Stop laughing. Second base is the toughest position nobody respects. The second baseman has to cover the bag, turn double plays, and dodge a 200-pound baserunner sliding at his shins with murder in his eyes.
Pittsburgh Pirates' Infielder Wins Prestigious Defensive Award
Here’s a joke: What’s the difference between a second baseman and a third baseman? The third baseman has time to pray before the ball arrives. The second baseman just hopes his soul makes it to the glove. It’s true. The ball gets to second base faster than a New York minute.
And turning a double play? That’s two outs for the price of one. The second baseman takes the throw, drags his foot across the bag, and fires to first while a runner is trying to break his ankles. It’s the most graceful and violent dance in sports.
The Third Baseman: The Human Vacuum Cleaner
Now meet the third baseman. He stands 90 feet from home plate. That’s very, very close. When a right-handed hitter smashes a ball, it arrives at third base in about 0.3 seconds. That is faster than your brain can process the word “ouch.”
Third basemen are a special breed: part boxer, part octopus. They dive to their left, to their right, and sometimes straight into the dugout water cooler. They get hit by bats, foul balls, and their own teammates. Yet they still wave to their kids in the stands.
Surprising fact: Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson was so good that people called him “The Human Vacuum Cleaner.” Why? Because he didn’t stop balls; he ate them. Nom nom nom, ground out.
