Need a Coaches Input on Lefty Catchers...

[chinamigarden]

Never thought of that from the catcher' perspective. Thanks.

And yes, DD looks like a tornado playing the bunt.

Thats a great description. My dd is a lefty and pitches and has caught her fair share of games as well. So we get to see it from both directions

 

[CoachKNH]

I was a catcher when young some 50 years ago. Back then, first you could not buy a lefhanded catcher's mit. The thought process was, the right-handed batter is standing in front of your throwing arm on second base steal attempts. Of course that was a thought left from the old pillow catchers mits that you had to use both hands and the fact that most catchers were big and slow with little quickness. The classic "backstop". Then came Johnny Bench, big and quick and able to move his feet. Also the hinged catcher's mit allowed catching with the mit alone and a lot more action moving the glove independently while holding the ball (nearly impossible with the old pillow with a hole catcher's mit). Once coaches realized catchers could quickly move their feet, and hold the ball with the glove alone, the lefty catcher became possible. Lefty's are fairly common in softball, still not common in base ball. Maybe because any lefty with a gun for an arm is either pitching or in the outfield.

 

[starsnuffer]

You'll find that most coaches are idiots.

Left handed catchers have clear advantages in softball, due to the nature of small ball and the angle of throws to first base.

You'll find that most "coaches" are dads that have daughters for pitchers, who have been raised as entitled pretty pretty princesses and are thrown off when the catcher has a pimple on their nose or their glove on the wrong hand, so daddy won't have anything to do with anything that might not be best for little darling.

-W

 

[Greenmonsters]

In most European countries they drive on the left hand side of the road. In the US, its the opposite. Who's right?

Lefty catchers actually have an advantage over their right-handed throwing counterparts when throwing to first on bunts.

 

[chazbz1]

Here's a great link to the late Dave Weaver's article titled "Lefty Catchers, It Just Ain't Right" that has his take on it. I have seen the DD's college offer two scholarships the previous 2 years to LH Catchers. (Including mine! ) LH catchers have been extremely successful in softball. I think most of us agree they offer superior bunt coverage, there are no factual disadvantages in throwing to second or third. The only realized disadvantage for southpaws that catch are that they are much more liable to take a foul tip to their throwing hand when facing RH batters.They must be EXTREMELY aware of the location of their throwing hand at all times. We work extensively with our lefties on various ways to protect their hand and stress the critical importance of protecting the throwing hand. We also work with lefties on tag plays at home. I have posted ACC's leftie tag video on the catching thread in the past. They have a clear advantage for turning the double play after the tag at home (Or the force) for the same reason they can cover bunts better. They don't have to turn to tag. They can come back up and be lined to throw.

-Chaz