 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(December 2006) |
In baseball, a left fielder, abbreviated LF, is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. 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. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the left fielder is assigned the number seven. [1]
Of all outfielders, the left fielder often will have the weakest arm, as he generally does not need to throw the ball as far to prevent the advance of any baserunners. [2] : 40–41 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.[ citation needed ] Right-handed players have a slight fielding advantage in left field because their hardest defensive plays will be along the third-base foul line, to the fielder's right. Right-handed players can throw the ball back to the infield harder and faster since the ball is already on the right side of their bodies. [3] : 274
Outfielders have a critical off-ball role as well: backing up the other fielders when a ball is hit or thrown to them. When a ground ball is hit to the left side of the field, the left fielder will run behind the third baseman or shortstop in case the ball gets by them. On bunts, pick-offs and in run-downs, the left fielder backs up or covers third base. [3] : 288 Moreover, when a runner is stealing third base, the left fielder must back up the throw from the catcher. Left fielders must also back up third base when a ball is thrown from right field, and back up center field when a pop fly is hit into the pocket.
The following are baseball players inducted to the National Baseball Hall of Fame as left fielders: [4]
| Pitchers |
|  | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defensive players |
| ||||||
| Offensive players |
| ||||||
| Non-players |
| ||||||
| Related | |||||||
