A third baseman , abbreviated 3B , is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system used to record defensive plays, the third baseman is assigned the number 5.
5-751: Belden L. Hill (August 24, 1864 – October 22, 1934) was a third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Baltimore Orioles of the American Association in nine games in 1890. He remained active as a player in minor league baseball through 1905. Hill helped found the Cedar Rapids Bunnies minor league team and managed the club from 1896–1908 and 1913-1914. He won league championships with Cedar Rapids in 1897 and 1906 and served as President of
10-415: A third baseman should be able to hit have risen over time; in the early years of the sport, these expectations were similar to those for shortstops , the third baseman being merely the less skilled defensive player. Players who could hit with more ability often were not suited for third base, either because they were left-handed or because they were not mobile enough for the position. However, the beginning of
15-519: The Mississippi Valley League from 1926–1931. This biographical article relating to an American baseball third baseman is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Third baseman Third base is known as the " hot corner ", because the third baseman is often the infielder who stands closest to the batter—roughly 90–120 feet away, but even closer if a bunt is expected. Most right-handed hitters tend to hit
20-443: The ball hard in this direction. A third baseman must possess good hand-eye coordination and quick reactions to catch batted balls whose speed can exceed 120 miles per hour (190 km/h). The third base position requires a strong and accurate arm, as the third baseman often makes long throws to first base or quick ones to second base to start a double play . As with middle infielders , right-handed throwing players are standard at
25-488: The position because they do not need to turn their body before throwing across the infield to first base. Mike Squires , who played fourteen games at third base in 1982 and 1983, is a very rare example of a third baseman who threw lefty. Some third basemen have been converted from middle infielders or outfielders because the position does not require them to run as fast. The third baseman must also field fly balls in fair and foul territories . Expectations of how well
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