DD's Throwdown in ITB

[_MIA_]

Ignorance.

All things being equal, I will take the RH catcher/SS/3B/2nd baseman over the LH but without even giving a look there is no way to make that determination. It is a good thing Jim Abbot's youth coaches didn't take that attitude...

 

[ANNASDAD]

LOVE the excitement! We had a lefty catcher in 16U that consistently threw a 1.6 / 1.7 pop time and was just a gifted ball player! All the pitchers loved throwing to her!

 

[Eric F]

All things being equal, I will take the RH catcher/SS/3B/2nd baseman over the LH but without even giving a look there is no way to make that determination.

SS/3B/2B make a majority of their plays to their left (throw to 1B), which is a much more challenging move for a lefty. Because of this, a lefty IF is a liability. This is not the case for C. A lefty catcher has an easier play on a bunt (a bigger factor in softball vs. baseball), and has an quicker move on a back-pick to 1B (way more throws to go 1B than 3B). Also, a RH pitcher is going to have a trajectory that is more often moving across the plate left to right (catcher's POV), which puts a lefty C in a better body and arm position to receive those pitches. I will take the catcher than does a better job on the field, regardless of which hand they throw with.

 

[_MIA_]

I will take the catcher than does a better job on the field, regardless of which hand they throw with.

Good points. So in your opinion, using my preface of "all things being equal" you would take the LH catcher over the RH catcher it sounds like.

 

[Chris8]

She has had several TB coaches refuse to even look at her because of the baseball mentality that catchers can't be lefties because they can't make the throw to third in time.

Michelle Venturella....Olympic Gold Medalist.....LH catcher.....

 

[Eric F]

Good points. So in your opinion, using my preface of "all things being equal" you would take the LH catcher over the RH catcher it sounds like.

If they are equal defensively, I'll take the better hitter.

 

[Eric F]

Michelle Venturella....Olympic Gold Medalist.....LH catcher.....

Jenny Topping...Olympic Gold Medalist...LH Catcher

 

[Rolling Hard]

Ignorance.

With all the slappers and converted lefties its perfectly fine to be LH catcher. In fact its perfectly fine if you are a good catcher and can hit. Lol.

 

[_MIA_]

If they are equal defensively, I'll take the better hitter.

Grrr....don't push me Eric I have been handing out candy for 5 minutes and am already at my limit

Ok let me put this another way, do you think that being LH is an advantage when catching similar to being RH when playing SS? You gave a bunch of good reasons why being LH is advantageous and only 1 reason where being RH helps. Don't give me the I want the better defensive player bull because yes in a perfect world you would get to see every scenario played out when choosing a player but that isn't the reality so when I said all things being the same I meant same pop time, blocking ability e.g. things that people are going to look at in tryouts (we can include hitting since you wanted to be a pain in my arse..)

 

[Eric F]

Grrr....don't push me Eric I have been handing out candy for 5 minutes and am already at my limit

Ok let me put this another way, do you think that there is an advantage to be LH when catching like there is being RH when playing SS? You gave a bunch of good reasons why being LH is advantageous and only 1 reason where being RH helps.

IMO, there are trade-offs with both that eliminate a clear advantage for one or the other. Take the better hitter.