Numbers for baseball positions

Which positions are represented by which numbers?

Products Solutions Samples Buy. This site uses cookies. Baseball - Defensive fly ball. Each position conventionally has an associated number, which is used to score putouts: 1 pitcher , 2 catcher , 3 first baseman , 4 second baseman , 5 third baseman , 6 shortstop , 7 left fielder , 8 center fielder , and 9 right fielder. Baseball positions diagram.

Numbers for baseball positions

In the sport of baseball , each of the nine players on a team is assigned a particular fielding position when it is their turn to play defense. Each position conventionally has an associated number, for use in scorekeeping by the official scorer : 1 pitcher , 2 catcher , 3 first baseman , 4 second baseman , 5 third baseman , 6 shortstop , 7 left fielder , 8 center fielder , and 9 right fielder. Traditionally, players within each group will often be more able to exchange positions easily that is, a second baseman can usually play shortstop well, and a center fielder can also be expected to play right field ; however, the pitcher and catcher are highly specialized positions and rarely will play at other positions. Fielders must be able to catch the ball well, as catching batted balls before they bounce is one way they can put the batter out , as well as create opportunities to prevent the advance of, and put out other runners. Fielders often have to run, dive, and slide a great deal in the act of reaching, stopping, and retrieving a hit ball, and then setting themselves up to transfer the ball, all with the end goal of getting the ball as quickly as possible to another fielder. They also run the risk of colliding with incoming runners during a tag attempt at a base. Fielders may have different responsibilities depending on the game situation. For example, when an outfielder is attempting to throw the ball from near the fence to one of the bases, an infielder may need to "cut off" the throw and then act as a relay thrower to help the ball cover its remaining distance to the target destination. As a group, the outfielders are responsible for preventing home runs by reaching over the fence and potentially doing a wall climb for fly balls that are catchable. The infielders are the ones who generally handle plays that involve tagging a base or runner, and also need quick reflexes in order to catch a batted ball before it leaves the infield. The pitcher and catcher have special responsibilities to prevent base stealing , as they are the ones who handle the ball whenever it has not been hit. The catcher will also sometimes attempt to block the plate in order to prevent a run being scored. Contents move to sidebar hide.

For scorekeeping purposeseach of the main baseball positions is written as a standard number instead of an abbreviation. Check out these facts about baseball throughout history.

Learn more. What do the baseball position numbers mean? They are used in scoring the game, and so each position is designated with a number. They go in order, starting with the pitcher as 1, however the shortstop is out of order—he should be 5 if following the pattern, but instead is 6. This was because originally, the shortstop was the fourth outfielder. Later, the shortstop was moved permanently to the infield but his number stuck at 6.

Each position requires a particular skill set to effectively get outs and keep the offensive team from scoring runs. Baseball rosters typically have 25 players so that the 9 players on the field are occasionally rotated through the season. The pitcher is 1 on the scorecard and is in control of the game. After all, he is the one on the mound, and nothing happens before he delivers a pitch. Pitchers typically have a repertoire of pitches , e. Also, the pitcher must keep runners close to the base to try to prevent stealing. He must back up home plate on balls thrown from the outfield into home. The pitcher must also field bunts and react quickly to balls hit back through the middle. While the pitcher executes the pitches, the catcher is in control of calling the game.

Numbers for baseball positions

Number positions, also known as jersey numbers, in baseball traditionally correspond to specific defensive positions. The most common number assignments are: 1st baseman 3 or 7 , 2nd baseman 4 , shortstop 6 , 3rd baseman 5 , left fielder , center fielder 8 and right fielder 9. However, some players may choose their own number without regard to position. When it comes to baseball, the game is all about precision and strategy. Traditionally, pitchers wear numbers between , with some exceptions. The reason for this particular range boils down to tradition and superstition rather than any performance-related factors. However, some notable players have bucked this trend by wearing higher numbers and still dominating on the mound think Mariano Rivera with his iconic 42 jersey. Moving onto catchers — whose job is to receive pitches from said pitcher — numbers between are commonly worn since these digits historically signify top-tier athletes at every level of sports competition.

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Left Field LF 8. The Designated Hitter is a player who only hits, and this position exists only in the American League. Same goes for pinch hitters, who replace a hitter already in the game to bat for them. Debt lewis on November 3, pm. Loren on July 13, pm. David on April 20, pm. This was because originally, the shortstop was the fourth outfielder. Right Field RF. Using this system, you can look for a record of how every play went down, and sometimes they are very strange when the ball gets thrown away for an error, or other runners take off for the next base after one throw is made. Second baseman are typically great defensive players with the worst bat on the team. Within those platoons, various specific positions exist depending on what the player's main job is.

Learn more. What do the baseball position numbers mean?

The specific role that a player takes on the field is called their position. As players and parents, making informed decisions on your path in baseball is key, and being honest with oneself is an important part of this process. Getting a spot on the team requires learning about the positions and roles of baseball and other squads. Be flexible and willing to try other positions, because your favorite one may not always be available. Leave a Comment Cancel Reply Your email address will not be published. Scorecards, sure. Teri on September 5, am. He did play DH in a few games each year, in the relatively small number of inter-league games they played at AL ballparks. The vector stencils library "American football positions" contains 38 symbols for drawing diagrams of American football positions. Additionally, the number of players on the field at any given time is lopsided in favor of the defense which always has nine players on the field; the offense has between one and four.