# Left Handed Catchers
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-catchers/537021
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports
**Created:** [April 22, 2010, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-catchers/537021 "2010-04-22T19:31:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2010, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-catchers/537021/1 "2010-04-22T19:31:10Z")
I thought the reason was because even the slowest runners could walk into third due to the fact that a left-handed catcher would have to turn 45 degrees against his body to begin making the throw; not necessarily that a right handed batter would get in the way.
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### Author:  [@CuriousCanuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CuriousCanuck)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2010, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-catchers/537021/2 "2010-04-22T20:00:03Z")
> [@jtgain](#):
>
> I thought the reason was because even the slowest runners could walk into third due to the fact that a left-handed catcher would have to turn 45 degrees against his body to begin making the throw; not necessarily that a right handed batter would get in the way.
I’m sure there’s a link out there but I’m too lazy to find it too.
My thought though, as a lefty… (and no, I did not RTFA)
If most players bat right, and you have a lefty catcher, wouldn’t it in theory be easier to pick runners off at first? Since more runners reach first than second, it might be that a lefty catcher has advantages…
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### Author:  [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2010, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-catchers/537021/3 "2010-04-22T21:41:31Z")
I wouldn’t have thought that the “handedness” of the batters would have much effect–in today’s game it’s gotta be near a 50/50 split on left- and right-handed hitters. Although maybe it’s at the lower levels that catchers get weeded out.
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### Author:  [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)
#### Post date: [April 22, 2010, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-catchers/537021/4 "2010-04-22T23:52:55Z")
At this point, the reason there are no lefthanded catchers in baseball is that there aren’t lefthanded catchers in baseball. Any lefthanded kid who wants to catch will be taught to throw right handed (even if he bats as a lefty).
The original justification might have been valid a century ago, but now it’s so much a part of the game that no one is allowed to catch that way.
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### Author:  [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2010, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-catchers/537021/5 "2010-04-23T00:38:36Z")
1st Basemen are left handed too. 3rd basemen are righties.
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### Author:  [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2010, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-catchers/537021/6 "2010-04-23T00:46:11Z")
And any lefty with a gun (so as to throw base stealers out) will instead be groomed as a pitcher (to gets batters out). The on-field reasons have never persuaded me much (throws to third wouldn’t be that much harder-witness snap throws to 1st, bunts may be easier, being “obstructed” by same-side batters is overrated). Think of all the hard-throwing outfielders over the years (Clemente, Barfield, Andruw Jones)-they’re almost all righty. Dave Parker & Ichiro Suzuki batted lefty but throw righty BTW.
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### Author:  [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2010, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-catchers/537021/7 "2010-04-23T02:15:33Z")
First basemen are both lefty\* and righty in the field.
Second base, shortstop, and third base all need to be right handed throwers, since a lefty would lose a second or so setting up to make a throw to first, especially if the ball is to his right side.
Outfielders can usually throw with either hand, though righthanded throwers predominate.
\*And this all means “throws lefthanded,” since there are catchers who bat left but throw right (e.g., Yogi Berra)\>
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### Author:  [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2010, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-catchers/537021/8 "2010-04-23T03:20:51Z")
[Why are many first basemen left-handed? - Answers](http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_are_many_first_basemen_left-handed) Almost all first basemen are lefties. Baseball remains true to old traditions.
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### Author:  [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2010, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-catchers/537021/9 "2010-04-23T03:30:35Z")
[Top 10 Left-Handed Catchers for 2006 | The Hardball Times](http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/top-10-left-handed-catchers-for-2006/) This is an explanation on left handed catchers.
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### Author:  [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2010, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-catchers/537021/10 "2010-04-23T03:44:02Z")
[First baseman - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_baseman) This article give the baseball thinking on why first basemen are lefties.
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### Author:  [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2010, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-catchers/537021/11 "2010-04-23T04:10:01Z")
> [@gonzomax](#):
>
> 1st Basemen are left handed too. 3rd basemen are righties.
Exactly what I was going to say. If a little leaguer is left handed and has any abilty to catch theyre made into a 1st baseman.
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### Author:  [@HISSNLISSN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HISSNLISSN)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2010, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-catchers/537021/12 "2010-04-23T04:50:01Z")
There exist several successful right-handed first-basemen in baseball. Off the top of my head I can name Frank Thomas, Paul Konerko, Derrek Lee, Billy Butler, Jeff Bagwell, Kevin Youkilis… not a bad list, if you ask me.
What’s true in baseball:
Excellent hitters with little other athletic ability (applicable on a baseball field) are de facto first-basemen, regardless of their “handage.”
Lefty throwers are invaluable as pitchers. Look up the contract figures for aging left-handed relievers active in the league… the old adage goes to train your kid (if you have any) to throw left-handed no matter what else they may do with their right.
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### Author:  [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2010, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-catchers/537021/13 "2010-04-23T14:07:59Z")
Bagwell and Youks are converted 3B-Youks even won a Gold Glove.
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### Author:  [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2010, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-catchers/537021/14 "2010-04-23T16:42:45Z")
Of course it’s this column: [Why are left-handed catchers so rare in baseball? - The Straight Dope](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/271/why-are-left-handed-catchers-so-rare-in-baseball)
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### Author:  [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-catchers/537021/15 "2010-04-23T16:48:06Z")
> [@CuriousCanuck](#):
>
> I’m sure there’s a link out there but I’m too lazy to find it too.
>
> My thought though, as a lefty… (and no, I did not RTFA)
>
> If most players bat right, and you have a lefty catcher, wouldn’t it in theory be easier to pick runners off at first? Since more runners reach first than second, it might be that a lefty catcher has advantages…
Except protecting 1st is not nearly as important as keeping base runners from reaching 3rd.
> [@Deeg](#):
>
> I wouldn’t have thought that the “handedness” of the batters would have much effect–in today’s game it’s gotta be near a 50/50 split on left- and right-handed hitters. Although maybe it’s at the lower levels that catchers get weeded out.
What?! Of course, handedness has an effect!
I can assure you that with a left-handed catcher and a runner on second, even a left-handed hitter would be batting right.
It’s not that southpaws are “weeded out”, it’s that they are groomed for positions where their left-handedness is an asset. It’s not a prejudice, it’s merely the geometry of the game!
- a lifelong lefty
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### Author:  [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-catchers/537021/16 "2010-04-23T16:58:21Z")
With a right handed batter and a base runner from second trying to steal third, would either handed catcher find the batter in his way when attempting the throw?
ETA: should have previewed. I think this may be what **Sparky812** is talking about.
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### Author:  [@kfraser34](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kfraser34)
#### Post date: [April 23, 2010, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-catchers/537021/17 "2010-04-23T17:49:41Z")
Has there been anymore left handed catchers in the major leagues since the two mentioned in the article???
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### Author:  [@VetPsychWars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VetPsychWars)
#### Post date: [April 24, 2010, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-catchers/537021/18 "2010-04-24T04:03:36Z")
I asked my dad about this because he has a left-handed catcher’s mitt and used to play city leagues in La Crosse WI.
He told me that the answer given was a load of crap and all he ever did was shift left enough to throw behind the batter to third, if that’s where he had to throw.
I tend to believe him.
Tom
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### Author:  [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2010, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-catchers/537021/19 "2010-04-28T15:01:21Z")
Sorry Tom,
No offense but your anecdote about your father playing city league ball somewhere in Wisconsin won’t pass here whether you believe him or not.
A lefty catcher has a clear disadvantage to make the throw to third, especially with a right-handed batter is at the plate. The question is not whether someone could do it, it’s whether they could do it as well or better than a right-handed catcher. The answer is no.
Even if you father adapted to the position, the facts remain:
1.) It’s an “unnatural” throw, as opposed to throwing across your body.
2.) The time and effort wasted to shift left or turn enough to throw behind the batter.
3.) Interference from the batter, intentional or unintentional, as he steps out of the batter’s box.
4.) Barring a couple exceptions, in the major leagues it is strictly a right-handed position.
I’m not saying your father wasn’t a great catcher but… he didn’t make the big league (or even the minors). Unfortunately, if his arm was that strong he may have…but not as a catcher.☹
- lifelong lefty (at first base)
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### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2010, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/left-handed-catchers/537021/20 "2010-04-28T15:30:38Z")
> [@kfraser34](#):
>
> Has there been anymore left handed catchers in the major leagues since the two mentioned in the article???
There have been a few but, like Squires & Long, they were all filling in from other positions. [Benny Distefano](http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/distebe01.shtml) comes to mind; 1B who filled in behind the plate for six innings over three games in '89.
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