Editing Third baseman

{{Short description|Baseball position}}
{{Redirect|Third base}}
{{More citations needed|date=August 2007}}
[[Image:Baseball 3B.svg|thumb|right|The position of the third baseman]]

A '''third baseman''', abbreviated '''3B''', is the player in [[baseball]] or [[softball]] whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to '''third base''' —  the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the [[Baseball scorekeeping|scoring system]] used to record defensive plays, the third baseman is assigned the number 5.

Third base is known as the "'''hot corner'''", because the third baseman is often the [[infielder]] who stands closest to the batter—roughly 90–120 feet away, but even closer if a [[Bunt (baseball)|bunt]] is expected. Most right-handed hitters tend to hit the ball hard in this direction. A third baseman must possess good hand-eye coordination and quick reactions to catch batted balls whose speed can exceed {{convert|120|mph}}.<ref>{{cite web |last=Raue |first=Brian A. |title=Home run distances at Pro Player Stadium |url=http://www.fiu.edu/~baraue/personal/homers.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701021416/http://www2.fiu.edu/~baraue/personal/homers.html |archive-date=1 July 2017}}</ref>

The third base position requires a strong and accurate arm, as the third baseman often makes long throws to first base or quick ones to [[second baseman|second base]] to start a [[double play]]. As with middle [[infielder]]s, right-handed throwing players are standard at the position because they do not need to turn their body before throwing across the [[Infielder|infield]] to first base. [[Mike Squires (baseball)|Mike Squires]], who played fourteen games at third base in 1982 and 1983, is a very rare example of a third baseman who threw lefty.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mike Squires Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/squirmi01.shtml |access-date=2024-03-14 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Index of /blog/archives/10835 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/10835/ |access-date=2024-03-14 |website=www.baseball-reference.com}}</ref> Some third basemen have been converted from middle infielders or [[outfielder]]s because the position does not require them to run as fast.

The third baseman must also field [[Batted ball#Fly ball|fly balls]] in [[Baseball field#Specifications|fair and foul territories]].

Expectations of how well a third baseman should be able to hit have risen over time; in the early years of the sport, these expectations were similar to those for [[shortstop]]s, the third baseman being merely the less skilled defensive player. Players who could hit with more ability often were not suited for third base, either because they were left-handed or because they were not mobile enough for the position. However, the beginning of the [[live-ball era]] in the 1920s created a greater demand for more offense, and third basemen have since been expected to hit either for a high [[batting average (baseball)|average]] (.290 or better) or with moderate to substantial power.  Since the 1950s the position has become more of a power position with sluggers such as [[Eddie Mathews]], [[Mike Schmidt]] and [[Ron Santo]] becoming stars.

There are fewer third basemen in the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Baseball Hall of Fame]] than there are Hall of Famers of any other position. Few third basemen have gone on to have successful [[manager (baseball)|managing]] careers; exceptions include [[John McGraw]], [[Bobby Cox]], [[Jimmy Dykes]], and [[Negro league baseball|Negro leaguer]] [[Dave Malarcher]].

==Prominent third basemen==

===Baseball Hall of Fame members===
[[File:Brooks Robinson 1977.jpg|200px|thumb|right|[[Brooks Robinson]] played more games at third base than any other player in MLB history.]]
*[[Dick Allen]] (played first base for most of latter part of career)
*[[Home Run Baker|Frank "Home Run" Baker]]
*[[Adrián Beltré]]
*[[Johnny Bench]] (elected as a catcher, shifted to third base in last three years of his career)
*[[Wade Boggs]]
*[[George Brett]] (played first base and [[designated hitter]] in the latter years of his career)
*[[Jimmy Collins]]
*[[Ray Dandridge]] (Negro leagues)
*[[Judy Johnson]] (Negro leagues)
*[[Chipper Jones]]
*[[George Kell]]
*[[Freddie Lindstrom]]
*[[Edgar Martínez]] (primarily a designated hitter who was the regular third baseman for the [[Seattle Mariners]] in the early years of his career)
*[[Eddie Mathews]]
*[[John McGraw]] (primarily elected as a manager, although a third baseman in his short but successful playing career)
*[[Paul Molitor]] (longtime [[designated hitter]] who played primarily third base on the field)
*[[Brooks Robinson]]
*[[Scott Rolen]]
*[[Ron Santo]]
*[[Mike Schmidt]]
*[[Pie Traynor]] (First third baseman to be inducted into the [[Baseball Hall of Fame]])
*[[Jud Wilson]] (Negro leagues)

===Multiple Gold Glove Award winners===
{{main|List of Gold Glove Award winners at third base}}
*[[Brooks Robinson]]: 16
*[[Mike Schmidt]]: 10
*[[Nolan Arenado]]: 10 (active)
*[[Scott Rolen]]: 8 
*[[Eric Chavez]]: 6
*[[Robin Ventura]]: 6
*[[Buddy Bell]]: 6
*[[Matt Chapman]]: 5 (active)
*[[Ken Boyer]]: 5
*[[Doug Rader]]: 5
*[[Ron Santo]]: 5
*[[Gary Gaetti]]: 4
*[[Adrián Beltré]]: 4
*[[Matt Williams (third baseman)|Matt Williams]]: 4
*[[Ken Caminiti]]: 3
*[[Frank Malzone]]: 3
*[[Evan Longoria]]: 3 (active)
*[[David Wright]]: 2
*[[Wade Boggs]]: 2
*[[Graig Nettles]]: 2
*[[Manny Machado]]: 2 (active)

===All-time single-season assists leaders among third basemen===
#[[Graig Nettles]]: 412 (Cleveland Indians, 1971)
#[[Graig Nettles]]: 410 (New York Yankees, 1973)
#[[Brooks Robinson]]: 410 (Baltimore Orioles, 1974)
#[[Brooks Robinson]]: 405 (Baltimore Orioles, 1967)
#[[Harlond Clift]]: 405 (St. Louis Browns, 1937)
#[[Mike Schmidt]]: 404 (Philadelphia Phillies, 1974)
#[[Doug DeCinces]]: 399 (California Angels, 1982)
#[[Brandon Inge]]: 398 (Detroit Tigers, 2006)
#[[Clete Boyer]]: 396 (New York Yankees, 1962)
#[[Mike Schmidt]]: 396 (Philadelphia Phillies, 1977)
#[[Buddy Bell]]: 396 (Texas Rangers, 1982)

===All-time single-season putouts leaders among third basemen===
# [[Denny Lyons]]: 255 (Philadelphia Athletics, 1887)
# [[Jimmy Williams (second baseman)|Jimmy Williams]]: 251 (Pittsburgh Pirates, 1899)
# [[Jimmy Collins]]: 251 (Boston Beaneaters [National League], 1900)
# [[Jimmy Collins]]: 243 (Boston Beaneaters [National League], 1898)
# [[Willie Kamm]]: 243 (Chicago White Sox, 1928)
# [[Willie Kamm]]: 236 (Chicago White Sox, 1927)
# [[Home Run Baker|Frank Baker]]: 233 (Philadelphia Athletics, 1913)
# [[Bill Coughlin]]: 232 (Washington Senators, 1901)
# [[Ernie Courtney]]: 229 (Philadelphia Phillies, 1905)
# [[Jimmy Austin]]: 228 (St. Louis Browns, 1911)

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Portal|Baseball}}

{{Baseball positions}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Third Baseman}}
[[Category:Baseball positions]]