1st dump question: Shortstop

[Frido1207]

Please forgive me, but this question followed me since I started to discover Baseball.
So here I go: why isn´t there a "shortstop" between 1st & 2nd base like it is between 2nd & 3rd base??[X(]

[Frozen Stiffer]

th,

Because if you envision the placement of the position players, there is SIGNIFICANTLY less space between where the 2nd baseman lines up and 1st base than there is between where the 2nd baseman lines up and 3rd. If you can picture it this way, the Shortstop is basically an extra 2nd baseman on the "other" side of 2nd base.

[KG Erwin]

I was trying to think of a simple way to explain the fielders' positions, and FS touched upon that gap between 2nd and 3rd. Besides, you must also consider that most batters are right-handed, and will naturally hit the ball towards the left side of the field.

The great shortstops in league history had excellent range, plus a quick throwing arm, able to pull off the classic 6-4-3 double play, i.e., shortstop (6) to secondbaseman (4) to firstbaseman (3).

It was dermined early on that nine players of reasonable skill could adequately cover the designed playing field, whereas ten players would drastically reduce the number of potential hits and runs.

[Frido1207]

Frozen, KG Erwin,
 
thank you both for your explanations.
 

[JudgeDredd]

lol...you know, I never EVER thought to ask that! [:D]