Editing Second baseman (section)

{{Short description|Baseball fielding position}}
{{redirect|Second base|the colloquial term|Second base (term)}}
[[File:Baseball 2B.svg|thumb|right|The position of the second baseman]]
In [[baseball]] and [[softball]], '''second baseman''', abbreviated '''2B''', is a fielding position in the [[Infielder|infield]], between [[Baseball field#Second base|second]] and [[Baseball field#First base|first base]]. The second baseman often possesses quick hands and feet, needs the ability to get rid of the ball quickly, and must be able to make the pivot on a [[double play]].   In addition, second basemen are usually right-handed; only four left-handed throwing players have ever played second base in [[Major League Baseball]] since 1950.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bbref.com/pi/shareit/Dn6bJ|title=From 1950 to 2013, Throws LH, Played: 2B|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference]]|access-date=2010-06-03}}</ref> In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the second baseman is assigned the number 4.

Good second basemen need to have very good range since they have to field balls closer to the first baseman who is often holding runners on, or moving towards the base to cover. On a batted ball to [[Right fielder|right field]], the second baseman goes out towards the ball for the relay. Due to these requirements, second base is sometimes a primarily defensive position in the modern game, but there are hitting stars as well.

Second base is often referred to as the "Keystone".  This is due to its position on the infield at the top of the diamond, similar to the [[Keystone (architecture)|keystone block]] in architecture.<ref>{{cite web |title=KEYSTONE — BASEBALL DICTIONARY |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/dictionary-term.php?term=keystone |website=Baseball Almanac |publisher=Dickson Baseball Dictionary |access-date=12 October 2023}}</ref>