Lefthanded catchers??

– August 18, 2009Posted in: General CBB News

The NCAA Double-A Zone blog had an entry recently asking about why catchers are always right-handed. It is interesting that there has not been a left-handed catcher in the Majors in 20 years with really no logical reason for it. Mike Squires, a left-hander who caught two innings for the White Sox in 1980 and now scouts for the Reds, has the best reason. "You’re talking about old-timers who don’t want to change," he told the NY Times. "I always wanted to be a catcher growing up. But I was not allowed to."

Why do you think that is? Is it tradition to move lefties to other positions at lower levels? Does anyone know of a left-handed college catcher?

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About Brian Foley

Brian Foley is the founder and Lead Editor of College Baseball Daily since its inception in 2005. He has covered two CWS, multiple NCAA Baseball Regionals, and other special events across the country. In addition to his duties with College Baseball Daily, he has covered games for Inside Lacrosse and been featured in USA Today, Wall Street Journal among other publications. He can be contacted by email at editor at collegebaseballdaily.com and followed on Twitter @BFoley82.

Andy

If you’re lefthanded and throw well enough to be a catcher, you’re a pitcher.
http://mgoblog.com/ formerlyanonymous

1) Like the new set up.
2) I once umpired a game where the lefty pitcher later came into the game to catch. Worst 3 innings I ever umpired. I was second guessing the low and outside pitches pretty consistently. The kid said he had to special order the glove just due to the very few made.
http://mgoblog.com/ formerlyanonymous

3) This article had some interesting points:

a) making a tag on a steal of home exposes the head as they reach across to tag, raising the chance of injury
b) harder to throw to third on a steal. they say this doesn’t really mean much because they compare it to righties picking off people at first. I think pickoffs and steals are completely different though. May be a moot argument.

http://members.tripod.com/bb_catchers/catchers/catchleft.htm
HuskerCoug

I am guessing at lower levels you have a lot more right handed hitters opening up space for right handed throwing catchers. This is less meaningful at the upper levels but who is going to move to catcher in college or pro if they haven’t done it growing up.