Right field is the best position on the baseball field. The right fielder has one of the strongest arms on the team. That strong arm combined with smart play can stop rallies. Right fielders also tend to hit for power, which gives them another way to affect a game. One aspect of right fielders that is often overlooked is their responsibility to support pitches.
A right fielder needs a strong arm. Some of the longest shots are from the right-field corner to third base and from the right-center-field wall to home plate. Having a reputation for having a strong arm will prevent runners from taking extra base.
A right fielder who has a strong arm and is good at getting to the ball can stop plays before they start. Getting to the ball quickly will prevent a runner from going from first to third on a base hit. If the runner calls, a strong pitch will get him out at third. In one case, there are runners on first and second and double play is still possible. In the other case, there is one more out and only one runner at second. Without a good right fielder, there are probably runners at second and third.
Right fielders also tend to hit for power. They hit home runs and drive a lot of runs. This takes the pressure off pitchers and defense.
Another very important job for the right fielder is backing up shots. Any shot from the front of the pitcher to first base is backed up by the right fielder. Also, any shot from third base or shortstop to second base is backed up by the right fielder. If any of these shots go through the fielder, the right fielder makes it and prevents the runners from taking extra bases.
So there you have it. Right field is the best position to play. Right fielders put an end to their opponent’s rallies and produce rallies for their own team. They also support certain casts and limit damage from errant casts.
If you’re a right fielder, you’re in the company of baseball greats like: Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Roger Maris, Roberto Clemente, Tony Gwynn, Reggie Jackson, Frank Robinson, Ichiro Suzuki, Cory Hart, and Justin Upton. There are four right fielders among the 13 all-time home run leaders. He was a right fielder who held the home run record in one season from 1919 to 1998. An impressive feat indeed!
This is part of a series of articles explaining why every position on the baseball field is the best. This series is aimed at coaches of all levels. I think that each position is important and each one needs players with different strengths. I hope coaches can use this series to help inspire a love for the game of baseball.
