And they say lefties are smarter than righties because they use the right side of the brain.......I got two left handed catchers for my 16U team. Never seen a problem with them making a play to any bases.
Lefty catcher
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Interesting explanation of the chirality of softball and baseball.
How does the LH 1B fit in, since I know a lot of coaches who like to have a LH 1B, the taller the better. I always assumed it was because the 1B had a wider range with the glove on her right hand. I remember a rec league team DD #1 was on with a very tall LH 1B. One time she actually did the splits so she could catch a poorly thrown ball, and still keep her left foot on base for the force out. Had she been shorter, or rhight-handed, or unable to do the splits, that play would not have worked.
If the catcher is LH, does having a RH or LH 1B make any difference? Does Today care Who is a lefty?
My post referred to making a direct play at first base by throwing the ball for the fielders involved. A 1B normally makes a play at first by fielding the ball and stepping on the bag. You are correct that a left hand throwing 1B has an advantage of the glove being more in the field of play. Also, I don't see where having a RH or LH 1B makes any difference if your catcher is LH.
I'm not sure if I should start a new post or not but since you're already discussing this, maybe someone can help me. My daughter is playing fp 10u and just started this last fall. She is left handed. She has been playing softball since she was 4 and has always caught. She loves to catch. She just started this last fall on a new team. The coach never even watched her catch. She never even was able to put her gear on. I was told left handers do NOT catch. She will not be catching. Not a chance. We have to think like a team, which I completely understand, and a left handed catcher will only have to take more steps to get the ball where it needs to be on the field, and it's just harder for them. My daughter is crushed. She wants to prove them wrong. However, she can't prove anything when she hasn't even been given a chance. I'm not sure who to listen to or who to believe. I never played and only want the best for her. At this point I'm even questioning her being in this team if they aren't going to at least give the girls at that age a chance to show what they can or can't do. Any opinions or suggestions are greatly appreciated.
The above bolded portion is incorrect. I don't know how else to put this other than this coach is showing their ignorance about the catching position.
addition: A link from an earlier post provided by guero_gordo
http://www.catchingcamp.com/blog/lefty-catcherit-just-aint-right/
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Top 10 Left-Handed Catchers for 2006
' "The notion that a left-handed person could not be a major league catcher is absurd…The biggest reason there are no left-handed catchers is natural selection. Catchers need good throwing arms. If you have a kid on your baseball team who is left-handed and has a strong arm, what are you going to do with him?" [Bill James]
The answer to the question is, of course, turn him into a pitcher...'
Sounds like a coach stuck in the dark ages (coaching based on tradition and not actual knowledge). At 10U (or any age), all the girls should have the opportunity to showcase themselves for the coach. I'd ask him to please let her try out as catcher, and if he says "No" I'd find another team.
He won't even discuss it with me because she is left handed. He said "We don't train left handed girls for catchers. She would probably make a hell of a pitcher though." She doesn't mind taking some pitching lessons just to see if it's something she's good at but not even being given a chance to try to catch really has just taken a little out of it for her. We just bought new gear and a catchers mitt right before we were told and she was so excited. Now it's almost like "ok whatever." She said she just wish they would have at least given her a chance before just saying no. She played some 1B some and loved it and left field mostly and was miserable and they never change positions during games. Sorry for venting so much. I just don't know if this is normal or not since I didn't play.
She needs to find a new Team that fits yours and her personality better. Survive the season if you can then switch in the Fall.
DD has had coaches that play everyone at a lot of positions and others that slotted players and did not move positions at all. IDK, it is OK if you are stuck at SS but kind of sucks when you are stuck in RF.
IMO at 10 they should all be playing a lot at a lot of different positions.
You want to C, go put the gear on.
DD has had coaches that play everyone at a lot of positions and others that slotted players and did not move positions at all. IDK, it is OK if you are stuck at SS but kind of sucks when you are stuck in RF.
IMO at 10 they should all be playing a lot at a lot of different positions.
You want to C, go put the gear on.
The questions you need to answer are: At 10, how set on being a catcher is your DD? How happy/unhappy will this season make her? Yes, it's a "teachable moment," but at what cost? Will she still love the game after playing for this coach?
While I'd normally agree with quincy about waiting until fall, IMO at 10 it's too easy to remove her enjoyment permanently. It sounds like she's on a travel team, and I'm sure where there's one there are others. Find a coach who doesn't care about handedness and is willing to give her a shot (not guarantee a spot, but at least a tryout) at doing what she likes.
Yes exactly! It is a travel team. I do understand some teams dont move positions during games but they are only 10 and have no idea what position most of them will be good at and he even told me that. She completely understands she may not get to catch because there are other catchers, right handed ones who were all given the opportunity to catch and at least try and show what they could do. She was the only one who wasn't given that opportunity out of 3 others and that is the reason I was given when I talked to the coach about picking up extra lessons and what she needed to work on. Just no. No left hand catchers. He gave me same reasons as above. I'm not being unrealistic or setting her up for something unrealistic because I've been completely honest with her about it. She only wants a chance to try to prove herself.
