The three outfielders, left fielder, center fielder, and right fielder, are so named from the catcher's perspective looking out onto the field. The right fielder generally has the strongest arm of all the outfielders due to the need to make throws on runners attempting to take third base. The center fielder has more territory to cover than the corner outfielders, so this player must be quick and agile with a strong arm to throw balls in to the infield; as with the shortstop, teams tend to emphasize defense at this position. Also, the center fielder is considered the outfield leader, and left- and right-fielders often cede to his direction when fielding fly balls. Of all outfielders, the left fielder
often has the weakest arm, as they generally do not need to throw the
ball as far in order to prevent the advance of any baserunners. The left
fielder still requires good fielding and catching skills, and tends to
receive more balls than the right fielder due to the fact that right-handed
hitters, who are much more common, tend to "pull" the ball into left
field. Each outfielder runs to "back up" a nearby outfielder who
attempts to field a ball hit near both their positions. Outfielders also
run to back up infielders on batted balls and thrown balls, including
pick-off attempts from the pitcher or from the catcher.