The position of the left fielder

A left fielder (LF), is an outfielder in the sport of baseball who plays defense in left field. Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in Baseball farthest from the batter Baseball is a Bat-and-ball Sport played between two teams of nine players each Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. A baseball field or baseball diamond is the field upon which the game of Baseball is played A baseball field or baseball diamond is the field upon which the game of Baseball is played In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the left fielder is assigned the number 7.

Position description

Outfielders must cover large distances, so speed, instincts, and quickness in reacting to the ball are key. Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in Baseball farthest from the batter They must be able to catch fly balls above their head and on the run. They must be able to throw the ball accurately over a long distance to be effective; they must also learn to judge whether to attempt a difficult catch and risk letting the ball get past them, or to instead allow the ball to fall in order to guarantee a swift play and prevent the advance of runners. Left fielders must also familiarize themselves with the varying configurations of different ballparks' foul territory, and prevent balls hit down the foul lines from getting past them into the left field corner. Amateur players may find it difficult to concentrate on the game, since they are so far from the action. Emphasizing the correct position will give outfield players something to concentrate on at each pitch. Hits to left field tend to curve toward the left field foul line, and left fielders must learn to adjust to that.

Of all outfielders, the left fielder often will have the weakest arm, as they generally do not need to throw the ball as far to prevent the advance of any baserunners. The left fielder still requires good fielding and catching skills, and tends to receive more balls than the right fielder because right-handed hitters tend to "pull" the ball into left field. Someone who is right-handed will prefer to use this hand for everyday activities such as writing, maintaining personal hygiene, Cooking and so forth The left fielder also backs up third base on pick-off attempts from the catcher or pitcher, when possible. A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in Baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of Catcher is also a general term for a fielder who catches the ball in Cricket. In Baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the Pitcher's mound toward the Catcher to begin each play with the goal of Also if a runner is stealing third base the left fielder must back up the throw from the catcher.

Notable left fielders

Here is the a is a list of renowned left fielders who were inducted into the Hall of Fame (*), and/or were winners of the Gold Glove Award (GG). Players active as of 2007 are in bold type. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.

Other popular left fielders (currently active players in bold type) include:

"Out of left field"

The phrase "out of left field" has come to be used in popular vernacular to describe any idea which seems wildly unrelated to the subject being discussed. Louis Clark "Lou" Brock (born June 18, 1939, El Dorado Arkansas) is an American former player in Major League Baseball Jesse Cail Burkett ( December 4, 1868 &ndash May 27, 1953) nicknamed "The Crab" was a Major League Baseball player Fred Clifford Clarke ( October 3, 1872 &ndash August 14, 1960) was a Hall of Fame Major League Baseball player Edward James Delahanty (October 30 1867 &ndash July 2 1903 nicknamed "Big Ed" was a Hall of Fame Major League Baseball player from 1888 to 1903 Leon Allen Goslin ( October 16, 1900 – May 15, 1971) better known as Goose Goslin, was a Left fielder in Major League Charles James "Chick" Hafey ( February 12, 1903, Berkeley California – July 2, 1973, Calistoga California) Rickey Henley Henderson (born as Rickey Nelson Henley, December 25 1958 in Chicago, Illinois) is a former Major League Baseball Outfielder Monford Merrill "Monte" Irvin (born February 25, 1919 in Haleburg Alabama) is a former Left fielder and right-handed batter in the Joseph James Kelley ( December 9, 1871 &ndash August 14, 1943) was an American Left fielder in Major League Baseball Ralph McPherran Kiner (born October 27, 1922) is an American former Major League Baseball player and current Announcer. Henry Emmett Manush ( July 20 1901 &ndash May 12 1971) nicknamed Heinie, was an American Left fielder Joseph Michael Medwick ( November 24, 1911 &ndash March 21, 1975) nicknamed "Ducky" was an American player in Major Saturnino Orestes Armas Miñoso Arrieta, commonly referred to as Minnie Miñoso ( mean-YO-so, commonly pronounced minn-OH-so by media (born November Stanley Frank Musial (born November 21, 1920) originally Stanisław Franciszek Musiał, (ˈmjuːziəl nicknamed "Stan the Man" and For the musician see Jim O'Rourke (musician James Henry O'Rourke ( September 1, 1850 - January 8, 1919) nicknamed This page refers to the American baseball player For the children's performer see Al Simmons (musician. Wilver Dornell "Willie" Stargell ( March 6, 1940 &ndash April 9, 2001) nicknamed " Pops " in the later years of Joseph Oden Rudi (born September 7, 1946 in Modesto California) is a former Left fielder in Major League Baseball who played for Zachariah Davis "Zack" Wheat ( May 23, 1888 &ndash March 11, 1972) nicknamed "Buck" was an American Major Billy Leo Williams (born June 15, 1938) is a former Outfielder in Professional baseball. Theodore Samuel "Ted" Williams ( August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002) also nicknamed The Kid, the Splendid Splinter Carl Michael Yastrzemski (jəˈstrɛmski (born August 22, 1939) nicknamed "Yaz" then moved him to the Minneapolis Millers for the post-season William Robert "Bob" Allison ( July 11, 1934 - April 9, 1995) was a Major League Baseball Outfielder and right-handed Moisés Rojas Alou (usually ˈmɔɪ̪zɨs əˈluː in English, and /moiˈses alˈou/ in Spanish; born July 3, 1966 in Atlanta Georgia Brady Kevin Anderson (born January 18 1964 in Silver Spring, Maryland) is a former center and Left fielder in Major Garret Joseph Anderson (born June 30, 1972 in Los Angeles California) is a Major League Baseball Left fielder and Designated Edmundo "Sandy" Amorós ( January 30 1930 - June 27 1992) was a Cuban Left fielder in Major League Baseball Jason Raymond Bay (born September 20, 1978 in Trail, British Columbia, Canada) is a Major League Baseball player for the Albert Jojuan Belle (born August 25, 1966) is a former American Major League Baseball Outfielder for the Cleveland Indians William Lance "The Big Puma" Berkman (born February 10, 1976 in) is a Major League Baseball player for the Houston Astros. Barry Lamar Bonds (born July 24 1964 is a Major League Baseball Outfielder who is currently a Free agent. Philip Poole Bradley (b March 11, 1959 in Bloomington IN) was an outfielder/designated hitter with an 8 year career from 1983 to 1990 Ryan Joseph Braun, nicknamed The Hebrew Hammer (born November 17 1983 in Mission Hills California) is an American Right-handed All Star Patrick Brian 'Pat' Burrell III, nicknamed Pat the Bat, (born October 10, 1976 in Eureka Springs, Arkansas) is the starting Left José Canseco y Capas Jr (born July 2, 1964 in Havana, Cuba) is a former Outfielder and Designated hitter in Major Robert Henry Cerv (born 5 May 1926 in Weston Nebraska) was an American Baseball player Martin Kevin "Marty" Cordova (born July 10, 1969 in Las Vegas Nevada) is a former Left fielder in Major League Baseball Carl Demonte Crawford (born August 5 1981 in) is the starting Left fielder for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball. Adam Troy Dunn (born November 9, 1979 in Houston Texas) and nicknamed the "Big Donkey" is a Major League Baseball Outfielder Cornelius Clifford Floyd ( December 5, 1972 in Chicago Illinois) is a Designated hitter and Outfielder for the Tampa Bay Rays George Arthur Foster (born December 1 1948 in Tuscaloosa Alabama) is a former Left fielder and right-handed batter in Major League Baseball Clinton Daniel "Dan" Gladden (born July 7, 1957 in San Jose California) is an American former Major League Baseball player Larry Eugene Hisle (born May 5, 1947 in Portsmouth Ohio) is a former Outfielder in Major League Baseball who played with the Matthew Thomas "Matt" Holliday (born January 15, 1980, in) nicknamed "Big Daddy" is the starting Left fielder for the Colorado Robert Lee Johnson ( November 26 1905 - July 6 1982) nicknamed "Indian Bob" was an American Left fielder in Carlos Noriel Lee (born June 20, 1976 in Aguadulce, Panama) is a Left fielder in Major League Baseball who plays for the Luis Gonzalez may refer to Luis Gonzalez (outfielder, Major League Baseball player for the Florida Marlins Luis González (infielder Charles Richard Maxwell (born April 8, 1927 in Lawton Michigan) nicknamed " Smokey," " Paw Paw," and " is a Japanese Major League Baseball Left fielder who plays for the New York Yankees. Jason Drew "J-Mike" Michaels (born May 4, 1976 in Tampa, Florida) is an Outfielder for the Pittsburgh Craig Keystone Monroe (born February 27 1977 in Texarkana, Texas) nicknamed "C-Mo" is a Major League Baseball Outfielder Benjamin Ambrosio Oglivie Palmer (born February 11 1949 in Colón Panama) is a former Major League Baseball Left fielder for the Keith Anthony Phillips (born April 25, 1959 in Atlanta, Georgia) is a former Major League Baseball Utility player who had Louis Victor Piniella (pɨˈnɛlə born August 28, 1943, in Tampa Florida, United States) is the current manager of the Chicago Timothy Raines (born September 16 1959 in Sanford Florida) nicknamed "Rock"is a former Left fielder in Major League Baseball Manuel "Manny" Aristides Ramírez Onelcida (born May 30 1972 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) is a Dominican-American professional James Edward Rice (born March 8 1953) is a former Left fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the American League 's Alfonso Guilleard Soriano (born January 7 1976 in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic) is a professional Major League Baseball Outfielder Gary Lamell Ward (born December 6, 1953 in Los Angeles California) is a former Major League Baseball Outfielder and right-handed Roy Hilton White (born December 27, 1943 in Los Angeles California) is a former Outfielder in Major League Baseball who played his For the former baseball player & current baseball GM born in 1964 see Kenny Williams (baseball Kenneth Roy Williams ( June 28 Willie James Wilson (born July 9, 1955 in Montgomery Alabama) is a former Major League Baseball player for the Kansas City Royals Gus Edward Zernial (born June 27, 1923 in Beaumont Texas) is a former Major League Baseball Left-fielder and right-handed batter This arose at Chicago's second West Side Park, home of the Chicago Cubs from 1893-1915. West Side Park was the name used for two different Baseball parks that formerly stood in Chicago Illinois. The Chicago Cubs are a Professional Baseball franchise based in Chicago, Illinois. After the Cubs moved to what is now Wrigley Field the property eventually became the home of the University of Illinois College of Medicine. Wrigley Field is a Baseball Stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago The University of Illinois College of Medicine, part of the University of Illinois system, is the largest Medical school in the United States with over 2600 students The U of I built its Neuropsychiatric Institute building in what had been left field, leading to the association with somebody or something that is a little off or crazy. ^[1]

References

See also

• Baseball Hall of Fame
• Gold Glove Award