Should Player Play in LF or RF??

[jpeters1734]

Assuming we all agree on the basics, strong arm goes in right field and weaker defender goes in left field, I have a question about throwing hand preference.

I’ve read conflicting opinions on whether a lefty or a righty is better suited for right field or left field. Let’s say fielding ability is equal and we’re talking about professional level players. Should the righty play right field and the lefty play left field, or the other way around?

For what it’s worth, I always felt more comfortable in right field as a righty. Left field just feels awkward. But I’m not a pro, so I’m curious what actually holds true at higher levels.

[jpeters1734]

Follow up question, how much weight would the preference carry? For instance, would it outweigh an ever-so-slight difference in arm strength or range?

[Sweed]

Off the cuff I'd say individual preference of the player. Play on one side your glove is towards the line, the other it's towards the gap. Depending on where the ball is hit you either have a harder throw or an easier throw, and an easier path or harder path.

Arm would be the deciding factor for me every time. Maybe a statistician can make an argument that would change my mind, IDK?

[jpeters1734]

Originally Posted by Sweed

Off the cuff I'd say individual preference of the player. Play on one side your glove is towards the line, the other it's towards the gap. Depending on where the ball is hit you either have a harder throw or an easier throw, and an easier path or harder path.

Arm would be the deciding factor for me every time. Maybe a statistician can make an argument that would change my mind, IDK?

Fair, but I'm asking in the context of OOTP, and I already said that fielding ability, arm included, is equal

Edit: I realized after a re-read that your deciding factor was in response to my follow up question, lol

[zappa1]

To me it doesn't matter in a computer game which glove is left or right. But in real games sometimes managers think this stuff out. Also, don't forget to include the centerfielder into your thinking because if he covers a lot of ground, then you might want to have your corner outfielders glove hand towards the lines. Just my thinking on it. Plus I think this was thought out more so in older baseball then it is today.

[kq76]

Personally, I don't think it matters that much as you can find plenty of counter examples, but I did look into this once and, while you're right that there are a lot of conflicting opinions out there, when I focussed in on what MLBers said, this is what I got...

Since RHBs slice the ball to the RFP and LHBs slice the ball to the LFP, RHTs tend to have an easier time in RF since their glove is pole side, while the same goes for LHTs in LF.

Now of course someone might say, "But what about all those balls that are hit into the gaps? Surely more balls are hit into the gaps than the corners?". And that may be true, but even if it is, I'd say that's usually more the CF's responsibility. There's only one fielder getting to a ball in the corner and so whatever helps them there I'd say is probably important.

And someone might also say, "But that goes against the body positioning needed for throwing, like is so important in the infield", but I think simply making the catch is much more important in the outfield as it's an out if it doesn't touch the ground and if it does touch the ground then you most likely don't still have a chance at getting them out like you do in the infield. So in the OF the focus is on catching the ball for the out, but if you don't then you probably only need to lob it in. Yes, from the OF you may still have a chance at getting a runner out, but those chances are rarer than they are in the IF.

I wouldn't put their handedness over their range or arm strength though. You could use it as a tiebreaker, but I doubt OOTP factors it in at all.

[Syd Thrift]

In OOTP terms I don't think it matters which hand a guy throws with in the outfield. It matters a lot in the infield (although even there IMO the biggest reason why we haven't seen a left-hander play regularly on the right side of the infield since the 19th century is that if you are left-handed and have a strong enough arm to play 3rd base you are trained to be a pitcher when you're like 10) but in the outfield it really doesn't and I would be surprised if there was something in the game factoring it in, OOTP being a game that tends not to just add effects in if there isn't a compelling reason or a lot of statistical evidence for.

[Bobfather]

Also depends on the other players' defense at that position. I always look at the best combination of players involved.

[jpeters1734]

Originally Posted by Bobfather

Also depends on the other players' defense at that position. I always look at the best combination of players involved.

It always depends... the question revolves around isolating throwing hand by assuming all other factors are equal

[WhiskyTango]

Still no one knows why there are no LH catchers.

I still don't know why you put weaker fielders in LF. Particularly since teams typically carry more RH batters than LH, you'd think LF would see more action.

[Garlon]

For OOTP, I will nearly always put the corner outfielder with better range in RF. This is what the computer teams will do, and you do not want to be at a deficit because it will cost you defensively regardless of the Arm rating. The Arm rating would have to be substantially better for me to favor it over the Range rating. There will be 300 PO to make in RF over the course of a season and very few assists to be made. Holding runners from going from 1st to 3rd is valuable, but as far as I know OOTP does not track advances against outfielders relative to the league.

For actual MLB, most triples are hit to RF and getting to a ball before it gets to the RF corner is going to prevent more triples than a guy with a great arm who is trying to throw that ball in from the corner to prevent a triple.

[jpeters1734]

Originally Posted by WhiskyTango

I still don't know why you put weaker fielders in LF. Particularly since teams typically carry more RH batters than LH, you'd think LF would see more action.

The best explanation I’ve heard is that a missed play in left field is usually much less costly than one in right. A misplay in RF often turns into a triple, while in LF it’s typically just a double.

[kq76]

Originally Posted by WhiskyTango

...

I still don't know why you put weaker fielders in LF. Particularly since teams typically carry more RH batters than LH, you'd think LF would see more action.

You would "think LF would see more action", but it doesn't, RF does. The difference isn't huge, but it is consistent. I have some guesses as to why that is the case.

That said, I tend to think that while RF gets more balls hit to it, I also think LF tends to get more hard hit balls to it. I haven't seen any data to confirm or deny this (I'd love to see them if someone has a link), but I did see someone say it once and now I think I see it too, although it could just be in my head. So while I think there shouldn't be any question where you should put your corner outfielder with the best arm (RF), I'm not entirely sold on all else equal where do you put your guy with the next best range (obviously best plays CF). The best part may be that you can justify it either way. "RF gets more balls hit to it so play your next best range guy there" or "LF gets more hard hit balls to it so play your next best range guy there". Whatever you choose, range is probably important at every OF position. Just don't think, "well LF doesn't matter so I'm just going to put a terrible fielder there".

[kq76]

Originally Posted by Garlon

...

For actual MLB, most triples are hit to RF and getting to a ball before it gets to the RF corner is going to prevent more triples than a guy with a great arm who is trying to throw that ball in from the corner to prevent a triple.

Originally Posted by jpeters1734

The best explanation I’ve heard is that a missed play in left field is usually much less costly than one in right. A misplay in RF often turns into a triple, while in LF it’s typically just a double.

Triples are definitely an important consideration! But consider this spray chart gif. While it does seem that the traditional "triples alley" (the RF-CF gap) may get the most triples (it, the RF corner, and the LF-CF gap all look pretty close to me overall though), it really depends on the park or fielders. The Cardinals, Yankees, and Angels all didn't have that many triples hit to their triples alley in 2018 (I know, it's kind of hard to see when they're flashing by so quickly and they might not be the best examples, but they are in order and I think you can kind of see a difference between them and most).

But yes, I agree, range is important in RF, especially when it comes to preventing as many triples as possible. I just think it's best to have good range in LF too.

Watching games, either IRL or OOTP, whenever I see a ball hit to LF I think, "oh...!", but I don't think that so much when a ball is hit to RF. It could just be that I have it in my head that the RFer is probably a pretty decent fielder whereas the LFer isn't so much, but I definitely feel that.

[OutS|der]

Originally Posted by WhiskyTango

Still no one knows why there are no LH catchers.

I still don't know why you put weaker fielders in LF. Particularly since teams typically carry more RH batters than LH, you'd think LF would see more action.

Google says "Most baseball administrators and coaches believe that left-handed players have a disadvantage fielding ground balls at second, third, shortstop, and catcher, requiring them to turn their body to make a throw to first base"

It's not so much worse in LF but better arm in RF and that's likely being further away from third so a better arm is needed to make the throw

[mytreds]

Because most hitters are right handed, and more balls are hit into the right center gap compared to the right foul line, logic dictates that it’s better to have a right handed player in right field, as they have an easier time throwing the ball to third from the right center gap.

[Matt Arnold]

Yeah, in MLB, players actually tend to have a very slight spray preference on flyballs. Obviously it's not universal - Cal Raleigh against lefties this year has only put 4 balls to the right of middle, and even of those, 3 of them aren't far off the middle line.

Originally Posted by kq76

Just don't think, "well LF doesn't matter so I'm just going to put a terrible fielder there".

Kyle Schwarber's 799 games in LF beg to differ.

[kq76]

Originally Posted by Matt Arnold

...

Kyle Schwarber's 799 games in LF beg to differ.

Nope, no way, for the sake of my sanity I couldn't do it. It can't be that hard to find a player who averages 2.4 WAR and is decent defensively.

[Syd Thrift]

Originally Posted by WhiskyTango

Still no one knows why there are no LH catchers.

In OOTP or in real life?

In OOTP it's because there hasn't been a left-handed throwing catcher play regularly in the major leagues since the 19th century, and I think fairly early in the 19th century as well (I think the last lefty infielder stopped at about the time Bid McPhee became the last guy to play the field without a glove, and the last lefty catcher came before that). Whatever the real-life reason, OOTP tries to simulate it. There are simply no big league lefty catchers, no minor league lefty catchers, no college lefty catchers, and few if any high school lefty catchers.

In real life, I pointed this out above but to elucidate it just a little bit: roughly 5-10% of the population is left-handed but lefty pitchers make up roughly 1/3rd of all pitchers. That extra population - basically, lefties are overrepresented at pitcher somewhere between 3-7 times what you'd expect - has to come from somewhere. We can already document that LHPs have on average lower velo than RHPs. But lefties also just get culled out of playing positions very, very early: if a 10 year old lefty kid tries out for Little League and has a rocket, he's getting trained as a pitcher, period. If he's dead set on playing third base, oh, maybe a coach will tell him that it's like awkward for him to pivot the wrong way on a throw or whatever but the real underlying reason is, lefty pitching is at such a premium that if you have, say, 15 kids trying out for a team and 2 are lefties, you make that one who has a nice arm into a pitcher and figure everything else out later.

[NoOne]

I don't think ootp has a difference in throwing arm and position. You won't see a lefty catcher, but if you forced it to be the case i don't think it has an actual impact in ootp? It'd probably have an effect on overall position fielding ability given same raw ratings. you could easily figure it out if it did have an impact.

LOL 1989 was last left throwing catcher in MLB?

But the mechanics of ball vector and where you have to throw it can definitely be impacted by throwing arm in a way where one is more beneficial. it just might be an incredibly small percentage of plays that would change the result in the OF. It's not as impactful as at SS where it takes an extra step to get into throwing positiin after fielding most balls. which is a big deal.


Lou Gehrig
Nino Escalera
Royce Stillman
Tom Chism
Mark Ryal

Only five SS that threw left handed, ever.

As far as where the power arm goes and the better fielders... this might flip with a lefty-dominant lineup, since a lot of the reasoning is based on where the ball is hit hard... the pull field becomes RF with lefties. At least some of the cause and effect gets turned on its head.

Based on how i believe the game calculates outcomes, i don't think it matters. When it says a 'double' results, i don't think whether it went to the left or right side is part of that calculation. so, i'd stick to traditional concepts of better fielder in left and big arm in right. however that stuff gets applied, it's probably more of an overall average rather than individual event impacted calculation. i.e it's baked into something else in the permutation. it's there.. it's just not itemized.