out in left field

Idioms  

1. Also, out of left field. Eccentric, odd; also, mistaken. For example, The composer's use of dissonance in this symphony is way out in left field, or His answer was out of left field; he was totally wrong. This idiom refers to baseball's left field but the precise allusion is disputed. Among the theories proposed is that in some ballparks the left field wall is farther from the batter than the wall in right field. Another is that in early ballparks, left field was often larger than right field and therefore was home to more lost balls and general confusion. [Mid-1900s] Also see far out.

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Example Sentences

“I really do feel he’s a major league ballplayer. I think that just to go out there and have the opportunity to play every day is important for his development. And also just continue to take repetitions out in left field, which I think he needs to continue to get better.”

From Los Angeles Times

You can tell me if I’m out in left field, but I think about why Latinos love Japanese anime ... especially the post-apocalyptic stories we grew up with, like “Akira,” or “Neon Genesis Evangelion.”

From Los Angeles Times

But there was a look ahead toward opening day in the form of a 76-feet high and 97-feet wide scoreboard that puts the jumbo in jumbotron under construction like a baseball Death Star out in left field.

From Seattle Times

He even testified before a congressional committee, and later got into a shouting match with an American general who claimed Farmer was “totally out in left field.”

From Literature

With Grichuk on second and two outs, Kimbrel got Ryan McMahon to foul out in left field to secure his 18th save.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• bizarre
• curious
• erratic
• funny
• idiosyncratic
• kooky
• nutty
• odd
• offbeat
• outlandish
• peculiar
• quirky
• strange
• unconventional
• weird
• whimsical