Left Handed Catcher

[fatheifer]

I know there are no left handed catchers, and that they're rare. It's a video game though... you should be able to do what you want.

[nbcards]

i just saw the article and figured id ask since at the time i was in class. id would be nice to create a lh catcher but at the same time i understand why we cant

[Caliboy626]

I was typing out a really well thought out response to this. But my log in timed out in did not save it. In short Baughn3 pretty much summed it up. With the majority of the baseball being right handed hitters, the left side of the infield including second base would have to do a 180 degree turn to plant and make a strong throw. This is why Pablo Sandoval is a natural left hander who taught himself to throw right handed so he would not be stuck at first base growing up in Venezuela.

[TonyMoraco]

Quote: Originally Posted by Caliboy626

I was typing out a really well thought out response to this. But my log in timed out in did not save it. In short Baughn3 pretty much summed it up. With the majority of the baseball being right handed hitters, the left side of the infield including second base would have to do a 180 degree turn to plant and make a strong throw. This is why Pablo Sandoval is a natural left hander who taught himself to throw right handed so he would not be stuck at first base growing up in Venezuela.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!!

[dingleberryfinn]

This is the kind of little thing I expect the P$4 to be able to handle.
I'd like to recreate the lefty Mike Squires from my childhood that played
3B & C for a few games.

[IK720]

There have been 30 players to catch at least 1 inning of baseball in history, and only 23 if you do not include the players who only did it for one game. Crazy. I just read a pretty good article on nytimes including comments from the last lefty catcher to do it Benny Distefano. Pretty interesting article.

He says the only two things that negatively effect left handed catchers are bunts up the third baseline because the throw isn't as natural, and plays at the plate. He mentions plays at home being the biggest problem because having the glove on your opposite hand makes you back hand the ball on the runners side and leaves you wide open when catching the throw up the first baseline.

Also the "more right handed batters" thing is crap. At the date of the article 56% percent of AB's were right handed (due to switch hitting it is almost 50-50).

[jseward92]

In my high school days we had a backup lefty catcher. Mainly because nobody wanted to play catcher lol but I didn't have a problem throwing to him and I don't think anyone else did either.

[raneman85]

When I was in college we would play left handed baseball. First was third and third being first. The real reason there are no left handed catchers has to do with stupid tradition. 90% of the batters were right handed and it was believed lefty's were distracted by right-handed batters. Throw out that theory when it comes to stealing third. http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/44139204/ This a recent article on left-handed catchers offering other explanations. I don't believe I violated anything posting this link.