Fourth outfielder

In baseball, a fourth outfielder is a backup outfielder, who does not have the hitting skills to regularly play in the corner outfield, but does not have the fielding skills to play center field; for these players, this often leads to playing time that has been called "erratic and unpredictable".[1] Often, fourth outfielders are outfield prospects who have not settled on one outfield position when arriving in the Major Leagues,[2] veteran players seeking additional playing time to extend their careers,[3][4] or part-time position players who double as designated hitters.[1]

A current example would be Gerardo Parra of the Colorado Rockies.[5] Considered among the best defensive outfielders and a Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner in 2011, Parra was employed among all three outfield positions during the 2012 Major League Baseball season.[6][7]

In contrast, the term fifth infielder does not refer to a backup or reserve infielder, but to a defensive shift where a fielder from the outfield is brought into the infield, leaving a team with only two players in the outfield.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Doyle, Al (October 1997). "Fourth Outfielder, Valuable Insurance for Contenders". Baseball Digest. Lakeside. 56 (10): 60&ndash, 63. ISSN 0005-609X.
  2. ↑ D'Angelo, Tom (March 25, 2010). "Marlins outfield injuries mouting: Cody Ross, Brett Carroll out". The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
  3. ↑ "Mariners' outfielder doing it his way". Lynnwood Enterprise. March 25, 2010. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
  4. ↑ McTaggar t, Brian (March 23, 2010). "Sullivan in contention for last outfield spot". Major League Baseball. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
  5. ↑ http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/8108955/arizona-gerardo-parra-won-gold-glove-lost-starting-job
  6. ↑ http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120225&content_id=26855368&vkey=news_was&c_id=was
  7. ↑ http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/20120918arizona-diamondbacks-gerardo-parra-having-hard-time-limited-play.html


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