RULES OR GUIDELINES?: The RULE book for baseball defines – 9 players, role of pitcher and catcher, other 7 can be anywhere on field. GUIDE lines define 1st, 2nd, 3rd basemen; shortstop; right, left and center fielders. However, care should be exercised that GUIDELINES don’t become RULES! Be flexible. Example: switching shortstop to right side for left handed batter.