Posted by italyprof on 3/30/2016 3:56:00 AM (view original):
I am convinced that a left-hander can play third base (not second). What you lose in getting the ball to first or second on balls hit to your right, you gain on being able to play further away from the line and still being able to get to the ball and on being positioned ideally for 5-4-3 double plays on balls hit to you or to your left.
Third base is my favorite position (to play when I could convince teams or teammates to let me, which was rarely, and to watch played skillfully - Brooks, Nettles, Schmidt etc.), except for catcher the most blue-collar position in baseball (third basemen are dwarves in the Tolkien universe, shortstops are elves. The Boston Red Sox are orcs).
So I would love to see just one team experiment with a skilled left-handed 3B someday.
Definitely a possibility, but how would they defend a bunt? We already see 3rd baseman bare hand the ball and whip it over to first just in time to get the runner. IDK how a lefty would do it. 3rd base was the one position I didn't play. I did play catcher a couple times, but that was the first couple years of kids pitch when the runner would already be at second base when the pitch crossed home so it didn't make a difference whether the catcher threw from his left hand or right hand. Still can't believe my parents found a lefty catchers glove at Academy though