Left-handed catcher

[dadoffour]

I've got a left-handed little-leaguer that desperately wants to play catcher, but everybody tells me not to let him, that lefties only succeed at pitcher, 1st, and outfield. Anybody out there seen any evidence to the contrary?

[riverdaleman]

I've got a left-handed little-leaguer that desperately wants to play catcher, but everybody tells me not to let him, that lefties only succeed at pitcher, 1st, and outfield. Anybody out there seen any evidence to the contrary?

 

I know a few coaches that when they see a left handed catcher they CRINGE lol i dont know why but that is how it is

[CHSGRAD99]

Well it is a disadvantage, as well as a safety issue, to a point. Since there are more right handed batters, a left throwing catcher would be a problem. When there arm comes foward, it is headed directly for the batter, the helmet, or the bat itself. And you can all but forget about throwing someone out at third with a righty at the plate. The catcher just about has to do a complete turnaround to get the ball there. All in all, it is just easier to deal with a righty behind the plate. Although at the little league level, who cares, it's about fun. I played with a good one growing up, and if he wasn't left handed, he'd have caught in high school.

[davidlimbaugh]

I played second base in little league with a pretty good left-handed shortstop. His daddy was my little league coach. His name was Coach Key and his son's name was Jimmy Key. And a team we played against had a power-hitting left-handed catcher name Jerry Burgess.

 

There is a reason they didn't play shortstop and catcher later in their careers.

 

Infielders throwing to first have to be right handed because they don't have to turn to throw.

 

And a left handed catcher has a tough time throwing to third on a stolen base attempt or a pickoff.

 

Some light reading on the topic:

 

http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?threadid=5373

 

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/...chers-for-2006/

 

and

 

http://members.tripod.com/bb_catchers/catc.../catchleft2.htm

[dadoffour]

I played second base in little league with a pretty good left-handed shortstop. His daddy was my little league coach. His name was Coach Key and his son's name was Jimmy Key. And a team we played against had a power-hitting left-handed catcher name Jerry Burgess.

 

There is a reason they didn't play shortstop and catcher later in their careers.

 

Infielders throwing to first have to be right handed because they don't have to turn to throw.

 

And a left handed catcher has a tough time throwing to third on a stolen base attempt or a pickoff.

 

Some light reading on the topic:

 

http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?threadid=5373

 

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/...chers-for-2006/

 

and

 

http://members.tripod.com/bb_catchers/catc.../catchleft2.htm

 

Good articles...Thanks!

[kobayashi]

Wasn't the Rockies first catcher left-handed

[davidlimbaugh]

Wasn't the Rockies first catcher left-handed

 

 

No, http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/COL/1993.shtml

 

Catchers were Yankees manager Joe Girardi, Ex-MTSU Blue Raider and now Chattanooga Lookouts Manager Jayhawk Owens and Cleveland Indians manager Eric Wedge. All Right Handed.

[NewellHartbaseball]

I say let the kid play where he wants to play for now because he's supposed to be having FUN! It's always a positive thing when a player plays where he has a desire to play. Who cares what the "so called professionals" think! If he succeeds behind the plate, he will succeed in baseball because it lets him see tons of pitches and keeps him IN the game at all times. The catcher sees it all, he is the captain of the team when on the field!

 

As far as that quote above about being a safety issue...........that's straight out BULL!!!!! Give me a break because based on what you are saying everytime a left handed batter comes up it's a safety issue for the right handed catcher. PA-LEASE!!!

 

 

 

Top 10 Left-Handed Catchers for 2006

by John Walsh of The Hardball Times

April 06, 2006

 

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/top-10-l...chers-for-2006/

 

 

My son is a left-handed catcher and was the best catcher period from age 8-14 in our prior home town summer league. But that's just it, summer league I believe is fine; however, at the higher levels people want to say it's a bad idea to have a left-handed catcher. The article link I've posted begs to differ! My son continues to catch for his travel team at age 15 and does quite well. After he catches a few innings he comes in to pitch and pitches HARDER after catching a few.

[NewellHartbaseball]

Well, I feel like an idiot! I just went back through and actually looked at the previous links and the one I posted is already there. I apologize, but hey, it's good stuff. I just get all bent out of shape hearing people/coaches tell a child he "can't do something" which is what my son was told. Although it made him work harder at becoming a catcher. He's now trying to be both right and left handed on catching. Boy, what an asset that would be! WHEW. He's not that awkward throwing right handed pitches as it is, so we'll see. /smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

 

GO LEFTIES!!!!

[davidlimbaugh]

A left handed catcher: KID CAN DO IT ALL ON ONE LEG

[dadoffour]

A left handed catcher: KID CAN DO IT ALL ON ONE LEG

 

Wow, what a story! Suddenly catching left-handed doesn't seem too tough.