How to Play Left Field

Video Transcript

Let's take a look at the left fielder. The outfield is divided into sections, left, center, and right. Standing at the third base, looking into the outfield, the left fielder is the left most player in the outfield. The left fielder's responsibility is anything from the foul line to about mid-center field. He has control of any ball hit in the air or on the ground in that specific area. He has to watch the third baseman and the shortstop if they decide to come into the outfield to make a play. If the left fielder has a better angle and can make a better play, he needs to call them off. Or, if they want to make a play and he doesn't have a play, he needs to fall into a back up position. If the ball is hit on the ground in the infield toward the third baseman, the left fielder needs to back him up. If the ball is hit on the ground toward the short stop, he needs to back him up as well. His primary responsibility, however, is fielding the fly ball. Sometimes, especially with a right handed batter or power hitter, he wants to play a little deeper on the field. If a left hander batter is up, he may play in a little shorter and put what's called a shift on which means he will shift a little further toward center. The reason for doing that is a left hander batter is less likely, statistically, to hit the ball to left field. Of course, some hitters are very good at spreading the ball all over the field. In general, left handed hitters are more likely to hit the ball to right or center than to left. So, often times you'll see a left fielder making the shift towards center field. The left fielder can also make plays in foul territory. If the ball is hit in the air in foul territory, and he can make a play on it in foul territory, he's recorded an out and helped his team. If the ball hits the ground, there's no out and the batter gets another chance to perhaps get a hit. So, the left fielder has to control left field and also serve as a back up to the infield on ground balls and serve as a little bit of a general, perhaps a lieutenant, if the third baseman or the short stop come into the outfield. That wraps up the coverage of the left fielder.

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