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Article Series: Baseball
Teach Me About Baseball
The
Job of a Third Baseman
In the sport of baseball, a lot of emphasis
is placed on the different positions of the players. One of
these positions is the third baseman.
The third baseman is responsible for defending the area around
the third base, the last one before home plate. He must field
fly balls on his side of the field that land in both in the
fair and foul zone.
To be a third baseman, you
need to have good reflexes. Many
right-handed hitters will hit the ball towards left field,
so you need good coordination and reaction time in order to
get the ball to where it needs to go to prevent a score. Third
base is the furthest distance from first base, so you need
a strong arm to make the distance. You also have to be able
to anticipate if a player is going to bunt, and be able to
get in closer on the infield. Generally, this position is played
by a right-handed player, as some who throws with his right
hand does not need to turn his body before throwing the ball
back to first base, allowing the throw to get off that quicker.
In the past, third basemen did not have to be able to hit
exceptional well, and were used mainly for defense. As the
sport progressed, however, third basemen became expected to
do more, and now are expected to bat for a high average of
.290 or better.
A third baseman actually has several duties.
A third baseman must know everything that is going on in the
game. This includes the score, strike count, ball count, and
what inning it is. He should know how to recognize a bunt and
when to play in or back. He has to guard the line, know how
to charge the bunt, and be able to field ground balls. He must
always keep his eyes on the hitter. He has to be able to watch
for players trying to steal bases. And this is only the beginning.
There are some general tips for third basemen. A third baseman
should knock the ball down. He should get in front of the shortstop
and claim as many balls as possible. Run the pitchers and catchers
away from using pop flies. Always have a plan of where the
ball needs to go once it is in your hands. Keep your hands
up so an outfielder has a target to throw for. Keep the pitcher
informed if a runner is getting a lead off of third. Back up
your throws to the pitcher after a pick-off attempt. Throw
from over the top for strength and accuracy. Encourage the
pitcher. And always know the strengths of your teammates and
the things that they are able to accomplish.
Sometimes the best way to learn you position is to take a
good look at the pros. There are several third basemen in the
Baseball Hall of Fame, including: Frank Baker, George Brett,
Jimmy Collins, George Kell, Freddie Lindstrom, Eddie Mathews,
Brooks Robinson, Mike Schmidt, and Pie Traynor. Doing some
research into their lives and what they did to earn their Hall
of Fame positions may give you some pointers on things you
can improve on. Many of these men were also great batters and
contributed greatly to their teams’ scoring capabilities, so
make sure that you are focusing on your entire game and not
just the defensive side.
Third baseman is an important role to play in the game of
baseball. Learn your position well, listen to your coach, and
remain a team player. That way you will have the greatest success
for your baseball career.
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SolveYourProblem.com
: 2008
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