Outfield

For other uses, seeOutfield (disambiguation).

Theoutfield,incricket,baseballandsoftballis the area of thefield of playfurther from thebatsmanorbatterthan theinfield.Inassociation football,the outfield players are positioned outside the goal area.

In cricket, baseball and softball

The outfield during a baseball game atRakuten Seimei Park Miyagi

Main article:Outfield (cricket)

In baseball, softball and cricket, fielders in the outfield have more ground to cover than infielders, but also more time before the ball reaches them.Catchesare most likely to arise from shots that have been 'skied' (in cricket) or 'popped ' (in baseball and softball). If a catch is not possible (for example, the ball has bounced, or is rolling or skidding across the turf) the fielder will attempt to head off, pick up and throw in the ball as quickly as possible to reduce the distance the runners can run and hopefully to effect arun out(cricket) ortag out(baseball and softball).

In cricket, where theballis far more likely to stay low against the ground than in baseball or softball, the condition of the turf has a major effect on the speed at which the ball travels through the outfield. On aslow outfieldthe balldeceleratessignificantly, makingfieldingeasier andbattingharder — in particularboundariesare far harder to hit. This usually occurs if the playing surface is uneven or if it is damp from rain or dew. However, on afast outfieldthe ball does not decelerate significantly even when rolling along the turf, often racing past the fielders and over the boundary rope. In these circumstances, batsmen find it easier to scorerunsquickly. Commentators often refer to the ball accelerating to the boundary on fast outfields, but this only physically occurs ongroundswith a slope and on which the ball is moving downhill.

In baseball and softball, a slow, damp outfield is usually considered an advantage for the hitter, in as much as a batted ball will not travel as quickly to an outfielder in the traditional deep position for fly balls, and thus may permit additional advance by batters and other runners on the basepaths. In addition, a wet, slick ball can not be thrown with the accuracy of a dry one, also permitting the opportunity for additional advance on the bases. Moreover, a wet field generally slows the footspeed of the defense, so fielders will be able to reach fewer flies and line drives in the air before they go through to the fences.

Association football

In association football, eleven players are fielded in each match. Thegoalkeeperremains in the goal, and the remaining ten players are "outfield" players.

See also

• Infield
• Fielding (cricket)
• Baseball field
• Total Football
• Outfielder,for more information about thebaseball fielding positionsin the outfield.
• Wall climb,baseball players using the wall as an asset to fielding potential home runs