Left Infielder - the left fielder should preferably by a right-handed thrower so that he can better cover and release the ball that is hit down the left field line. A lefthanded left fielder will have a difficult time holding a runner to a single on any ball hit down the line. However, this into the most important concern in placing an outfielder in left field. Since the left fielder will only have one long throw to make (to the plate), the left fielder should be the fielder with the weakest arm. Due to the fact that the majority of hitters are righthanded, he will have less problems on balls that slice away from him than the right fielder. Thus, the weakest of the three outfielders should be placed in left field.
Center fielder - The center fielder should be the quickest outfielder due to the fact he will have more area of the outfield to cover than either the left fielder or right fielder. He must be the most instinctive outfielder in reacting to the barred ball, along with being the most aggressive one of the outfielders. With the numerous back up responsibilities he will have, along with patrolling the largest area of the outfield, the center fielder should be the team's all around best defensive outfielder. A team can sacrifice a little offensive production when they can place a young man in center field who can run the ball down, A coach can sacrifice a powerful arm for an accurate one in his center fielder, but he can never sacrifice speed and the ability to get the jump on the ball.
Right fielder - The right fielder should preferably be a left-handed thrower so that he can better cover and release the ball that is hit down the right field line. However, the strength of his throwing arm has got to be the most important consideration in placing a young man in right field. Since he will have two long throws to make (third base and the plate), it necessitates having the outfielder with the strongest throwing arm in right field. The right fielder should be an experienced outfielder due to the nature of the balls hit to his position, mainly the line drives hit by righthanded hitters that will have a tendency to slice toward the right field line. Being that right field is the sun field in most baseball parks, the right fielder must have the ability to handle the obstacle that the sun might present in fielding a fly ball.
