Why are there so few (zero?) left-handed catchers?

[ChipTait]

In a thread discussing Davis vs Pearce vs whoever at 1B, Number5 makes a point that left-handed throwers are at a distinct disadvantage playing anywhere in the infield, save 1B.

http://forum.orioleshangout.com/forums/showthread.php/146578-Davis-in-Right-Pearce-at-1B

I completely understand where my fellow lefties have a physical disadvantage at 2B, SS & 3B, but I've long wondered how being sinister dextrous excludes playing catcher.

One school of logic may dictate that left-throwing catchers are at a disadvantage because right-hitting batters are more likely to be in the way of throw-downs to second base. But according to this quick-and-unverified list: http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/rosters there are 312 right handed batters, vs 252 left-handed batters + switch hitters (who will more often bat left-handed due to the prevalence of right-handed pitchers.)

Seems close enough to equal to me.

Tell me, hive mind, why lefties cannot catch in MLB.

[25 Nuggets]

According to the BBR query, since 1901 there have been 3009 left handed or switch hitting position players in MLB. Of them, 307 caught at least 50% of their games. That's almost 10% on the nose. 1/10 ain't bad considering there are eight positions plus DH for some time.

My guess is, if there is in fact a dearth of L/S catchers at the moment, it's just a statistical lull.

[mdbdotcom]

According to the BBR query, since 1901 there have been 3009 left handed or switch hitting position players in MLB. Of them, 307 caught at least 50% of their games. That's almost 10% on the nose. 1/10 ain't bad considering there are eight positions plus DH for some time.

My guess is, if there is in fact a dearth of L/S catchers at the moment, it's just a statistical lull.

Here are two interesting articles on the subject of catchers who throw with their left hand:

1) http://members.tripod.com/bb_catchers/catchers/catchleft.htm

2) http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/44139204/

The first article includes this quote from former pitcher Bill Lee:

Lefties can't play catcher because your head hangs over home plate when you make a tag." "You've got the ball in your right hand, you're blocking the plate with your left foot. When you go to make the tag, you're exposed. A lefty catcher would get killed.

That's a good argument, in my opinion, and even stronger now that baserunners slide to avoid the tag. It strikes me that a left-handed catcher who has to reach to his right for a ball and then reach across his body to make the tag would be at a serious disadvantage compared to a right-handed catcher who can backhand the catch and then swipe the tag.

Someone should ask Buck.

[Pickles]

The school of thought I always heard growing up is that pitchers are creatures of habit, and they don't adapt well to the optics of a left-handed catcher.

Makes as much sense as anything else.

[Larry18]

Most left handers that have the arm strength to play catcher are converted to pitchers is one theory. Another is that lefties have a hard time throwing runners out at third. Probably the best answer is the belief that lefties can't play catcher at higher levels so they aren't developed as catchers at a young age.

[POR]

According to the BBR query, since 1901 there have been 3009 left handed or switch hitting position players in MLB. Of them, 307 caught at least 50% of their games. That's almost 10% on the nose. 1/10 ain't bad considering there are eight positions plus DH for some time.

My guess is, if there is in fact a dearth of L/S catchers at the moment, it's just a statistical lull.

Your query should be regarding left handing throwing catchers not batting. According to the link there has not been a left handed throwing player whose primary position was catcher since 1900.

http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/44139204/

[gamer]

Edit: deleted my post didn't see that someone already posted my answer

[BohKnowsBmore]

Your query should be regarding left handing throwing catchers not batting. According to the link there has not been a left handed throwing player whose primary position was catcher since 1900.

http://www.sportsonearth.com/article/44139204/

Right. Wieters would come up as one of those players that bats swtich and plays catcher, however he throws with his right.

Flaherty and Davis (although not catchers) are both players who bat LH but throw RH, thus their ability to play UTI and 3B, respectively.

[OFFNY]

o

When I was watching WPIX news back in 1980, Jerry Girard said that the last time that there had been a left-handed catcher was in 1958, when Dale Long caught a game for the Cubs.

That was until that day, when Mike Squires caught a game as a left-handed catcher for .......... the White Sox (the Cubs' cross-town neighbors.)

[OFFNY]

o

When I was watching WPIX news back in 1980, Jerry Girard said that the last time that there had been a left-handed catcher was in 1958, when Dale Long caught a game for the Cubs.

That was until that day, when Mike Squires caught a game as a left-handed catcher for .......... the White Sox (the Cubs' cross-town neighbors.)

Here is a list of all-time left-handed throwing catchers in the major leagues.

The list dates back to 1876 (the year that the National League was born.)

http://members.tripod.com/bb_catchers/catchers/catchleft2.htm

This is a list (in chronological order) of said left-handed throwing catchers, and the teams that they played for while catching left-handed:

http://members.tripod.com/bb_catchers/catchers/catchleftlist.htm

[OFFNY]

o

When I was watching WPIX news back in 1980, Jerry Girard said that the last time that there had been a left-handed catcher was in 1958, when Dale Long caught a game for the Cubs.

That was until that day, when Mike Squires caught a game as a left-handed catcher for .......... the White Sox (the Cubs' cross-town neighbors.)

Here is a list of all-time left-handed throwing catchers in the major leagues.

The list dates back to 1876 (the year that the National League was born.)

http://members.tripod.com/bb_catchers/catchers/catchleft2.htm

This is a list (in chronological order) of said left-handed throwing catchers, and the teams that they played for while catching left-handed:

http://members.tripod.com/bb_catchers/catchers/catchleftlist.htm

The only player from the current Orioles franchise to catch left-handed was Jiggs Donhue, for the St. Louis Browns in 1902.

No player has caught left-handed for the Orioles since 1954 (the year that they arrived in Baltimore from St. Louis.)

Between 1882 and 1890, the Baltimore Orioles of the American Association had 5 left-handed catchers in that time frame: Charlie Householder (1882), Phil Baker (1883), Dave Oldfield (1883), Sam Trott (1884, 1885, 1887,and 1888), and Pop Tate (1889 and 1890.)`

[Number5]

The only player from the current Orioles franchise to catch left-handed was Jiggs Donhue, for the St. Louis Browns in 1902.

No player has caught left-handed for the Orioles since 1954 (the year that they arrived in Baltimore from St. Louis.)

Between 1882 and 1890, the Baltimore Orioles of the American Association had 5 left-handed catchers in that time frame: Charlie Householder (1882), Phil Baker (1883), Dave Oldfield (1883), Sam Trott (1884, 1885, 1887,and 1888), and Pop Tate (1889 and 1890.)`

Were catchers positioned farther back in the 1880's? Seems to me I've seen old pictures where the catcher was standing up, about 8 feet back from home plate. That might explain the LH catchers way back then, since it wouldn't matter as much which hand the catcher threw with from back there.

[OFFNY]

Were catchers positioned farther back in the 1880's? Seems to me I've seen old pictures where the catcher was standing up, about 8 feet back from home plate. That might explain the LH catchers way back then, since it wouldn't matter as much which hand the catcher threw with from back there.

Oh, I don't know. That's a good question.

The majority of my baseball knowledge is from 1901 through the present (since the birth of the American League.)

[Skeletor]

Left handed catchers would be terrible at throwing out runners stealing third.

[BohKnowsBmore]

Left handed catchers would be terrible at throwing out runners stealing third.

But at an advantage throwing out runners stealing first!

:scratchchinhmm: