Lefthanded 3rd Basemen?

[Mark Carver]

From an Orioles thread that sparked an interest. For obvious reasons a LH'ed 3rd baseman is not a very good idea defensively. So who has played 3rd base, and was LH'ed?

Hick Carpenter, 1,095 G, SYR-N 1879, CIN-N 1880, WOR-N 1881, CIN-AA 1882-89, STL-N 1892 Lefty Marr, 129 G, COL-AA 1889, CIN-N 1890 Roger Connor, 111 G, TRO-N 1880-82, NY-N 1884, 89, 93 Bill McClellen, 58 G, CHI-N 1878, BRO-AA 1885 Willie Keeler, 44 G, NY-N 1892-93, BRO-N 1893, BAL-N 1898, BRO-N 1901, NY-A 1903-05 Spud Johnson, 44 G, COL-A 1889 Jack Leary, 37 G, PIT-A 1882, ALT-U 1884, CHI-U 1884 Hal Chace, 23 G, NY-A 1908 John Cassidy, 18 G, TRO-N 1882, BRO-A 1884 Ed Pinkham, 16 G, CHI-NA 1871 Mike Squires, 14 G, CHI-A 1983-84 George Decker, 10 G, CHI-N 1884-85 Lip Pike, 9 G, BAL-NA 1872 Marty Swandell, 8 G, BROECK-NA 1872 Milo Netzel, 6 G, CLE-A 1909 Buck Freeman, 6 G, BOS-A 1905-06 Jimmy Ryan, 6 G, CHI-N 1886 Bill Harbridge, 6 G, HAR-N 1877, PHI-N 1883 Jake Virtue, 5 G, CLE-N 1893 John Newell, 5 G, PIT-N 1891 Gene Moriarty, 5 G, IND-AA 1884, DET-N 1885 Jack Clements, 4 G, PHI-N 1887 Billy Redmond, 4 G, STLRS-NA 1875, MIL-N 1878 Bob Addy, 4 G, HAR-NA 1874 Don Mattingly, 3 G, NY-A 1986 Russ Hall, 3 G, STL-N 1898 George Van Haltren, 3 G, BAL-N 1892 Monk Cline, 3 G, BAL-AA 1882, LOU-AA 1885, KC-AA 1888 George Sisler, 2 G, STL-A 1916 Cy Seymour, 2 G, NY-N 1899, CIN-N 1902 John Corcoran, 2 G, PIT-N 1895 Cannonball Titcomb, 2 G, NY-N 1888, PHI-AA 1890 Charlie Eden, 2 G, PIT-AA 1885 Dan Brouthers, 2 G, BUF-N 1883-84 Terry Francona, 1 G, MON-N 1985 Joe Kuhel, 1 G, WAS-A 1936 Charlie Grimm, 1 G, STL-N 1918 Jessie Burkett, 1 G, STL-A 1902 Joe Wright, 1 G, PIT-N 1896 Jake Boyd, 1 G, WAS-N 1895 Matt Kilroy, 1 G, BOS-P 1890 Henry Gruber, 1 G, CLE-P 1890 Fred Carl, 1 G, LOU-AA 1889 Elmer Foster, 1 G, NY-N 1888 Cyclone Miller, 1 G, PHI-A 1886 Sam Thompson, 1 G, DET-N 1885 Tom Mansell, 1 G, CIN-AA, COL-AA 1884 Denny Driscoll, 1 G, PIT-AA 1883 Sam Trott, 1 G, DET-N 1882 Jimmy Macullar, 1 G, SYR-N 1879 Jimmy Hallinan, 1 G, KEO-NA 1875

Here are the post-1900 guys on this list:

Willie Keeler, 44 G, NY-N 1892-93, BRO-N 1893, BAL-N 1898, BRO-N 1901, NY-A 1903-05 Hal Chace, 23 G, NY-A 1908 Mike Squires, 14 G, CHI-A 1983-84 Milo Netzel, 6 G, CLE-A 1909 Buck Freeman, 6 G, BOS-A 1905-06 Don Mattingly, 3 G, NY-A 1986 George Sisler, 2 G, STL-A 1916 Cy Seymour, 2 G, NY-N 1899, CIN-N 1902 Terry Francona, 1 G, MON-N 1985 Joe Kuhel, 1 G, WAS-A 1936 Charlie Grimm, 1 G, STL-N 1918 Jessie Burkett, 1 G, STL-A 1902

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Don Mattingly was the was the last player to do so and in 1986?

[TyCobb]

I would love to see were a LH 3b would actually position himself. Seems like I would be pretty easy to lay down a bunt on him.

[MikeAD]

I would love to see were a LH 3b would actually position himself. Seems like I would be pretty easy to lay down a bunt on him.

While I know it isn't the pro's, when I was in American Legion ball our two best players were both power hitting, left handed first baseman. They were both heading to very good colleges and we often used one of them at 3B. I never understood why our manager did this, but he always did pretty well. I only ever saw him make one error and it was turning a DP to second base (my position). He easily made up for any errors with his bat though, that guy could really hit the ball.

In the Majors I can't really fathom putting a LH fielder at 3B unless its one of those 16 inning games where you really have no choice.

[The Wedge]

As a left hander, it wouldn't feel right at all, but you'd have to adjust if put there for whatever reason. Having your glove side to the outside of the infield makes things hairy, for sure. That's the one infield position I would try to completely beg off. In fact, it's the only infield position I've never actually had time playing at any level. I was even forced by player availability to play second in a championship game once. Manager was kinda freaked out, but when I smothered a hard grounder from the lead off batter diving to my left, and threw him out from a knee, I think he relaxed.

I wish I was still that good defensively...

[Tony-OH]

I can understand why a 3B, SS, and 2B would not want to be left-handed, but I've always wondered why a catcher can't be left-handed. Yes, I know his back would basically be towards first base when he throws back to the pitcher (if he turned his lead shoulder towards the pitcher), but would it really matter?

I know Scott was a left-handed catcher so maybe he can tell is the disadvantages.

[The Wedge]

I caught left-handed for awhile, too. I don't ever remember having it be a problem that I was turned partially away from first when throwing back to the pitcher, but maybe my peripheals back then were better than most.

Could be a thing where most hitters are right handed and you don't want your throwing arm to consistently be on the same side as the batter...but that seems like a minute detail.

[Mackus]

I can understand why a 3B, SS, and 2B would not want to be left-handed, but I've always wondered why a catcher can't be left-handed. Yes, I know his back would basically be towards first base when he throws back to the pitcher (if he turned his lead shoulder towards the pitcher), but would it really matter?

I know Scott was a left-handed catcher so maybe he can tell is the disadvantages.

Its the throw to third. A left-handed catcher would almost never be able to throw out anyone at 3B due to having to turn their entire body around to get the ball to third.

[DrungoHazewood]

I can understand why a 3B, SS, and 2B would not want to be left-handed, but I've always wondered why a catcher can't be left-handed. Yes, I know his back would basically be towards first base when he throws back to the pitcher (if he turned his lead shoulder towards the pitcher), but would it really matter?

I know Scott was a left-handed catcher so maybe he can tell is the disadvantages.

I've seen speculation that the real reason there aren't any lefthanded catchers is that if you're lefthanded and you throw really hard you're a pitcher.

Of course that's an oversimplification, but 100 years ago there were fewer left-handed pitchers. That probably drove most lefties who threw hard to the mound, unless they could really rake and then they became outfielders, since they didn't want their bat to be screwed up by catching. There just weren't that many guys who threw lefty real hard, could hit but not too much, and were too slow to play the outfield.

And we all know there are plenty of things in baseball that just kind of happened in 1889 or 1904, and that's they way they've stayed until today.

Also, how many lefties wanted to catch when they were 10 but went to their local department store and they only had righty gloves?

[RShack]

Its the throw to third. A left-handed catcher would almost never be able to throw out anyone at 3B due to having to turn their entire body around to get the ball to third.

Nah. RH C's can throw to 1B. Same thing.

[DrungoHazewood]

Its the throw to third. A left-handed catcher would almost never be able to throw out anyone at 3B due to having to turn their entire body around to get the ball to third.

That's gotta be worth a good, solid four runs a year.

I've seen plenty of righty catchers with a killer snap throw to first.

[The Wedge]

I've seen speculation that the real reason there aren't any lefthanded catchers is that if you're lefthanded and you throw really hard you're a pitcher.

Of course that's an oversimplification, but 100 years ago there were fewer left-handed pitchers. That probably drove most lefties who threw hard to the mound, unless they could really rake and then they became outfielders, since they didn't want their bat to be screwed up by catching. There just weren't that many guys who threw lefty real hard, could hit but not too much, and were too slow to play the outfield.

And we all know there are plenty of things in baseball that just kind of happened in 1889 or 1904, and that's they way they've stayed until today.

Also, how many lefties wanted to catch when they were 10 but went to their local department store and they only had righty gloves?

One of the reasons I did catch at a younger age was that our team equipment bag had a lefty catchers mitt.

[The Wedge]

That's gotta be worth a good, solid four runs a year.

I've seen plenty of righty catchers with a killer snap throw to first.

And it's honestly not that hard, with correct foot work, to snap up already aimed at third...kinda like a right hander does as well, only not as pronounced. You want to square your shoulder to the bag, regardless of what bag it is.

[DrungoHazewood]

One other thing, getting back to the original post. In the 19th century a lot of guys played the infield or catcher left-handed out of necessity. Rosters were often less than 15 guys, and there were no minor league affiliations. If your third baseman turns his ankle the same day your utility infielder has food poisioning you put your 2nd starter in left field, your left fielder at shortstop, and whoever is left at third no matter what hand he threw with.

Even most of the HOFers from back then played six, seven, eight or more positions in their career. Sometimes I think the game would be more fun and more interesting if rosters were 15-20. Changes your risk/reward/necessity points all around, so Nick would have to pitch sometimes, and almost everyone would have to have a working knowledge of almost every position, and extreme specialization would be dead.

[Mackus]

Nah. RH C's can throw to 1B. Same thing.

Not the same thing. Catchers throw to 1B to pick guys off who are leaning the wrong way or standing flat-footed, not to get guys at a full sprint with huge lead off the previous base.

And Drungo, if teams kept stealing 3B at the regular pace they steal it regularly, it wouldn't be worth all that much. But put a guy who can only throw out even mediocre runners at 3B at maybe a 10-20% clip behind the plate and you'll see teams run a ton more often, and it'd be worth a lot more. Moving a guy from 2nd to 3rd with 0 outs increases run expectancy by .293 runs (break-even point is ~75% success rate), w/ 1 out it increases by .258 runs (break-even point is ~70% success rate). With two outs its only about a .033 run increase (break-even point is ~89% success rate), so that's not a major gain.

If you can steal 3B at 85-90% off of a left-handed catcher, it could be a huge advantage.

[TyCobb]

That's gotta be worth a good, solid four runs a year.

I've seen plenty of righty catchers with a killer snap throw to first.

How would their throws be if a LHB is in the box and the 1B was running towards 1b to make the catch+tag.