Defensive spectrum
Encyclopedia
In Sabermetrics
, the defensive spectrum is the graphical representation of the positions on a baseball
field, arranged from top (the easiest defensive positions) to bottom (the hardest).
in his Baseball Abstract series of books during the 1980s. The basic premise of the spectrum is that positions at the bottom end are more difficult than the positions at the top end of the spectrum. Therefore, the positions at the top are easier to fill, since the physical demands are less as you move left along the spectrum. A corollary to this is the fact that, since defensive skill is at less of a premium at the top end, players at those positions must provide more offense than those at the bottom end. Another corollary is that players can generally move from bottom to top along the spectrum successfully during their careers.
In some versions of the defensive spectrum, pitcher and catcher are not included, since certain defensive demands of those positions are so skill-specific as to be inapplicable to players at other positions.
To illustrate, players with inadequate defensive skills to perform as pitchers are rarely, if ever, shifted to other fielding positions after entering organized baseball, although the practice is not uncommon in amateur and scholastic baseball.
was generally considered to be more challenging than second base. This was because the double play
was relatively uncommon in this period; thus, the third baseman, who had to field hard hit grounders and throw the ball 120 feet to first base, had a far more challenging job than the second baseman, who threw the ball 70 feet at most. The result of this was that there were far more good hitters at second base than third; great-hitting early second baseman include Nap Lajoie
and Rogers Hornsby
. This defensive spectrum looked something like this:
However, by the 1920s and 1930s, the defensive spectrum was beginning to shift. Double plays were becoming steadily more common, increasing the defensive responsibilities of second base. Offense was therefore increasingly important at third base. One of the first new third basemen was Harlond Clift
of the St. Louis Browns, who was notable as the first third basemen to hit 30 home runs. By 1945, second base was firmly established as a more defensively important position than third base.
Sabermetrics
Sabermetrics is the specialized analysis of baseball through objective, empirical evidence, specifically baseball statistics that measure in-game activity. The term is derived from the acronym SABR, which stands for the Society for American Baseball Research...
, the defensive spectrum is the graphical representation of the positions on a baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
field, arranged from top (the easiest defensive positions) to bottom (the hardest).
Arrangement
The defensive spectrum looks like this:- Designated hitterDesignated hitterIn baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
- First basemanFirst basemanFirst base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
- Left fielderLeft fielderIn baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
- Right fielderRight fielderA right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
- Third basemanThird basemanA third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
- Center fielderCenter fielderA center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
- Second basemanSecond basemanSecond base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
- ShortstopShortstopShortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
- CatcherCatcherCatcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
- PitcherPitcherIn baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
History
Like many original sabermetric concepts, the idea of a defensive spectrum was first introduced by Bill JamesBill James
George William “Bill” James is a baseball writer, historian, and statistician whose work has been widely influential. Since 1977, James has written more than two dozen books devoted to baseball history and statistics...
in his Baseball Abstract series of books during the 1980s. The basic premise of the spectrum is that positions at the bottom end are more difficult than the positions at the top end of the spectrum. Therefore, the positions at the top are easier to fill, since the physical demands are less as you move left along the spectrum. A corollary to this is the fact that, since defensive skill is at less of a premium at the top end, players at those positions must provide more offense than those at the bottom end. Another corollary is that players can generally move from bottom to top along the spectrum successfully during their careers.
In some versions of the defensive spectrum, pitcher and catcher are not included, since certain defensive demands of those positions are so skill-specific as to be inapplicable to players at other positions.
To illustrate, players with inadequate defensive skills to perform as pitchers are rarely, if ever, shifted to other fielding positions after entering organized baseball, although the practice is not uncommon in amateur and scholastic baseball.
Shifts in the Defensive Spectrum
A retrospective analysis of the 130-year history of baseball shows that the defensive spectrum has shifted only once. In the late 19th century and early 20th century, third baseThird Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
was generally considered to be more challenging than second base. This was because the double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
was relatively uncommon in this period; thus, the third baseman, who had to field hard hit grounders and throw the ball 120 feet to first base, had a far more challenging job than the second baseman, who threw the ball 70 feet at most. The result of this was that there were far more good hitters at second base than third; great-hitting early second baseman include Nap Lajoie
Nap Lajoie
Napoléon "Nap" Lajoie , also known as Larry Lajoie, was an American Major League Baseball second baseman. He was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island...
and Rogers Hornsby
Rogers Hornsby
Rogers Hornsby, Sr. , nicknamed "The Rajah", was an American baseball infielder, manager, and coach who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball . He played for the St. Louis Cardinals , New York Giants , Boston Braves , Chicago Cubs , and St. Louis Browns...
. This defensive spectrum looked something like this:
- First basemanFirst basemanFirst base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
- Left fielderLeft fielderIn baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
- Right fielderRight fielderA right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
- Second basemanSecond basemanSecond base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
- Center fielderCenter fielderA center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
- Third basemanThird basemanA third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
- ShortstopShortstopShortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
- CatcherCatcherCatcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
- PitcherPitcherIn baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
However, by the 1920s and 1930s, the defensive spectrum was beginning to shift. Double plays were becoming steadily more common, increasing the defensive responsibilities of second base. Offense was therefore increasingly important at third base. One of the first new third basemen was Harlond Clift
Harlond Clift
Harlond Benton Clift born in El Reno, Oklahoma, was a third baseman for the St. Louis Browns and Washington Senators ....
of the St. Louis Browns, who was notable as the first third basemen to hit 30 home runs. By 1945, second base was firmly established as a more defensively important position than third base.