LA NO MENOS IMPORTANTE / THE NO LESS IMPORTANT
With left field we complete the players that we have been studying and showing, the players that top the list of those who will be the most outstanding in each of their positions for this 2023 in MLB, and today we close with the location in the field of play, as it is, the person who occupies the left field, which seems something not so important, I say this because those who have occupied it over the years in this game, are better known for their bat than with what they do on defense, and I go further, to this field in some times they have sent to play players from the infield, adapting them to that position as their natural position, making us think that it is any location and it is easier to play it, not being so and having the same difficulty as the right field, being two extremes where the hitters either left-handed or right-handed end up at some point to connect the ball to those sectors.
EL IZQUIERDO IN MLB / THE LEFT IN MLB
Dominican players are always known for being good players in this sport, for being integral players, that is to say good bats and good with the glove, and the case of the player Juan Soto of the San Diego Padres is no exception, Soto who with the bat is the most outstanding, is the one who should head this list, Due to his excellent current conditions, he is getting all the attention in San Diego, not only for having signed such a multi-year contract with them, but also for what he represents in the field, his condition of left-handed hitter is fundamental, being this very requested by many, demonstrating it in a great way.
With the glove is also highly recognized what makes him a superstar player, I always remember him since his beginnings in the 2019 season, with the Washington Nationals team, who he helped to get the championship that season, thanks to his saves in left field, opening the doors to what would become what today we know a talented player, This made him a very valuable piece for any team, which earned him his transfer to San Diego and for this 2023, there can be no doubt that Soto, at full time, will lead the Padres, not only to the post-season but also to win the pennant of the West Division, lately dominated by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Undoubtedly the Cuban player Yordan Alvarez is known for his enormous power on the left side of the plate with the Houston Astros, his bat has added stability to the Houston lineup, after being formed for a long time by happy bats but more line drives than long hits, and also by being mostly right-handed hitters, The Antillean player has added such a level to that lineup, that they are the most offensive team with the best win-loss record in the major leagues in the last 2 years, reaching seasons where their advantage over second place was always more than 10 games difference during almost the whole year.
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- MLBNetwork
Defensively he has been little seen, but he has fulfilled his role when he has been put in that position, when in the National League there was still the figure of the pitcher as a hitter, in interleague games, Alvarez was seen a lot in that position; In the 2019 and 2021 seasons, when Houston went to play the World Series, the Cuban player in National League camp, executed his responsibility as a left fielder and became more known on that side, to develop more as a more complete player in this sport but now in the United States in the best baseball in the world and at another a higher level.
After a season to forget as it was the 2021 season for Kyle Schwarber with the Boston Red Sox, the following 2022 season was for him the season that everyone was waiting for, and for which this player had always been talked about, the performance of the previous season with the Phillies for Schawarber has been the best, his peak, I would say, was an injury-free season where he earned his place as left fielder and a prestigious spot in the Philadelphia lineup, contributing with his contribution to reach the World Series against all odds.
The 2022 for him meant a lot, because his 46 complete game at-bats and his almost 100 runs brought to the plate consolidated him as one of the best outfielders in the National League, his talent finally exploded, and for this new season that is about to begin, he will be one of the fundamental pieces to face a 162-game battle, always trying to be out of the disabled list, His outstanding performance last season earned him not only a place among the best left fielders in MLB, but also a call up to the United States National Team for the World Baseball Classic, showing that he is considered in many ways one of the best in this position, and now he will be able to show his game in the international arena.
TODO TIENE SU EXPLICACIÓN / EVERYTHING HAS ITS EXPLANATION
If we move to the past we can see in 2 examples, that left field is one of the least frequented by the connections in this game, I say this because the vast majority so says and sees it, who remember when Chipper Jones, third base and natural shortstop of the Atlanta Braves was converted to left fielder? maybe few will remember this, or when Craig Biggio second base of the Houston Astros was also converted into an outfielder in this sector? everything has its explanation, and we will see it below.
Las necesidades de aquellos equipos que llevaron a mover a estos jugadores a los jardines las desconozco, pero lo que sí le puedo decir es lo siguiente, en el beisbol existen muchos bateadores derechos, en su gran mayoría son de esta mano, lo mismo pasa con los lanzadores, que sucede, los batazos conectados, debido a las características de los lanzamientos de los lanzadores derechos, llevan a que los bateadores hagan sus batazos del centro y hacia el jardín derecho, en un porcentaje muy alto, y los bateadores zurdos por lo general batean hacia su mano, osea hacia el jardín derecho.
The needs of those teams that led to move these players to the gardens I do not know, but what I can tell you is the following, in baseball there are many right-handed hitters, the vast majority are of this hand, the same thing happens with pitchers, what happens, the hits connected, due to the characteristics of the pitches of the right-handed pitchers, lead the batters to hit from the center and to the right field, in a very high percentage, and the left-handed batters usually hit to their hand, that is to say to the right field.
Y debido a que los lanzadores zurdos son pocos, y sus lanzamientos frente a bateadores derechos son los que llevan a que estos conecten la pelota hacia el jardín izquierdo, las posibilidades de que las conexiones hacia ese sector disminuyan o sean menos, hacen de esta locación la menos frecuentada, pero no la que no es visitada por la pelota, siendo los jugadores que ocupan esta posición, los menos habilidosos por así decirlo pero de igual forma deben estar preparados ante cualquier eventualidad.
And because left-handed pitchers are few, and their pitches against right-handed hitters are the ones that lead to them connecting the ball to left field, the chances that connections to that sector decrease or are less, make this location the least frequented but not the one that is not visited by the ball, being the players who occupy this position, the least talkative so to speak but still must be prepared for any eventuality.
HASTA LA PRÓXIMA / SEE YOU NEXT TIME
Mi Twitter: @EnirsonPirela
Imagen editada en Canva / Image edited in Canva Original public domain - Source