Left Handed Catcher

[petermc]

My biggest complaint about that is using Mike Pizza as the right handed catcher ref 1 no team would have have him as the catcher for his defesive abilities. He was one of the few (and arguably the best) hitting catcher.

2 with that in mind it makes it makes me wonder what els they could have done to squ(sp?) the facts.

[petermc]

As some one who use to back catch competitively (in canada at least). These 2 are great points.

1. I always thought it had more to do with the throw to 2nd base. Most people throw with a tailing action on the ball. A right handers throw will tail to the 2nd base side of the bag, or into the runner trying to steal, whereas a lefties throw would tail to the ss side of the bag.. away from the runner.

2.But another reason for is for consistency in a target for my pitchers. I don't want my pitchers having to adjust between a righty target and a lefty target. Even a seemingly small change as that can cause a pitcher to change his motion and delivery .. and usually not for the better.

Some other thoughts. Not that I have any thing against lefties a few of my friends are (one of whom i use to compete as a catcher against until they moved him to pitcher)

[chrishthomas]

This thread has covered most of the issues lefties face in playing the catcher position, but I did have one thing to add in terms of the game.

This happened in MLB 11, so I don't know if it could possibly happen in the current version.

Although it is impossible to purposely create a left handed catcher, when I made it up to the majors my bench-riding, left-handed RTTS first baseman was placed in a game as a pinch hitter and then stayed in the game to catch. Happened at least twice.

[dingleberryfinn]

Quote: Originally Posted by chrishthomas

This happened in MLB 11, so I don't know if it could possibly happen in the current version. Although it is impossible to purposely create a left handed catcher, when I made it up to the majors my bench-riding, left-handed RTTS first baseman was placed in a game as a pinch hitter and then stayed in the game to catch. Happened at least twice.

But he caught as a righty, correct?

[chrishthomas]

To be honest, I can't recall. My assumption is that he was catching right handed, because I can't imagine the proper animations being in the game given that the game won't allow the creation of a lefty catcher.

Unfortunately, I deleted at file and can't go back and try again.

[Bobhead]

You can just try it in any game. Start a game, swap an infielder with the catcher, and viola.
Im pretty sure the game forces the catcher to throw right handed.

[dawgdan7280]

That would be a heckuva lot of animations to put in the game for a situation as rare as that. From the different throwing animations to each base, to the way pitches are caught, and even the way signs are given. While it might be cool to try it out and maybe see first hand why nobody does it, I'm ok with them leaving it out.

[chrishthomas]

Quote: Originally Posted by Bobhead

Im pretty sure the game forces the catcher to throw right handed.

Well, then, that settles it.

To paraphrase the infamous words of Charles Shackleford: I can throw with my left, I can throw with my right...I'm amphibious.