re: Do you need to be more athletic to play 2nd base or 3rd?

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It's also really easy to redeem yourself there because you see so much action. You could look like a total retard on one play, then turn around and make a diving play.

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Exactly.

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fricking this.

I always liked summer ball better than High School simply because the coaches yell like mother frickers when a mistake was made. You couldn't help but to walk around with a tight butthole out there if you weren't used to it.

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We're like exactly the same. Summer ball was so fun. High school was pressure packed, and I'd be lying if I said that pressure didn't get to me sometimes. It was never in big games though. I could always clear it out then. But in games that didn't mean as much, and your coach is screaming, and everyone is pissed, it's hard to keep a good attitude and focus out there.

Miggy Cabrera is a better athlete than the majority of 2Bs, I promise you that.

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Admittedly at 3rd, if a heavy hitter was up, I wouldn't mind him hitting it somewhere else.




I know this feeling.

Thank goodness for my strong arm, I just backed up until I felt comfortable

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Never play 3rd in slow pitch softball. I have never had a ball hit harder at me than one game in slow pitch. I am still surprised I caught it. I have had some shots come at me while pitching and playing 3rd in baseball but nothing like that one in softball.

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If SS is the best athlete how come a lot of SS and 3rd basemen are interchangeable?

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SS loses range......he MAY move to 3rd (hence less athletic)

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the weakest hitters on the field.

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Not in the past 20 years.....it's gotten more and more production

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Faster doesn't mean a better athlete in baseball. It doesn't matter how fast you run if you can't hit.

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And not all 3B players can hit for average either.......don't lump em all into one category.

It's simple........slow/less range guys could
never play 2B but they def could play 3B

HS level and beyond.....you have to be athletic to play either but IMO, 2nd Base requires more ability defensively

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I will just end the discussion with this. Out of highschool would you think more 2nd basemen are drafted/recruited than 3rd basemen? I would think 3rd basemen in a landslide.

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I would be willing to wager that most major league 2B and 3B were SS in high school.

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PS: 3rd is the easiest position on the field

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Lol

Maybe it is easy in the sense that it has the least responsibility if the ball isn't hit to you.

That is the only easy thing about it. Any ball not hit right at you is extremely difficult. Not so much fielding the ball, but the footwork and arm strength/accuracy nedded to get the ball to 1st base.

To your left you must field the ball, square your body quickly, and hope you can square your shoulders quick enough to make the throw to 1st.

Back hand plays are just as hard. It is probably the longest throw on the diamond that you are expected to make. In the hole at SS is a harder throw, but because the ball gets on you faster at 3B you are expected to be able to complete the play with a quick plant and strong throw. Not sure what level you played at to where it was easy

To win you have to be strong up the midfle. C, 2b, SS, CF.

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One hop line drives while you are playing on the grass are just ridiculous.

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Yep. And that's why I loved playing 3B even with the bag or even in front of the bag. You had to get down really low on every pitch. If you stand up you're gonna get eatin' up.

You also have to watch the batters hands. If his right hand goes up as the pitcher delivers ya gotta charge in. It's a bunt. You also have to know your pitcher. If he throws a lot of soft stuff inside to right handed batters you're gonna get a lot of action. It's great fun.

You also have to communicate with your SS. My fondest memory of playing 3B in HS was toying with the batter. He hits a hot one hopper to me. I crow hop and crow hop and crow hop until he's near 1B and then I shoot a rocket and get him out by a step. My coach really hated that. But I never missed.