To throw left-handed?

[daywalkerdad]

The part for a lefty catcher that seems to be a disadvantage is the tag at home. With current obstruction rules it maybe difficult to backhand.

 

[CoachCeetar]

Which way do you teach a fielder to catch the ball and turn on relays? On the glove side? Would you say it does matter which way they turn?
A lefty infielder is equivalent to turning a relay backwards. Not saying it cannot be done just saying it is less efficient.

Why would it matter which way the fielder turns? It's irrelevant to a relay. As an infielder, balls are hit to both sides of you. The only difference is it's a longer throw if you have to go to your right, but I bet that's made up for the increased range in that direction from having that be your glove side.

The part for a lefty catcher that seems to be a disadvantage is the tag at home. With current obstruction rules it maybe difficult to backhand.

On the flip side, the runner isn't getting in the way of your catch, because you're catching inside the runner. Hell, just stick the glove in-between the ball and the catcher and the tag makes itself.

 

[RADcatcher]

If there's one thing I've learned in my short coaching career, it's that softball and baseball are a game a game of milliseconds. Every inefficiency you can find and eliminate can be the difference between winning and losing.

Hooray for this
Everybody should be working on efficiency regardless of what hand the glove is on!

 

[daywalkerdad]

Why would it matter which way the fielder turns? It's irrelevant to a relay.

It is not irrelevant, much faster on glove side.

As an infielder, balls are hit to both sides of you. The only difference is it's a longer throw if you have to go to your right, but I bet that's made up for the increased range in that direction from having that be your glove side.

Right handed shoulders are hardly ever180 degrees off line, and with footwork can be aligned most of the time. Even going the the left a righty can field a large % with shoulders in line with left foot going toward first.
Most plays to the left the righty has the advantage to field it in front in good throwing position with momentum toward first.
The lefty has to backhand the ball, catch it behind their body, stop momentum, no weight on back leg, etc.

It is geometry.

On the flip side, the runner isn't getting in the way of your catch, because you're catching inside the runner. Hell, just stick the glove in-between the ball and the catcher and the tag makes itself.

You cannot do that left handed. Catchers head, foot etc has to be in the basepath, or blind tag.

 

[Sweet Lou]

Here is a good article about lefties who have played the 3 IF positions in MLB. It's from 10 years ago but I don't think much has changed in the past 10 years. Though I believe Antony Rizzo was often credited as the 2nd baseman when the Cubs went into their exaggerated bunt defense with Jon Lester pitching so he's possibly the last lefty credit as 2B in MLB even though the circumstances are unusual as are many in the article. Again everything applicable to BB is pretty close to identical to SB in the reasoning.

Left-handed throwing second basemen, shortstops and third basemen

6/22/2013: When I first posted this, almost four years ago, I did not have access to the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s stories about Sam McDowell’s appearance at second base. Having now foun…

prestonjg.wordpress.com

If you don't want to read the whole article, I think this part sums it up pretty well -

It’s extremely awkward for a left-handed-handed throwing second baseman to turn the pivot in a double play, which I’m guessing is the biggest reason you don’t see lefties there. It’s extremely difficult for a lefty charging a bunt from third base to make a throw to first. And lefty shortstops lose time getting themselves in position to throw.

 

[Bernie]

It is not irrelevant, much faster on glove side.

Right handed shoulders are hardly ever180 degrees off line, and with footwork can be aligned most of the time. Even going the the left a righty can field a large % with shoulders in line with left foot going toward first.
Most plays to the left the righty has the advantage to field it in front in good throwing position with momentum toward first.
The lefty has to backhand the ball, catch it behind their body, stop momentum, no weight on back leg, etc.

It is geometry.



You cannot do that left handed. Catchers head, foot etc has to be in the basepath, or blind tag.

You're right. This is an easy one. Keep the left-handers off 2nd, 3rd and SS. This has been pretty well proven (at upper levels) for over a century.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[softballgirl424]

Thanks everyone for the responses. She had been practicing with both a right-handed glove and a left-handed glove for some time. We have decided that she will throw with her left hand, and she is happy with that decision. She has made beautiful left-handed throws and while her right hand is her dominant hand for everything else in life, it isn't as strong as her left for throwing. Looks like she will be L/L.

I understand that she may not play 2B, SS, 3B, and C when she's older, but I still think that throwing left-handed in softball is unique in its own ways. She wants to try her hand at pitching eventually. I definitely agree that lefty pitchers are highly valued in the collegiate level, since it brings a different look to the opposing hitters.

 

[Northball]

I guess lefties will have to be satisfied with being a step or two closer to 1st base when they hit.
....And rounding the bases to their dominant side?

 

[RADcatcher]

Thanks everyone for the responses. She had been practicing with both a right-handed glove and a left-handed glove for some time. We have decided that she will throw with her left hand, and she is happy with that decision. She has made beautiful left-handed throws and while her right hand is her dominant hand for everything else in life, it isn't as strong as her left for throwing. Looks like she will be L/L.

I understand that she may not play 2B, SS, 3B, and C when she's older, but I still think that throwing left-handed in softball is unique in its own ways. She wants to try her hand at pitching eventually. I definitely agree that lefty pitchers are highly valued in the collegiate level, since it brings a different look to the opposing hitters.

In fastpitch softball there are left-handed catchers, yes left handed catchers absolutely exist!
including some incredibly awesome left-handed catchers!