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Good morning.

I did this thread year or two ago. Was a fine success. With the Devers situation at first, I thought it might be a good time to resurrect that debate.

Easier position to play- First or Left. Most consider first easiest on the infield and left in the outfield.

What about the whole field. Compare Burleson. Plays some outfield. Plays some first. Where do you think he plays better. Is that based on position?

Thoughts.

LF has to be "easier" at least in the sense that they touch the ball less.

From a player's perspective, I guess maybe standing at 1st and catching throws from teammates might be easier than tracking fly balls, but if I'm a team trying to decide where to hide my terrible fielder who can rake...I'm going LF. See: Duncan, Chris.

sdaltons wrote: ↑09 Jul 2025 09:44 am LF has to be "easier" at least in the sense that they touch the ball less.

From a player's perspective, I guess maybe standing at 1st and catching throws from teammates might be easier than tracking fly balls, but if I'm a team trying to decide where to hide my terrible fielder who can rake...I'm going LF. See: Duncan, Chris.

Nice response especially the power hitter placement part.

No position in MLB is "easy" to play.

But among your two, it's obviously LF.

Compare.

Left- chases balls to his left or right, to include two walls. Makes few hard throws pregame to second, and maybe a few easy throws to third. Plays line drives and fly balls. Maybe a collision in left center.

First- runs little. Throws little. Catches thrown balls often. Can catch one hop throws and in the dirt. Gets in way of runners.

If your built like Burly, probably 1B.
If your instead built more athletically, maybe LF.
Depends on the player.

First base can be played with no range and no throwing arm. Many outfielders move to first base at the end of their careers.

As a reference, Andy Van Slyke played 1119 games in center, 300 plus in right, 90 in left and 82 at first.

Jose Martinez found both impossible. Along with rf

OldRed wrote: ↑09 Jul 2025 10:24 am First base can be played with no range and no throwing arm.

First basemen have to be able to:

-Dig balls out of the dirt
-Come off the bag to accept errant throws up the first baseline while trying to make a swipe tag on a player runner full tilt knowing he may get run over and injured
-Assist his second baseman in covering the hole between first and second base (re: range)
-Hit his pitcher w/a perfect throw when the pitcher covers first
-Take pickoff throws from his pitchers and applying tags
-Take pickoff throws from his catcher and apply tags
-Charge bunts and in a split second make throws to any bad (3rd, 2nd or 1st base)

Left field is the much easier position as long as you can catch a flyball and hit your relay man.

Some of you may know that I didn't play baseball, my eyes were too bad. As got older (high school) contacts corrected one eye so I could see enough to play softball. I played part of ONE game at first, you couldn't pay me to go back over there. I wasn't much better at 2nd. Never tried SS or 3B. Did catch a few games one year and enjoyed it. For me OF was my place, I could use my speed to chase down balls the others couldn't get close too.

LF would be the easy place, although I played mostly RF and CF

JDW wrote: ↑09 Jul 2025 10:20 am If your built like Burly, probably 1B.
If your instead built more athletically, maybe LF.
Depends on the player.

This is the correct answer.

OldRed wrote: ↑09 Jul 2025 10:24 am First base can be played with no range and no throwing arm. Many outfielders move to first base at the end of their careers.

If you feel 1st base isn't important I could see this. After years of Goldy I disagree. A good 1st baseman is much more important than a good LF. Ask Pitchers their opinion.

JDW wrote: ↑09 Jul 2025 10:20 am If your built like Burly, probably 1B.
If your instead built more athletically, maybe LF.
Depends on the player.

This

1B requires more finesse, footwork, baseball IQ. Left field a little more athleticism. So depends on the player, imo.

I think 2B can be thrown in as an honorable mention. Shorter throws than most other positions on average.