Left-handed pitchers and batters are common. Left-handed catchers are virtually nonexistent in both NPB and MLB. Why is catching the one position reserved exclusively for right-handers?
Eight of nine defensive players face home plate. Only the catcher faces the opposite direction, toward the pitcher, sharing the same viewpoint as the fans behind home plate. This reversed orientation makes the catcher baseball's most unique position.
Soccer players run 10-13 km per game. How far do baseball players run? The answer is surprisingly little, but the gap between the most and least active positions is wider than you'd expect.
An NPB game lasts about three hours. During that time, outfielders handle the ball shockingly few times. Left and right fielders may touch the ball only a handful of times per game. The data reveals which position spends the most time waiting.