Each of the nine positions in baseball corresponds to a particular number. The second baseman who covers the second base is known as the 4. The role of the second baseman is action-packed as it includes fielding hard-hit ground balls.
Skills of the 4
The second baseman must be an excellent fielder. In youth baseball, the second baseman fields baseballs more often than most positions like the shortstop and the pitcher. Due to the player’s proximity to the first base, a strong arm is not a requirement, and a right-handed player is preferred. Left-handed second basemen are few. One must also be skilled in covering the base.The second baseman shares the responsibility of covering the second base with the shortstop. For this, the 4 and the shortstop or the 6 must be good at communicating with each other. This is to ensure that a player covers the base.
The Roles of the 4
The second base is where a lot of the action takes place. Aside from fielding balls numerous times, the 4 also has to do a lot of covering – he has to protect the bag. This is despite sharing this specific responsibility with the shortstop.The second baseman must be ready to do a double play whenever a base runner occupies the first base. Since he shares the responsibility of covering with the shortstop, he must know when to field and when to cover. Normally, if a ball is hit and reaches second base, the 4 must field while the 6 covers the bag. The second baseman should throw the ball to the shortstop to out the base runner.
The second baseman must always be prepared to support the plays on the first base. One can also serve as a cut off when balls hit the right field.