the plate.”

Hietpas will most likely catch against Iowa, a team NU defeated 4-0 in an early March tournament in Evansville, Ind.

But Stevens said the Hawkeyes were not hitting the way they are capable of when the two teams first met.

“At any given time, a sleeping dog can wake up,” he said, “and if they wake up they can be awfully tough. Right now that’s the thing that concerns me more than anything.”

Even more concerning, perhaps, than who’s on first.