Baseball Article
Playing Baseball: The Outfielders
There are three outfielders on a baseball team. This includes the right fielder, left fielder, and center fielder. They play in the outfield which is the huge area behind the other players, all the way to the outer fence. They specialize in catching the long drives and fly balls and any other hits that get past the infielders.
While all outfielders have the same goal of catching the ball and getting it back in play in the infield, there are different skill requirements for each outfield position.
The center field position requires the most stamina and running ability as the center fielder must back up both corner fields as well as center field. It is thought to be the most difficult of the three positions to play. Center fielders also tend to be strong hitters and fast base runners. The centerfielder is the leader and organizer of the outfield and usually has priority on calling the catches.
Right fielders need to have strong throwing arms so they can get the ball all the way back to third base but they don't need to be as fast as center fielders. Although right and left fielders are not as fast at running the bases, they are usually powerful hitters when up to bat. The right fielder acts as back up to first and second base under certain playing conditions. The right field is the area off to the right of a person standing on home base, and left field is the area of the playing field on the left side of a person standing on home base.
Left fielders will usually have weaker throwing arms than right fielders since they do not need to throw the ball as far. However, they still need to be excellent catchers and throwers as most of the balls hit will go into left field. Left fielders also need good judgment when deciding on whether to go after the catch or to just let a ball go into the foul zone. Left fielders also act as back ups to the third baseman.
Outfielders need to focus and pay close attention and anticipate the course the ball will follow so they can position themselves properly to catch the ball and know beforehand where they need to throw it. Sometimes not much action occurs in the outfield and it is easy for players who are not professionals to get bored and distracted and miss important plays. Outfielders need to be good catchers, often catching the ball while on the run, and catching balls over their heads. The position of outfielder, especially center field, requires a great deal of athletic ability and quick reflexes.
