Editing Shortstop

{{Short description|Defense position in baseball and softball}}
{{For|the album|Shortstop (album)}}
[[Image:Baseball SS.svg|thumb|right|The position of the shortstop]]
'''Shortstop''', abbreviated '''SS''', is the [[baseball positions|baseball or softball fielding position]] between [[second base|second]] and [[third base]], which is considered to be among the [[Defensive spectrum|most demanding]] defensive positions. Historically, the position was assigned to defensive specialists who were typically poor at batting and were often placed at the bottom of the [[Batting order (baseball)|batting order]]. Today, shortstops are often able to hit well and many are placed at the top of the lineup. In the [[Baseball positions|numbering system]] used by [[Baseball scorekeeping|scorers]] to record defensive plays, the shortstop is assigned the number 6.

More hit balls go to the shortstop than to any other position, as there are more [[Right-handedness|right-handed]] hitters in baseball than [[Left-handedness|left-handed]] hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to [[Pull hitter|pull the ball]] slightly. Like a [[second baseman]], a shortstop must be agile, for example when performing a [[Glossary of baseball terms#4-6-3 double play|4-6-3 double play]]. Also, like a [[third baseman]], the shortstop fields balls hit to the left side of the [[Infield#Baseball|infield]], where a strong arm is needed to [[Out (baseball)|throw out]] a [[Baserunning#The batter-runner|batter-runner]] before they reach the safety of first base.

==History==
[[Doc Adams]] of the [[Knickerbocker Base Ball Club of New York|Knickerbockers]] created the concept of the shortstop position, according to baseball historian [[John Thorn]] and [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Baseball Hall of Fame]] researcher Freddy Berowski.<ref name="SABR">{{cite web|last=Thorn|first=John|title=Doc Adams|publisher=Society for American Baseball Research|url=http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&bid=639&pid=16943|access-date=November 28, 2011}}</ref><ref name="invent">{{cite news|last=Miller|first=Robert|title=The Ridgefield man who helped invent baseball|work=The News-Times|date=September 26, 2009|url=http://www.newstimes.com/news/article/The-Ridgefield-man-who-helped-invent-baseball-144965.php|access-date=November 30, 2011}}</ref> In the first five years the Knickerbockers played, the team fielded anywhere from eight to eleven players. The only infielders were the players covering each of the bases; if there were more than eight players, extra [[outfielder]]s were sometimes used. The outfielders had difficulty throwing baseballs into the infield because of the balls' light weight. Adams's shortstop position, which he started playing at some time from 1849 to 1850, was used to field throws from the outfielders and throw to the three infielders.<ref name="SABR"/><ref>{{cite news|last=Miller|first=Robert|title='Doc' Adams legacy; The position of shortstop|work=The News-Times|date=September 26, 2009|url=http://www.newstimes.com/news/article/Doc-Adams-legacy-The-position-of-shortstop-144970.php|access-date=December 2, 2011}}</ref> The position, more of a fourth outfielder than an infielder, was also then called "short fielder" (a term still used in soft-pitch softball for the 10th player).<ref>{{cite book |last=Dickson |first=Paul |title=The Dickson Baseball Dictionary |url=https://archive.org/details/dicksonbaseballd0000dick_t1l3/page/1/mode/2up |accessdate=April 24, 2023 |year=1998 |publisher=Facts On File |location=New York |isbn=9780816017416 |pages=317,611,772,792}}</ref>

With the advent of higher-quality baseballs, Adams moved to the infield, since the distance the balls could travel increased.<ref name="SABR"/> However, [[Dickey Pearce]], primarily of the [[Brooklyn Atlantics]], is credited as the first to have played the shortstop position as it is played now.<ref>{{cite web |last1=McKenna |first1=Brian |title=Dickey Pearce |url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/dickey-pearce/ |website=Society for American Baseball Research |publisher=SABR |access-date=3 April 2021}}</ref> Adams had a long playing career with the Knickerbockers: he remained a player with the team until 1860.<ref>{{cite book|last=Thorn|first=John|title=Baseball in the Garden of Eden: The Secret History of the Early Game|publisher=Simon & Schuster|year=2011|page=106|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tGfmounsYWMC&pg=PA106|isbn=978-0-7432-9403-4}}</ref>

==Positioning==
Unlike the [[pitcher]] and [[catcher]], who must start every play in a designated area (the pitcher must be on the [[pitcher's mound]], with one foot in contact with the [[pitcher's rubber]], and the catcher must be behind [[home plate]] in the [[catcher's box]]) the shortstop and the other fielders can vary their positioning in response to what they anticipate will be the actions of the batter and runner(s) once the play begins.<ref>Baseball Explained, by Phillip Mahony. McFarland Books, 2014. See [http://www.baseballexplained.com www.baseballexplained.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140813034018/http://www.baseballexplained.com/ |date=2014-08-13 }}</ref>

The shortstop ordinarily is positioned near second base on the third-base side. Because right-handed hitters tend to hit the ball more toward third base, a shortstop will generally move closer to third base if the batter is batting right-handed, and more toward first base if the batter is batting left-handed. A shortstop typically has a strong throwing arm, because he has a relatively long throw to first base, and often has less time in which to make a throw, given that the [[ground ball]]s he fields have often traveled relatively far. A shortstop must also be extremely agile, because balls hit to or near the shortstop position are usually hit harder than to other infield positions.

Shortstops are required to [[covering a base|cover second base]] in [[double play]] situations when the ball is hit to the second baseman or first baseman. They also cover second when a runner is attempting a [[stolen base]], but only when a left-handed hitter is batting because the infield will respond to a left-handed batter by shifting toward first base, resulting in the shortstop being the infielder who is closest to second base. Shortstops also must cover third at various times, including the rotation play; the latter occurs when there are runners on first and second and a [[sacrifice bunt]] is attempted toward third base, requiring the third baseman to move in away from third base in order to field it.  Shortstops generally are given precedence on catching pop-ups in the [[infielder|infield]] as well, so they end up calling off other players many times, although on deep pop-ups they generally fall back when called off by an [[outfielder]]. They often become the cutoff man on balls to any part of the outfield that are being directed towards third base and all balls to left and center field that are destined for second base. Depending on the system the shortstop may cut balls from left field heading home; however, this is usually the job of the third baseman.

The emphasis on defense makes the position unusually difficult to fill. Historically, a strong shortstop did not have to be a good hitter. Some of the weakest hitters in Major League Baseball have played the position, including [[Mario Mendoza]], for whom [[George Brett]] popularized the eponymous [[Mendoza Line]] to describe a batting average below .200. Since the 1960s, however, such mediocre hitting has become rarer as teams increasingly demand players with ability to both field and hit.<ref name="seminara20100706">{{cite news | url=http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/article_cff05af5-032e-5a29-b5a8-ecc9216b0c02.html | title=Branded for life with 'The Mendoza Line' | work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch | date=2010-07-06 | access-date=January 9, 2013 | author=Seminara, Dave}}</ref>

In practice, a marginal fielder as a shortstop who hits well can be moved to almost any other position, especially second base or third base, whether early in their careers (examples: George Brett and [[Mike Schmidt]] were both tried early in their careers as shortstops)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/brettge01.shtml |title=George Brett Statistics and History |publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=February 13, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/schmimi01.shtml |title=Mike Schmidt Statistics and History |publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=February 13, 2011}}</ref> or later due to diminished [[fielding range]], slower reflexes, weaker throwing arms, increased risk of injury, or co-existence with another dominant shortstop, as with [[Ernie Banks]], [[Cal Ripken Jr.]], [[Alex Rodríguez]], [[Michael Young (baseball)|Michael Young]], or [[Miguel Tejada]].

==Significant shortstops==

===Shortstops inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame===
[[File:Ozzie Smith 1983.jpg|thumb|right|180px|upright=3.|[[St. Louis Cardinals|Cardinals]] great [[Ozzie Smith]]]]

The year in which the player was inducted is given in brackets after his name.
{{Div col}}
*[[Luis Aparicio]] (1984)
*[[Luke Appling]] (1964)
*[[Dave Bancroft]] (1971)
*[[Ernie Banks]] (1977)
*[[Lou Boudreau]] (1970)
*[[Joe Cronin]] (1956)
*[[George Davis (baseball)|George Davis]] (1998)
*[[Travis Jackson]] (1982)
*[[Hughie Jennings]] (1945)
*[[Derek Jeter]] (2020)
*[[Barry Larkin]] (2012)
*[[John Henry Lloyd|John Henry "Pop" Lloyd]] (1977)
*[[Rabbit Maranville]] (1954)
*[[Paul Molitor]] (2004) (Played some games at SS in 1978, 1979, and 1982)
*[[Pee Wee Reese]] (1984)
*[[Cal Ripken Jr.]] (2007)
*[[Phil Rizzuto]] (1994)
*[[Joe Sewell]] (1977)
*[[Ozzie Smith]] (2002)
*[[Joe Tinker]] (1946)
*[[Alan Trammell]] (2018)
*[[Arky Vaughan]] (1985)
*[[Honus Wagner]] (1936)
*[[Bobby Wallace (baseball)|Bobby Wallace]] (1953)
*[[John Montgomery Ward]] (1964)
*[[Willie Wells]] (1997)
*[[George Wright (sportsman)|George Wright]] (1937)
*[[Robin Yount]] (1999)
{{Div col end}}

====Notes====
# [[John Henry Lloyd]] and [[Willie Wells]] were elected for their play in the [[Negro leagues]].
# George Wright was elected as a pioneer, but also starred as a shortstop in the 1860s and 1870s.
# Robin Yount started his career as a shortstop, and moved to the [[outfield]] where he played his last nine seasons. (Besides winning the MVP award as a shortstop in [[1982 Major League Baseball season|1982]], Yount also won the award as a [[centerfielder]] in [[1989 Major League Baseball season|1989]].)
# Ernie Banks played shortstop for the first half of his career and first base for the remainder.

[[Image:Jetershortstop.JPG|thumb|right|200px|[[New York Yankees|Yankees]] former shortstop [[Derek Jeter]] getting ready to field his position in 2007]]

===Multiple Gold Glove Award winners===
{{See also|List of Gold Glove Award winners at shortstop}}
{{Div col|colwidth=}}
*[[Ozzie Smith]]: 13
*[[Omar Vizquel]]: 11
*[[Luis Aparicio]]: 9
*[[Mark Belanger]]: 8
*[[Dave Concepción]]: 5
*[[Derek Jeter]]: 5
*[[Tony Fernández]]: 4
*[[Jimmy Rollins]]: 4
*[[Alan Trammell]]: 4
*[[Brandon Crawford]]: 3
*[[J. J. Hardy]]: 3
*[[Barry Larkin]]: 3
*[[Roy McMillan]]: 3
*[[Rey Ordóñez]]: 3
*[[Andrelton Simmons]]: 3
*[[Gene Alley]]: 2
*[[Larry Bowa]]: 2
*[[Orlando Cabrera]]: 2
*[[Don Kessinger]]: 2
*[[Francisco Lindor]]: 2
*[[Édgar Rentería]]: 2
*[[Cal Ripken Jr.]]: 2
*[[Alex Rodriguez]]: 2
*[[Troy Tulowitzki]]: 2
*[[Zoilo Versalles]]: 2
*[[Maury Wills]]: 2
 {{Div col end}}

===All-time single season assist leaders among shortstops===
[[File:Omar Vizquel at Wrigley Field.jpg|200px|thumb|right|[[Omar Vizquel]] played more games at shortstop than any other player in MLB history.]]
#[[Ozzie Smith]]: 621 (San Diego Padres, 1980)
#[[Glenn Wright]]: 601 (Pittsburgh Pirates, 1924)
#[[Dave Bancroft]]: 598 (Philadelphia Phillies/New York Giants, 1920)
#[[Tommy Thevenow]]: 597 (St. Louis Cardinals, 1926)
#[[Iván DeJesús]]: 595 (Chicago Cubs, 1977)
#[[Cal Ripken Jr.]]: 583 (Baltimore Orioles, 1984)
#[[Whitey Wietelmann]]: 581 (Boston Braves, 1943)
#[[Dave Bancroft]]: 579 (New York Giants, 1922)
#[[Rabbit Maranville]]: 574 (Boston Braves, 1914)
#[[Don Kessinger]]: 573 (Chicago Cubs, 1968)

Source:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/A_ss_season.shtml|title=Single-Season Leaders & Records for Assists as SS|work=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=USA Today Sports Media Group|access-date=7 August 2012}}</ref> (does not list teams)

===All-time single season putout leaders among shortstops===
# [[Donie Bush]]: 425 (Detroit Tigers, 1914)
# [[Hughie Jennings]]: 425 (Baltimore Orioles [National League], 1895)
# [[Joe Cassidy (baseball)|Joe Cassidy]]: 408 (Washington Senators, 1905)
# [[Rabbit Maranville]]: 407 (Boston Braves, 1914)
# [[Dave Bancroft]]: 405 (New York Giants, 1922)
# [[Eddie Miller (infielder)|Eddie Miller]]: 405 (Boston Braves, 1940)
# [[Monte Cross]]: 404 (Philadelphia Phillies, 1898)
# [[Dave Bancroft]]: 396 (New York Giants, 1921)
# [[Mickey Doolan]]: 395 (Philadelphia Phillies, 1906)
# [[Buck Weaver]]: 392 (Chicago White Sox, 1913)

===All-time single-season fielding percentage leaders among shortstops===

# [[Mike Bordick]]: .9982 (Baltimore Orioles, 2002)
# [[Cal Ripken Jr.]]: .9956 (Baltimore Orioles, 1990)
# [[Omar Vizquel]]: .9954 (Cleveland Indians, 2000)
# [[Rey Sánchez]]: .9941 (Kansas City Royals, 2000)
# [[Rey Ordóñez]]: .9938 (New York Mets, 1999)
# [[Omar Vizquel]]: .9933 (San Francisco Giants, 2006)
# [[Omar Vizquel]]: .9931 (Cleveland Indians, 1998)
# [[J. J. Hardy]]: .9923 (Baltimore Orioles, 2012)
# [[Tony Fernández]] .9919 (Toronto Blue Jays, 1989)
# [[Rey Sánchez]]: .9915 (Kansas City Royals, 2001)

===Number of seasons with 100+ double plays turned at shortstop (among Hall of Fame shortstops)===

*[[Cal Ripken Jr.]]: 12
*[[Phil Rizzuto]]: 8
*[[Lou Boudreau]]: 6
*[[Ozzie Smith]]: 5
*[[Luke Appling]]: 4
*[[Luis Aparicio]]: 3
*[[Ernie Banks]]: 3
*[[Travis Jackson]]: 3
*[[Pee Wee Reese]]: 2
*[[Arky Vaughan]]: 2
*[[Dave Bancroft]]: 1
*[[Joe Cronin]]: 1
*[[Derek Jeter]]: 1
*[[Rabbit Maranville]]: 1
*[[Joe Sewell]]: 1
*[[Alan Trammell]]: 1
*[[Robin Yount]]: 1

Source: baseballreference.com

==See also==
{{Portal|Baseball}}
*Gold Glove award winners: [[List of Gold Glove Award winners at shortstop]]
*[[List of Gold Glove middle infield duos]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

{{Baseball positions}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Baseball positions]]