Baseball Pitcher
The pitcher's main role is to pitch the ball toward home plate
with the goal of getting the batter out. Pitchers also play defense
by fielding batted balls, covering bases (for a potential tag
out or force out on an approaching runner), or backing up throws.
The catcher's main role is to receive the pitch if the batter
does not hit it. Together with the pitcher and coaches, the catcher
plots game strategy by suggesting different pitches and by shifting
the starting positions of the other fielders. Catchers are also
responsible for defense in the area near home plate.
Infielders
The four infielders are the first baseman, second baseman, shortstop,
and third baseman. The first and third basemen play near their
respective bases. The second baseman and the shortstop position
themselves in the gaps on either side of second base, toward
first and third base, respectively. Originally, the second baseman
played very close to second base; this positioning shifted when
teams found it necessary to have four infielders, rather than
four outfielders.
Basemen and Shortstop
The first baseman's job consists largely of making force plays
at first base on ground balls hit to the other infielders. The
first baseman also fields balls hit near first base, but because
the position is less demanding than the others, the team's strongest
hitter is often also their first baseman. The second baseman
covers the area to the right of second base and provides backup
for the first baseman. The shortstop fills the critical gap between
second and third bases—where right-handed batters generally
hit ground balls—and also covers second or third base and
the near part of left field. This position is the most demanding
defensively, so a good shortstop need not necessarily be a good
batter. The third baseman's primary requirement is a strong throwing
arm, in order to make the long throw across the infield to the
first baseman. Quick reaction time is also important for third
basemen, as they tend to see more sharply hit balls than the
other infielders.
Outfielders
The three outfielders are called the left fielder, the center fielder,
and the right fielder, the positions being named from the catcher's
perspective. The right fielder generally has the strongest arm
of all the outfielders due to the need to make throws on runners
attempting to take third base. The center fielder has more territory
to cover than the corner outfielders, so this player must be
quick and agile with a strong arm to throw balls in to the infield;
as with the shortstop, teams tend to emphasize defense at this
position. Also, the center fielder is considered the outfield
leader, and left- and right-fielders should cede to his direction
when fielding fly balls.
The locations of the fielders are not specified by the rules.
Players often shift their positioning in response to specific batters
or game situations, and they may exchange positions with one another
at any time.
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