I got drug into a conversation concerning lefty catchers over the weekend... The conversation did not center around softball but baseball and to be honest up front, I never played baseball and I never coached baseball... Also, just to frame the discussion, my friends that drug me into the discussion never had daughters and have not logged much if any considerable bleacher time watching softball... They assumed the usual softball = baseball in all aspects of the game, which meant since I coached softball, have two DD's that play/played softball extensively, and have a son sandwiched between the DD's that plays baseball (who happens to be a lefty) my opinion of the utility of a lefty catcher in baseball must certainly be valid...
The argument was the usual "a lefty cannot catch" vs the usual "why can't a lefty catch" as it relates to baseball... I listened and attempted to stay out of it but the inevitable "what do you think" came around... I told them that in my opinion, the argument that a lefty could not catch did not hold water when it comes to softball and that I had coached two outstanding lefty catchers through the years but that I honestly could not answer the question as it related to baseball... The very next question was "Why? If a catcher can catch in softball why can't a catcher catch in baseball?" I told them I did not know exactly but that softball is not identical to baseball - more bunting, different lead off, shorter distance between bases, slapping, etc. Needless to say, the issue was never resolved and I imagine it never will be all over the world...
Being the dad of a lefty baseball player, it got me to thinking more about it and reliving some of my son's progression in baseball... He plays CF now but many times he was one of the more talented kids on the team when he was younger which meant he has played SS, 3B, 2B, 1B, and P (which I am happy he gave up - want to see someone try to ride your kid like a horse? Get yourself a lefty baseball pitcher that is pretty good.)... Now, I know the baseball stigma and have heard it often "the only place for a lefty on the baseball field is 1B, P, or OF" and I actually agree with it but I do not know if I agree that catcher is not a position for a lefty in baseball because it is valid or because it is what I have heard for so many years?
Does anyone have any insight on this issue? I realize this is a fastpitch site, so I apologize but I am not on any baseball sites to ask the question and figured with the experience here someone surely has some baseball catching experience... TIA...
The argument was the usual "a lefty cannot catch" vs the usual "why can't a lefty catch" as it relates to baseball... I listened and attempted to stay out of it but the inevitable "what do you think" came around... I told them that in my opinion, the argument that a lefty could not catch did not hold water when it comes to softball and that I had coached two outstanding lefty catchers through the years but that I honestly could not answer the question as it related to baseball... The very next question was "Why? If a catcher can catch in softball why can't a catcher catch in baseball?" I told them I did not know exactly but that softball is not identical to baseball - more bunting, different lead off, shorter distance between bases, slapping, etc. Needless to say, the issue was never resolved and I imagine it never will be all over the world...
Being the dad of a lefty baseball player, it got me to thinking more about it and reliving some of my son's progression in baseball... He plays CF now but many times he was one of the more talented kids on the team when he was younger which meant he has played SS, 3B, 2B, 1B, and P (which I am happy he gave up - want to see someone try to ride your kid like a horse? Get yourself a lefty baseball pitcher that is pretty good.)... Now, I know the baseball stigma and have heard it often "the only place for a lefty on the baseball field is 1B, P, or OF" and I actually agree with it but I do not know if I agree that catcher is not a position for a lefty in baseball because it is valid or because it is what I have heard for so many years?
Does anyone have any insight on this issue? I realize this is a fastpitch site, so I apologize but I am not on any baseball sites to ask the question and figured with the experience here someone surely has some baseball catching experience... TIA...