Positional Oddities

With Spring Training in full swing, it is safe to say that the doldrums of winter are quickly coming to an end and the world will soon be blessed with sun showers, park bench reading and glorious tank top/short shorts combinations that will render my knees useless.

This also means my transition into all things baseball is quickly underway. MLB.TV will quickly consume 3-6 hours of each night, sporting a Sox hat/iPod/phone on the subway will become a little more dangerous, and most importantly, a group of 12 man boys will argue about trivial baseball nonsense in my DC based APBA league.

Such an argument recently occurred with some interesting results. I'll not go in to details as they are incredibly inconsequential, but the end point was thus: on occasion, MLB players will be plopped in a spot that is completely unexpected. Some examples:

Position Players Often Pitch In Blow Outs

Wade Boggs was known to have a killer knuckleball and showed it off at least twice during his career. Jose Canseco actually required Tommy John surgery after pitching against the Sox in 1998. No less than five players completed this dubious feat in 2009. Needless to say, it's not uncommon but is entertaining.

Position Players Occasionally Get Plopped In A Weird Place

Albert Pujols has played in every non-battery position. Yes - even 2B and SS for a few innings due to a short bench. Three Nights in August also tells a great story of Pujols playing the outfield with a strict rule to never throw the ball due to an elbow injury. This is not a Pujols only category though. Every now and again Sox fans will see Youk roaming the outfield or Buchholz running around like a fool. Again, these aren't totally uncommon, but can lead to a good chuckle.

Pitchers Sometimes Wander Off The Mound

This is where the reading gets interesting and trivial meets trivia. Did you realize that Pedro once played third base? Or that Randy Johnson roamed around left field for a few pitches? Or better yet - you can actually rotate players between the mound and other positions? This article gives some great stories on pitchers playing in positions and situations. Well worth the read if you have 15 spare minutes.

Every Now and Then, The Rules Fly Out The Window

A 1946 Polo Grounds game has become famous for many generations of fans. While the entertainment value is there, the rules were completely disregarded, paving the way for debates over spitballs, sign stealing and steroid use. A full breakdown of the multiple infractions can be found in this lengthy, but very entertaining read.

Needless to say, these examples won't quell the minutiae driven arguments found in any semi-competitive, dice fueled league, but they are great fun to read about and have stored in the back of your head for future trivia.