DD's Throwdown in ITB

[_MIA_]

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

I give, you win

 

[GoGamecocks]

Well it wasn't actually in time..but good throw nonetheless

That bunt "attempt" was something else

The short stop got her on both sides of the bag.

 

[_MIA_]

The short stop got her on both sides of the bag.

Didn't look that way to me, she was safe until she slid off the bag (and the umpire thought so too since he waited to make the out call...)

 

[ANNASDAD]

Here’s one way of looking at it.......I’m 54, so definitely old school, when we started down this FP journey 8 years ago I would have never thought about using a LHT catcher! Just like I would have never thought about a LHTing 3B, SS, or 2B, it just ain’t right!

Back in 10U, 12U, and 14U, around here they’re just wasn’t that many left handed hitters, starting around 12U yeah we’d see one LH slapper, sometimes two.

Once we started playing in our orgs National teams it was nothing to see 6 or 7 lefties on a team by design, it absolutely made sense to use a LHT catcher then, and that’s when it registered with me!

I had read about it here, and read some articles from the NECC, but it actually took me seeing how capable, and actually smart it was to use a LHT catcher. In the college WS, regionals through the championship there may be 3, 4, maybe 5 lefty hitters in a row.

Plus there’s the BA LHT catcher we had in 16U, she really opened my eyes to what a lefty catcher could do!

Just my two cents........for what it’s worth?

 

[_MIA_]

Here’s one way of looking at it.......I’m 54, so definitely old school, when we started down this FP journey 8 years ago I would have never thought about using a LHT catcher! Just like I would have never thought about a LHTing 3B, SS, or 2B, it just ain’t right!

Back in 10U, 12U, and 14U, around here they’re just wasn’t that many left handed hitters, starting around 12U yeah we’d see one LH slapper, sometimes two.

Once we started playing in our orgs National teams it was nothing to see 6 or 7 lefties on a team by design, it absolutely made sense to use a LHT catcher then, and that’s when it registered with me!

I had read about it here, and read some articles from the NECC, but it actually took me seeing how capable, and actually smart it was to use a LHT catcher. In the college WS, regionals through the championship there may be 3, 4, maybe 5 lefty hitters in a row.

Plus there’s the BA LHT catcher we had in 16U, she really opened my eyes to what a lefty catcher could do!

Just my two cents........for what it’s worth?

So you think the actual dearth of LHT catchers in college softball has more to do with bias at the lower age groups then with college coaches not seeing the advantage?

 

[ANNASDAD]

So you think the actual dearth of LHT catchers in college softball has more to do with bias at the lower age groups then with college coaches not seeing the advantage?

Actually it was the dearth of LH hitters at a early age that started my point. I think moving up to older elite teams where half the hitters are left handed.......some of those elite left handed hitters are excellent catchers / athletes also!

Of course college coaches are looking for every advantage, but they’re also looking for the most gifted athletes that can get the play made at any particular position the best! I think they realize that now at the catcher position either throwing hand can get it done, they just want the best player for their needs.

And that bias at a younger age was solely on me, I didn’t know any better, catchers were supposed to be RHT!!

 

[GoGamecocks]

Well it wasn't actually in time..but good throw nonetheless

I disagree with this. I don't know what sort of playback equipment you have, but the throw is certainly on time. It could be lower. for sure which would have been better, but the SS has plenty of time to apply the tag. If you look carefully, it looks like the runner is sliding on the LF side of the bag for more room. The ball was there at least two steps ahead of the runner.

But there's no arguing after the runner slides through the bag. At that point, its all academic.

 

[_MIA_]

Actually it was the dearth of LH hitters at a early age that started my point. I think moving up to older elite teams where half the hitters are left handed.......some of those elite left handed hitters are excellent catchers / athletes also!

Of course college coaches are looking for every advantage, but they’re also looking for the most gifted athletes that can get the play made at any particular position the best! I think they realize that now at the catcher position either throwing hand can get it done, they just want the best player for their needs.

And that bias at a younger age was solely on me, I didn’t know any better, catchers were supposed to be RHT!!

What I was getting at is that are not many LHT catchers in college ball. So that is either due to a) they do not agree that is not an advantage to be RHT catcher b) have a baseball bias and haven't thought it through carefully or c) there are not enough quality LHT catchers to recruit due to lower coaches suffering from either a or b. Which one do you think it is in most cases?

 

[ANNASDAD]

What I was getting at is that are not many LHT catchers in college ball. So that is either due to a) they do not agree that is not an advantage to be RHT catcher b) have a baseball bias and haven't thought it through carefully or c) there are not enough quality LHT catchers to recruit due to lower coaches suffering from either a or b. Which one do you think it is in most cases?

Sorry pattar, really don’t have an answer for either question, and I also don’t know the number of lefty catchers playing D1 ball? But I do remember last year during the regular season through the WS, I saw more lefty catchers than I’ve ever seen before! So some coaches are on board!

 

[_MIA_]

I don't know what sort of playback equipment you have

Really advanced stuff the . and , buttons on my workstation keyboard to flip through frames on the youtube video