Alright, let’s talk about this baseball thing, you know, the game with the stick and the ball. Them fellas out there on the field, they all got their spots, like, where they stand and what they do. And wouldn’t you know it, they got numbers too! Makes it easier for them scorekeepers, I guess.
So, first off, you got the pitcher. That’s the fella throwing the ball. He’s number 1. Yep, number one, just like he’s the most important or somethin’. He’s gotta throw that ball real good, otherwise, the other team gonna smack it all over the place. Then you got number 2, that’s the catcher. He’s the one squatting down, catchin’ all them balls the pitcher throws. Looks like hard work to me, all that squattin’. My knees would be screamin’!
Then comes the infield fellas, them close-up guys. Number 3 is the first baseman. He’s gotta catch the ball and touch the base, you know, to get the runner out. Important job, that is. Then comes number 4, the second baseman. He’s kinda in the middle there, gotta be quick on his feet. Number 5 is the third baseman, he’s on the other side of the infield. He’s gotta have a strong arm to throw that ball all the way across the field.
And don’t forget number 6, the shortstop. He’s like the second baseman’s buddy, always runnin’ around tryin’ to stop them balls from gettin’ through the infield. Busy fella, that shortstop. He’s gotta cover a lot of ground.
- Pitcher: Number 1
- Catcher: Number 2
- First Baseman: Number 3
- Second Baseman: Number 4
- Third Baseman: Number 5
- Shortstop: Number 6
Now, we move on to the outfield, them fellas way out there. Number 7 is the left fielder. He’s on the left side, gotta catch them balls that go flyin’ out there. Number 8 is the center fielder, he’s right in the middle, gotta be the fastest one out there, coverin’ the most ground. And number 9, that’s the right fielder, he’s on the right side, same job as the left fielder, just on the other side.
So, when you hear them announcers yellin’ things like “6-4-3 double play,” it just means the shortstop (6) threw the ball to the second baseman (4) who then threw it to the first baseman (3) to get two fellas out. See? It’s all just numbers and throwin’ the ball around.
Sometimes, them fellas get all mixed up, like when someone hits the ball and they start runnin’ all over the place. You might hear somethin’ crazy like “8-6-2-5-3-1-2 putout!” That just means the center fielder (8) threw it to the shortstop (6), then to the catcher (2), then to the third baseman (5), then to the first baseman (3), then to the pitcher (1) and finally back to the catcher (2). Probably had that runner runnin’ in circles, poor fella. It’s like a game of hot potato, but with a baseball!
Them numbers, they help keep things straight, you know? Otherwise, it’d be a whole lotta confusion out there. I mean, try tellin’ someone to throw the ball to “that fella over there by that base”… much easier to just say “throw it to 3!”. Makes sense, even to an old woman like me.
And that’s pretty much it, all them numbers and positions. Baseball, it ain’t just about hittin’ the ball, it’s about knowin’ where to stand and who to throw the ball to. And them numbers, well, they just make it easier to keep track of it all. Now, who wants some lemonade?
Tags: [Baseball Positions, Baseball, Position Numbers, Fielding, Scorekeeping, Double Play, Putout]
