Left handed catcher ?

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Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Feb 21, 2009
6,168
38
New England
Does anyone know how many catchers there are in Division 1 softball ?

Not as many now as there will be in the future as more youth/school/TB coaches come to the realization that a LH catcher has an inherent advantage over their RH counterpart!
 
Jun 11, 2013
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No idea, but I see more and more if it. DD is a LH catcher. As she moves to 18U she will play it less, but it's because she just doesn't have the arm needed not because she is LH.
I think you'll see the numbers increase in the coming years.
 
Jun 6, 2016
2,714
113
Chicago
Not as many now as there will be in the future as more youth/school/TB coaches come to the realization that a LH catcher has an inherent advantage over their RH counterpart!

Now I could be thinking baseball reasons too much here (and maybe there's something different about softball I'm not considering), but this strikes me as wrong.

1) Stealing third base is a lot easier, especially with a right-handed hitter.

2) Making tag plays at home plate requires either a difficult backhand play or diving across the path of the runner after receiving the ball.

A lefty catcher would have a very slight advantage fielding a bunt, but I can't really think of any other advantage. It doesn't mean no lefties should ever try it, but it's certainly an uphill battle.
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
Now I could be thinking baseball reasons too much here (and maybe there's something different about softball I'm not considering), but this strikes me as wrong.

1) Stealing third base is a lot easier, especially with a right-handed hitter.

2) Making tag plays at home plate requires either a difficult backhand play or diving across the path of the runner after receiving the ball.

A lefty catcher would have a very slight advantage fielding a bunt, but I can't really think of any other advantage. It doesn't mean no lefties should ever try it, but it's certainly an uphill battle.

The throw to 3B isn't any harder for a LH catcher than the throw to 1B is for a RH catcher. Lots of RH catchers manage to back-pick runners at 1B. Good mechanics gets the job done.

As far as I've been able to conclude, there are advantages and disadvantages for both. I fail to see an "uphill battle" for lefties behind the plate...except against preconceptions. Let their play on the field be the deciding factor on whether they are good for the job.

EDIT: Coincidence...HC of my DD's team is called "JD". She was a catcher in college. A lefty. ;)
 
Last edited:
Jun 6, 2016
2,714
113
Chicago
The throw to 3B isn't any harder for a LH catcher than the throw to 1B is for a RH catcher. Lots of RH catchers manage to back-pick runners at 1B. Good mechanics gets the job done.

I'm not sure anybody's ever tested this, but I'd bet my life RH catchers are significantly quicker throwing to third than to first. Sure, you can throw to 1B as a righty (and 3B as a lefty), but it's going to be slower. It's absolutely a disadvantage, and everything else being equal the RH catcher would be preferred (since being able to throw out a runner trying to steal third is more important than picking off a funner at first).

I'm not saying a lefty shouldn't be given the opportunity, nor am I saying a lefty can't be a good catcher. But it's a disadvantage, just as it's a disadvantage to be a lefty at 2B/SS/3B. Of course, I wouldn't tell a girl she can't be a catcher if she's lefty. I wouldn't put a lefty at one of those other positions except in some kind of emergency.
 

Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Feb 21, 2009
6,168
38
New England
Now I could be thinking baseball reasons too much here (and maybe there's something different about softball I'm not considering), but this strikes me as wrong.

1) Stealing third base is a lot easier, especially with a right-handed hitter.

2) Making tag plays at home plate requires either a difficult backhand play or diving across the path of the runner after receiving the ball.

A lefty catcher would have a very slight advantage fielding a bunt, but I can't really think of any other advantage. It doesn't mean no lefties should ever try it, but it's certainly an uphill battle.

Actually, its easier for a LH catcher to throw to third behind a RH batter than it is for a RH catcher. A backpick to first with a LH hitter is the toughest throw for a LH catcher. Regardless of throwing hand, good footwork is the key.

After a tag at home, a LH catcher is in better positioned to throw for another out.

Given the shorter baselines, which makes the short game a bigger part of FP than BB, the advantage of a LH catcher not having to rotate their shoulders into position to throw (or to spin and turn their back to the play) to get the out at first is not insignificant IME/IMO. Not as big an advantage in BB because the basepath is 50% longer so time is not as critical.

The uphill battle is educating coaches to objectively assess the pros and cons for them selves instead of blindly following ages old fallacies.
 

Greenmonsters

Wannabe Duck Boat Owner
Feb 21, 2009
6,168
38
New England
I'm not sure anybody's ever tested this, but I'd bet my life RH catchers are significantly quicker throwing to third than to first. Sure, you can throw to 1B as a righty (and 3B as a lefty), but it's going to be slower. It's absolutely a disadvantage, and everything else being equal the RH catcher would be preferred (since being able to throw out a runner trying to steal third is more important than picking off a funner at first).

I'm not saying a lefty shouldn't be given the opportunity, nor am I saying a lefty can't be a good catcher. But it's a disadvantage, just as it's a disadvantage to be a lefty at 2B/SS/3B. Of course, I wouldn't tell a girl she can't be a catcher if she's lefty. I wouldn't put a lefty at one of those other positions except in some kind of emergency.

Hope your life insurance policy is paid up! Get a stop watch out and convince yourself. RH catcher and a RH batter - the throw to first will be at least 0.25 seconds quicker because the catcher doesn't need to drop step to clear behind the batter. Regardless, the fact is that attempting to steal third is almost a sure out in 18U and college.
 
May 23, 2015
999
63
I'm not sure anybody's ever tested this, but I'd bet my life RH catchers are significantly quicker throwing to third than to first. Sure, you can throw to 1B as a righty (and 3B as a lefty), but it's going to be slower. It's absolutely a disadvantage, and everything else being equal the RH catcher would be preferred (since being able to throw out a runner trying to steal third is more important than picking off a funner at first).

I'm not saying a lefty shouldn't be given the opportunity, nor am I saying a lefty can't be a good catcher. But it's a disadvantage, just as it's a disadvantage to be a lefty at 2B/SS/3B. Of course, I wouldn't tell a girl she can't be a catcher if she's lefty. I wouldn't put a lefty at one of those other positions except in some kind of emergency.

A lefty throwing to third is faster than a right hander in a perfect world with a inside pitch to a RB. Right handed pitchers natural tendency is to throw outside to a right handed batter forcing a lefty to pull the ball across their body to transfer. That costs time. I played baseball and caught for a very long time. The biggest issue is plays at home. Especially with right handed outfielders because of ball fade
 
Last edited:
Jun 11, 2013
2,619
113
I don't even care about the throw to third. If you are playing 14U and above and teams are stealing third on a regular basis against you, you have more of a problem than which hand your catcher is.
 

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