The Detroit Times declared “The ball player is a queer duck,” in 1910
The paper based on the conclusion on how many players they observed who preferred to play out of their usual position while warming up before games. And, that:
“Constant appearance in the public gaze, continual work in the profession the every act of which is the subject of comment on the part of the thousands, no doubt tends to bring out the peculiarities which lurk in the disposition of all men.”
The Times when Ty Cobb came out before the game the previous Sunday:
“(He) did not go to center. Instead he pitched to (Tigers teammate Charles) Chick Lathers. The utility man was armed with a big mitt and Cobb went through the motions of a man preparing to go into the box. Cobb can bend ‘em some and nothing delights him more than to curve a ball unexpectedly and have a regular catcher fight it.”
Ty Cobb
Cobb was not alone:
“Go to the park early any day and you can see Oscar Stanage engaged in (fielding bunts as an infielder)… Stanage wears a finger glove and assays fancier stunts than the regular fielders can pull off. He gets behind the regulation catching outfit only when he has to.”
As for visiting players:
“Addie Joss, of the Cleveland club aspires to be a first baseman. Day after day he stands at the bag during practice periods and grabs wild throws and hot grounders. If he could hit Joss would be a star at that position.”
Addie Joss
One National Leaguer in the group, was Orval Overall of the Chicago Cubs:
“(He) would be a catcher…And so it goes all down the line. If you can catch you would rather pitch, and if you can field you aspire to catch.
“But, there’s one thing none of them overlook—hitting. A man might as well try to tip over the Majestic Building (Detroit’s second skyscraper built in 1896) as crowd his way out of turn up to that plate during batting practice.”
Baseball History Daily 
Another great post. I always enjoy these. Well done!
“Constant appearance in the public gaze, continual work in the profession the every act of which is the subject of …”
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Baseball is a beautiful timeless game.
Thank you.