Have you noticed when you watch baseball games that each position corresponds to where they are on the field? It’s very simple, the pitcher pitches the ball, the catcher catches the ball. Positions of first base, second base, and third base all make perfect sense to where the player stands on the field. The outfield positions also make perfect sense, left, center, and right field.
But what about Shortstop? Without knowing anything else about baseball, you would have to simply guess where the shortstop plays. Why is it called a shortstop in baseball? Why is it called a shortstop? What is a shortstop?
A shortstop is called a shortstop because the player is stopping the short side of the field. In this spot of shortstop, the player acts as a cutoff for the left and centerfielders, making their throws shorter to each base. The ball “stops” there before being relayed to another position.
The name shortstop is also derived from the very early days of baseball when there were 4 outfielders. One of which was played very shallow, between the infields and outfielders.
The majority of baseball players bat right-handed, increasing the odds of balls being hit to the left side of the infield. Without someone protecting the large gap between second base and third base, that area was wide open to get a hit. In the earliest days of baseball, players realized this was too large of a gap and that the fourth outfielder could help stop that huge gap by moving in closer to the infield.
That’s my shortstop. pic.twitter.com/kU5rqzwTe6
— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) February 14, 2023
This in turn helped create the term “shortstop”. The outfield was moving in shorter to the infield and acting as a stop to that huge gap between second base and third base.
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What does the term shortstop refer to?
The shortstop is considered the captain of the infield. Partly because they are in the middle of the field and are the liaison between the outfield and infield. The shortstop position is played between second base and third base.
The term shortstop comes from the earliest days of baseball when the game was still in the process of ironing out rules and positions. As stated previously, the term is simply from stopping the massive gap that’s between second base and third base.
Instead of four outfielders, one of which was played shallow, players helped their defense by moving up closer to the infield. Making the gap between second and third base shorter. Thus, “short”. The “stop” part of the positions name is from that spot being the “stop” of the gap between second and third base.
Another major role in the development of the shortstop position is it being the cutoff or relay from the outfielders to the infielders, pitcher, and catcher. The baseball used to weight much less than it does today, making it very difficult for outfielders to throw it all the way to the infield. The shortstop became extremely valuable because they became the relay or cutoff point between the outfield and infield.
The creation of the shortstop position which evolved from a shallow outfield position help revolutionize one of the most important and exciting positions in baseball.
Is shortstop the hardest position?
It’s hard to say shortstop is the hardest position in baseball. Besides outfield, each position is so different than the rest.
A pitcher has a hard position because the entire game starts with them on each pitch. Mental aspects and perseverance are involved in pitching. A catcher has a tough position because of the physical and mental demands. A catcher must stay in a crouch position all game while wearing heavy gear for protection along with being focused on every pitch.
Shortstop requires a lot of demands as well. The most important demand for shortstop is being one of the most athletic players on the field. Shortstop must be able to run quickly to the outfield to be the relay or cutoff. They also must cover the large gap in the infield between second and third base. A shortstop should also have a strong arm to throw across the infield. On top of that, with most players being right-handed hitters, the likelihood of balls being hit to shortstop is high, so they also must be a great infielder.
It’s no wonder why shortstop has evolved into one of the most important and popular positions. And why it’s also known as the captain of the infield, even sometimes the captain of the team.
One of the best players of all time Derek Jeter has the nickname “The Captain”. The nickname was given by owner George Steinbrenner for being the captain of the Yankees as their shortstop. Many players grew up wanting to be Derek Jeter, and if you watch today’s game, some of the most athletic and best players in baseball play shortstop.
ESPN has announced the making of a multi-part documentary series called “The Captain” featuring Derek Jeter. Be sure to watch when it’s released!
Why is shortstop 6 and not 5?
Going back to the earliest days of baseball when there wasn’t a shortstop and there were 4 outfielders, each position already had numbers associated. 1 pitcher, 2 catcher, 3 first base, 4 second base, 5 third base, 6,7,8,9 all for outfielders going from left to right.
However, when players decided to stop the large gap between second and third base and to also help outfielders throw the ball to the infield, it made sense to use 6 for shortstop since 1-5 were already for the infield players and 6-10 were for outfield. Use 6 since it’s the lowest outfield number and made sense just to add it to the infielders.
Position number 5 is already occupied and used for the third base position. Some people think shortstop should be 5 and third base be 6. If you go “around the horn” from first base to second base to third base, you will run into shortstop before reaching third base. That’s why some think it should be 5 instead of 6.
I disagree and think it makes perfect sense as 6 because it’s the last infielder before the outfielders.
What is the most important position in baseball?
Just like what is the hardest position in baseball being subjective, so is the question of the most important position.
Each position is important in its own way and each plays an important part in every baseball game. (Sometimes in lower levels right field is kind of known as the spot you put your worst defender).
Both pitcher and catcher are obviously extremely important because they get everything started. They’re the ones dealing with batters. The pitcher must throw to a catcher while trying to get a batter out. The catcher must catch it and be good enough to handle catching duties. A bad pitcher and bad catcher can ruin a game.
First base is important because someone is needed to catch the ball from the infielders after a ball is hit in play. Outfielders are all important because of balls hit beyond the infield. You wouldn’t want infielders having to run those balls down in the outfield and you wouldn’t want fly balls to land on the ground simply because someone wasn’t there.
But then there’s shortstop, which is extremely important and arguably the most important. I would say the shortstop position is the most important position outside of pitcher and catcher. First base and centerfield come close.
Shortstop is so important because of all the things they must do and cover during a game. They must defend the gap between second and third. Be a relay from the outfield. And be extremely athletic, alert, and smart to handle all of that. Therefore, many are known as the captains of the infield and team.
Look at some incredibly athletic plays from today’s best shortstops:
Final Word
We’ve covered the earliest days of baseball and where the term shortstop came from. It really is quite fascinating that baseball started out without a shortstop and instead had four outfielders. It wouldn’t take long for players to realize that four outfielders and three infielders was a disadvantage. Especially with the abundance of right-handed hitters and the increased odds of balls being hit to the left side of the infield.
It’s also interesting how the position developed and evolved from a shallow outfielder who was there to defend the shallow balls hit to the outfield and to also be the relay person between the outfielders throws to the infield. This is where the term “stop” came from in “shortstop” because the ball stops between the outfield and infield. “Short” is from being the shallow or “short” outfielder. And both “short” and “stop” are for also covering the huge gap between second and third base.
I truly can’t imagine the game of baseball being played the way it was in the very beginning without a shortstop. The position makes perfect sense.
Thankfully it revolutionized the position, the entire infield, and in many ways, the entire game of baseball. Some of the best players and most exciting athletes in baseball of all time are and were shortstops. It’s a very exciting position with a lot of exciting plays.
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