So, now that we're through with all the starting pitchers and relievers in baseball, how about a look at the men playing behind them. There aren't angels in the outfield, but the three out there, have a lot to do when there's a fly ball.
Usually, the left fielder has the weakest arm on the team, but is one of the fastest players on the teams. Do the names Barry Bonds or Ricky Henderson ring a bell? They can be slow. Think Ted Williams. But in most cases, he needs to be quick. Think Carl Yastrzemski. He is sort of like the shortstop of outfielders, as he many-a-time a hard grounder that gets through the left side of the infield ends up rolling towards him. Back to the arm. I should have said, "Not as strong as...." As in, not as strong as the centre fielder or right fielder. His arm, unless it's really weak, does not get challenged as much. There's no such stat, but the boy in left usually leads the team in fewest sacrifice flies against. Actually, his arm will never be challenged by a runner on second on a fly to left. Too much of a risk. He probably will get challenged on a deep fly with a runner on third. There isn't the room needed to advance most of the time. Gap shots are something he'll face a lot of, especially if the team the left fielder is facing has a lot of right-handed hitters. He'll also have to back the center fielder up. One of his biggest challenges will be playing the caroms off the canvas down the left field line.
Centre fielder
He is often the fastest runner on the team. Ken Griffey Jr., Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle. You get the idea. And he's got an arm that is often the strongest, save for the rightfielder. He'll do a lot of running in a game, and make anywhere from five to ten putouts a game. But the centerfielder has a lot of ground to cover. And it's not just on fly balls to him. He's got to be the backup to the fly balls hit to the gap that the right or left fielder are chasing. Just in case he misses it. Another thing about him: He needs to be a little acrobatic, because the centre fielder will need to scale some walls to take back would-be home runs. Also, a long of sinking shots tend to be hit to centre. Then there's those batted balls that are just beyond the outstretched reach of the shortstop or second basemen. You gotta be there! His arm will be challenged the most. Here's where that situation of, does the runner go fist to third on a grounder that makes it through to centre? Or from second to home? How about that medium-range fly ball (less then two outs) with a runner on second or third? All depends on how good your centre fielder is!
Right fielder
He often has the second or best arm on the team. And it's gotta be accurate. The guy who's arm was amazing for a right fielders was Al Kaline. He might be the slowest of outfielders. That's not to say he's not fleet-footed. Kaline, Roberto Clemente, Hank Aaron and Frank Robinson (He played some left field, too) come to mind when I think of right fielders with some wheels. He'll accumulate the fewest putouts of any of the outfielders. Still, it's not easy playing it. Of course, he'll back up the centre fielder when there's a fly that he takes. He'll need to make the plays where's there's a single to right and the runner on first tries for third. Or there's a runner on second and the ball is hit to right. Even if he makes the catch, he's gotta be on the alert for the runner trying for third (Assuming there is less then two outs). A single to right in this situation scores many-a-base runner. Where the right fielder looks bad is when there's a runner on third and a deep fly to right. Again, less than two outs. It seems that four of the five rightfielders in the game are doomed in this situation, especially if the runner is fast. Hence, the need for a strong arm!
References
Formosa, Dan, and Paul Hamburger. Baseball Field Guide: An In-Depth Illustrated Guide To The Complete Rules Of Baseball. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press. 2006. Print.
Halberstam, David. October 1964. New York: Villard, 1994. Print.
Halberstam, David. Summer of 49. New York: William Morrow / Avon Books, 1989. Print.
Kalb, Elliott. Who's Better, Who's Best in Baseball: Mr. Stats Sets the Record Straight on the Top 75 Players of All Time. McGraw-Hill, 2005. Print.
Mantle, Mickey, and Mickey Herskowitz. All My Octobers: My Memories of Twelve World Series When the Yankees Ruled Baseball. New York: HarperCollins, 1994. Print.
Shalin, Mike, and Neil Shalin. Out By A Step: The 100 Best Players Not In The Baseball Hall of Fame. Lanham: Diamond Communications, 2002. Print.
Whiteford, Mike, and Taylor Jones. How to Talk Baseball. Galahad Books, 1987. Print.
Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 14 May 2015. <https://en.wikipedia.org/>
Left fielder
Usually, the left fielder has the weakest arm on the team, but is one of the fastest players on the teams. Do the names Barry Bonds or Ricky Henderson ring a bell? They can be slow. Think Ted Williams. But in most cases, he needs to be quick. Think Carl Yastrzemski. He is sort of like the shortstop of outfielders, as he many-a-time a hard grounder that gets through the left side of the infield ends up rolling towards him. Back to the arm. I should have said, "Not as strong as...." As in, not as strong as the centre fielder or right fielder. His arm, unless it's really weak, does not get challenged as much. There's no such stat, but the boy in left usually leads the team in fewest sacrifice flies against. Actually, his arm will never be challenged by a runner on second on a fly to left. Too much of a risk. He probably will get challenged on a deep fly with a runner on third. There isn't the room needed to advance most of the time. Gap shots are something he'll face a lot of, especially if the team the left fielder is facing has a lot of right-handed hitters. He'll also have to back the center fielder up. One of his biggest challenges will be playing the caroms off the canvas down the left field line.
Centre fielder
He is often the fastest runner on the team. Ken Griffey Jr., Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle. You get the idea. And he's got an arm that is often the strongest, save for the rightfielder. He'll do a lot of running in a game, and make anywhere from five to ten putouts a game. But the centerfielder has a lot of ground to cover. And it's not just on fly balls to him. He's got to be the backup to the fly balls hit to the gap that the right or left fielder are chasing. Just in case he misses it. Another thing about him: He needs to be a little acrobatic, because the centre fielder will need to scale some walls to take back would-be home runs. Also, a long of sinking shots tend to be hit to centre. Then there's those batted balls that are just beyond the outstretched reach of the shortstop or second basemen. You gotta be there! His arm will be challenged the most. Here's where that situation of, does the runner go fist to third on a grounder that makes it through to centre? Or from second to home? How about that medium-range fly ball (less then two outs) with a runner on second or third? All depends on how good your centre fielder is!
Right fielder
He often has the second or best arm on the team. And it's gotta be accurate. The guy who's arm was amazing for a right fielders was Al Kaline. He might be the slowest of outfielders. That's not to say he's not fleet-footed. Kaline, Roberto Clemente, Hank Aaron and Frank Robinson (He played some left field, too) come to mind when I think of right fielders with some wheels. He'll accumulate the fewest putouts of any of the outfielders. Still, it's not easy playing it. Of course, he'll back up the centre fielder when there's a fly that he takes. He'll need to make the plays where's there's a single to right and the runner on first tries for third. Or there's a runner on second and the ball is hit to right. Even if he makes the catch, he's gotta be on the alert for the runner trying for third (Assuming there is less then two outs). A single to right in this situation scores many-a-base runner. Where the right fielder looks bad is when there's a runner on third and a deep fly to right. Again, less than two outs. It seems that four of the five rightfielders in the game are doomed in this situation, especially if the runner is fast. Hence, the need for a strong arm!
References
Formosa, Dan, and Paul Hamburger. Baseball Field Guide: An In-Depth Illustrated Guide To The Complete Rules Of Baseball. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press. 2006. Print.
Halberstam, David. October 1964. New York: Villard, 1994. Print.
Halberstam, David. Summer of 49. New York: William Morrow / Avon Books, 1989. Print.
Kalb, Elliott. Who's Better, Who's Best in Baseball: Mr. Stats Sets the Record Straight on the Top 75 Players of All Time. McGraw-Hill, 2005. Print.
Mantle, Mickey, and Mickey Herskowitz. All My Octobers: My Memories of Twelve World Series When the Yankees Ruled Baseball. New York: HarperCollins, 1994. Print.
Shalin, Mike, and Neil Shalin. Out By A Step: The 100 Best Players Not In The Baseball Hall of Fame. Lanham: Diamond Communications, 2002. Print.
Whiteford, Mike, and Taylor Jones. How to Talk Baseball. Galahad Books, 1987. Print.
Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 14 May 2015. <https://en.wikipedia.org/>
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