The 162-game baseball season is a grueling endeavor, no matter what position you play.
The grind seemingly never ends, and it takes a special kind of athlete to put up numbers and contribute every single day for six straight months.
But, let's be honest. When you look at all of the different positions in baseball, some players have it even more difficult than others.
Catchers, for instance, have it pretty bad. Imagine, for a second, taking the field on a scorching Sunday afternoon in July beneath a cloak of catching armor, only to squat on your knees for three hours with 95 mph fastballs coming at you.
Not only that, catchers must deal with the delicate balance that is managing a pitching staff, all while trying contribute offensively.
In addition to catchers, middle infielders have a pretty tough job as well. They are called upon to cover the most ground on the infield and are expected to dive for any ball hit close to them. Remember Derek Jeter going into the stands? He came out with the baseball, yes, but he also came out with quite a shiner.
Middle infielders also have to worry about runners bearing down on them for plays at second base. Red Sox outfielder Ryan Kalish showed on Sunday how hard that can be for infielders when Kalish wiped out Chicago infielder Gordon Beckham to break up a double play at the second base bag.
And while they only work once every five days, the job of a starting pitcher isn't just pitch one day a week and spend the other days spitting and watching from the dugout.
Very few know how much of an extreme physical toll throwing upwards of 100 pitches can take on the body. Not only does it wear away at a pitcher's arm, but if they are doing their job correctly, it's likely that their entire body will ache in the days after a start. The work they put in on the side isn't easy either.
Not only is there physical toll for a starter, but the mental stress of only getting one day a week to prove your worth and help the ballclub is an aspect not often thought about.
What are your thoughts? Are any of these positions the hardest-working in baseball? Or is maybe one of the other positions more difficult?
Share your thoughts below.
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