Playing Right Field

Often times, when playing pick up baseball and choosing teams, one picks the player with the least amount of skills and tries to hide him in right field.  The thinking is, that the right-fielder will get the least amount of action as most batters are right handed and pull the ball to left field or center, and being in right field, the fielder won't be involved in most plays.   Out of sight, out of mind.

I remember the Baseball episode of WKRP in Cincinnati, when ace hog reporter Les Nessman was being bounced around the softball team from position to position when he kept failing at every spot, and then Dr. Johnny Fever would say to Les..."Ya know Les, Pete Rose played third base... Pete Rose played first base... Pete Rose played...right field."  There are occasions when a right fielder can be involved with an assist on what should be a single to right.  Yes, it's true.  Newly Hall of Famer Andre Dawson playing for the Cubs and playing shallow, and the runner was dogging it, and Andre fired a strike to first and threw him out.




BSOD 3/9/2010: Right Field
Artist: Peter, Paul, & Mary
Year: 1998

Right Field Lyrics

Saturday summers, when I was a kid
We'd run to the schoolyard and here's what we did
We'd pick out the captains and we'd choose up the teams
It was always a measure of my self esteem
Cuz the fastest, the strongest, played shortstop and first
The last ones they picked were the worst
I never needed to ask, it was sealed,
I just took up my place in right field.
Playing... 

Chorus:
Right field, it's easy, you know.
You can be awkward and you can be slow
That's why I'm here in right field
Just watching the dandelions grow 

Playing right field can be lonely and dull
Little Leagues never have lefties that pull
I'd dream of the day they'd hit one my way
They never did, but still I would pray
That I'd make a fantastic catch on the run
And not lose the ball in the sun
And then I'd awake from this long reverie
And pray that the ball never came out to me
Here in... 

(chorus) 

Off in the distance, the game's dragging on,
There's strikes on the batter, some runners are on.
I don't know the inning, I've forgotten the score.
The whole team is yelling and I don't know what for.
Then suddenly everyone's looking at me
My mind has been wandering; what could it be?
They point at the sky and I look up above
And a baseball falls into my glove! 

Here in right field, it's important you know.
You gotta know how to catch, you gotta know how to throw,
That's why I'm here in right field, just watching the dandelions grow!