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| The shortstop is often the most athletic player on the field |
Baseball is a unique sport in many ways. Among those reasons is that it takes a specific skill set to excel at each position. Sure, some players like Pete Rose and Craig Biggio have become All Stars at multiple positions, but they are very much in the minority on that. Most players develop skills throughout their amateur careers that limit them to a particular position. It is often a source of pride for a player to say they excel at a difficult position such as shortstop or catcher. I wanted to get their take on it, so I asked former college players about their experiences playing the position and they gave some great insight. Here is Part 2 of the series…
Seth Pileggi, SS St. Joseph’s
When did you realize shortstop was your primary position?
I was placed at short stop from the beginning of my career (tee ball). By Jr. High I decided it was the position that I wanted to stick with and pursue for my future
What was it about shortstop that appealed to you?
I liked that the shortstop position got a lot of action and was involved in more plays than not
What is the most difficult aspect of being a shortstop?
Playing defense in baseball is about trying to predict where the ball is going to be hit, and reacting correctly when it’s not hit where you guess. I try to make everything from my first reaction step to releasing the ball on the throw as quick and as smooth as possible. The toughest aspect of shortstop in my opinion is trying to eliminate all the balls just outside my reach.
Is it the toughest position in your mind?
The toughest position in my mind is either pitcher or catcher. Although not much, I feel there is more margin for error in other defensive positions.
