Did anyone watch the semi-final game of the LLWS between Nevada and Illinois?  In the second half of the ballgame, Nevada switched a couple of players around and ended up putting a left-handed kid on second base!

Lo and behold, he made an error.  The announcers even commented about how tough that play was for a left-handed second baseman.  Geesh, it brought back memories of that historical thread of ignorance...

But Uncleal said that it would be EASIER for a LH2B...

I'm astonished that he was wrong.

It's not uncommon to see that in Little League.

I watched a fair amount of the LLWS this year, even went to a couple of games in person, both at the Regionals in Bristol, CT, and the LLWS itself in Williamsport PA, and at times also saw a LH 3B and a LH C.

Watching KC/NY, I'm reminded that Don Mattingly played some 2B.   After the pine tar game was resumed at a later date, Martin stuck Mattingly at 2B to close out the game. 

I'm still not convinced it's a major inconvenience to be a LH catcher.  The field is basically symmetrical from that position, particularly given that your most common throw by far is to 2nd.  It's not as if right-handed catchers have a particularly hard time throwing to either first or third, so it really shouldn't be an issue to be a lefty.  The main thing is that for throwing out baserunners it's best if your throwing arm is away from the batsman, so more right-handed batters means it's advantageous to be a righty.  But that's not a very heavy weighting, really.  With all the switch hitters in baseball these days, there are many teams that are lefty-heavy against right-handed SPs on a regular basis.

There are a couple of major inconveniences to a LH catcher:  tag plays and steals of 3B.  Another big one is that it is difficult to find LH catcher's mitts for kids, meaning it is tough to get started early and learn the position.  I guarantee there are a shitload of LH first baseman's mitts though...

Posted by dahsdebater on 8/25/2014 9:30:00 PM (view original):
I'm still not convinced it's a major inconvenience to be a LH catcher.  The field is basically symmetrical from that position, particularly given that your most common throw by far is to 2nd.  It's not as if right-handed catchers have a particularly hard time throwing to either first or third, so it really shouldn't be an issue to be a lefty.  The main thing is that for throwing out baserunners it's best if your throwing arm is away from the batsman, so more right-handed batters means it's advantageous to be a righty.  But that's not a very heavy weighting, really.  With all the switch hitters in baseball these days, there are many teams that are lefty-heavy against right-handed SPs on a regular basis.

There was a chapter on LH catchers in Baseball Between the Numbers. If I remember correctly, the authors came to the conclusion that there is no disadvantage to being left handed but that a left handed player with the arm strength necessary to be a major league catcher is almost always converted to pitching before they get to professional levels.

Posted by toddcommish on 8/26/2014 11:19:00 AM (view original):
There are a couple of major inconveniences to a LH catcher:  tag plays and steals of 3B.  Another big one is that it is difficult to find LH catcher's mitts for kids, meaning it is tough to get started early and learn the position.  I guarantee there are a shitload of LH first baseman's mitts though...

I'd think the throw to 3rd isn't as difficult for lefties as you'd think.  You see catchers make quick throws to 1st to pick off runners all the time, it doesn't look like they're slower. 

And yes, you have to get a custom mitt if you want your child to play catcher.  And it's not an ordinary position to teach.  It's easier to have the kid pitch or play the outfield.

As an aside, my 12 year old played on a summer team during the month of July.  During one of their practices, as the coaches were rotating kids around to different positions, we briefly had an infield that consisted of a LH 2B, a LH SS and a LH 3B. 

Of course, the 1B was RH.

I bet pitchers would ***** that a LH C would receive the ball differently and cost them strikes.    Much like receivers griped about LH QB back in the 60s/70s having a different spin on the ball. 

That was a thing that happened? ****.

Yeah, I have no idea how widespread it was.   But, as a Raiders fan, I heard some gripes about Stabler's ball having the opposite spin and some receivers having trouble adjusting to it.   Thinking back, there weren't very many LH QB back in those days.

Posted by MikeT23 on 8/26/2014 12:59:00 PM (view original):
Yeah, I have no idea how widespread it was.   But, as a Raiders fan, I heard some gripes about Stabler's ball having the opposite spin and some receivers having trouble adjusting to it.   Thinking back, there weren't very many LH QB back in those days.

Team mate QB DLamonica was a southpaw,
as well... &, WR FBiletnikoff had no probs w/
either QB... Realizing that U were not bless'd
2 witness those real Super Bowl teams, --in
real time, but this site is full of eyewitnesses
who were indeed treat'd 2 watch those NFL
seasons... Great & wonderful memories...