Why can't there ever be a left handed catcher in baseball?

Answer 1

Baseball is full of old school prejudice against lefties. I'm a left-handed SS, and have dealt with people telling me I can't play there. Truth of the matter is I'm the best fielder, and the most accurate to 1st on the team. While I know a career at SS doesn't await me, I know that despite the possible split second difference in the need to turn a little further than a righty, a lefty can get the job done just as well. I think that really only makes a difference at the pro level, where the "bang-bang" plays are happening repeatedly, and every 1/100 of a second counts.

Now that I have not answered your question.
There is no good reason for a lefty not playing catcher. If you watch a catcher make a throw to 2nd you will notice that batter (a lefty batter) will have no part of being in the way.

Example. Ask that Umpire that was hit blank point a few years back when the SS fielded a ball that kicked off 2nd base, turned and fired to first and instead found Mr. Umpire standing about three feet in front of him. OUCH.

Answer 2

In the history of major league baseball, there have been 33 left handed catchers. The last time this occurred was back in 1989.

The most common reason cited for this is the disadvantage a left handed catcher has in throwing to third base on a steal attempt. However, right handed catchers have little to no problem in throwing "behind" a runner on first base in an attempt to pick them off, and this is the equivalent of a left handed catcher throwing to third base.

Additionally, on a play at the plate, the left handed catcher has to bring their glove across their body to apply the tag, which exposes their head and creates a greater risk of injury to their upper body during a collision.

Many baseball minds will argue that it's nothing more than "tradition", and that a left handed catcher is no more of a liability than a right handed first baseman.

Answer 3

There are LH catchers every now and then, but they are rare. The main problem is that stealing 2nd on a LH catcher is easier when the batter is RH (most common batter), because the LH catcher has to take the time to move right before throwing to 2nd (to avoid the batter standing in his way in the batter's box).

Answer 4

Well the most common reason that is cited is that they would be at a big dusadvantage throwing to 3rd base and especially with a right handed batter, but of course thre are other disadvantages as well.

Answer 5

Being left-exceeded in baseball, different than in uncommon situations, potential exclusion from the area of catcher. it is due many times to the recreation's counterclockwise pass. There have purely been 33 left-exceeded throwing gamers who caught in a minimum of a million protective inning. in case you exclude the ten adult adult males who purely caught in one recreation, then you definately're speaking approximately merely 23 gamers. in case you count selection purely those adult adult males who caught a one hundred or extra video games in a profession, you're all the way down to precisely 5 left-exceeded throwing catchers. inspite of the undeniable fact that, in case you're purely counting profession catchers (minimum of a million,000 video games caught), then you definately've precisely one and that's Jack Clements.

Answer 6

Because the batter blocks them from being able to throw to base when a runner steals.

Answer 7

Cannot make the throw to first without making a complete circle.
Sorry it just will not work out.

Answer 8

Most reasons already covered. Also many Lefties are usually pushed to play first-base as they are more advantageous there.

Answer 9

majority of batters are right handed would be alot harder to throw out base stealers

Answer 10

there is Ivan rod on the Detroit tigers. my favorite team