No Left-Handed Throwing Catchers...Weird.

[Doughhead]

Only 33 left-throwing catchers have ever played even one inning in the MLB (and none since 1989). As a long-time baseball fan, I can't believe I never noticed/realized this. Very bizarre.

[Fantasy Sports Genie]

I believe the rationale there has always been that there are more right handed batters, and it is tougher for a left handed catcher to come up throwing with a right handed batter in the box.

That being said, I've never quite bought this. Clearly catchers do manage to throw when a left-handed guy is up, and I've always found it hard to believe it would be a big deal in practice. But at least when I was a kid, they definitely discouraged any lefty from trying to play catcher.

[Another Blown Save]

This is actually quite simple.

If a kid throws left-handed and has a great shoulder, chances are that he'll learn to pitch rather then catch.

[blankman]

This is actually quite simple.

If a kid throws left-handed and has a great shoulder, chances are that he'll learn to pitch rather then catch.

That's a good point.


Another idea is that pitchers are used to throwing to the glove of a RH catcher. Maybe it would be hard to get used to a LH catcher.


ABS's thought is probably more correct though.

[Field]

I believe the rationale there has always been that there are more right handed batters, and it is tougher for a left handed catcher to come up throwing with a right handed batter in the box.

That being said, I've never quite bought this. Clearly catchers do manage to throw when a left-handed guy is up, and I've always found it hard to believe it would be a big deal in practice. But at least when I was a kid, they definitely discouraged any lefty from trying to play catcher.

Yeah, but at the Little League level, the majority of players are right-handed. At the higher level of baseball it might not be a big factor when throwing guys out at second, but it definitely makes it more difficult at the lower levels.

[sportsguy138]

There was a thread about this, not too long ago, here. One of the interesting things that I found out that hasn't been mentioned, is the fact that there aren't many left handed catcher gloves available to young kids. If you want to get one, you need to specially order it.

[Snakes Gould]

This is actually quite simple.

If a kid throws left-handed and has a great shoulder, chances are that he'll learn to pitch rather then catch.

That's a good point.


Another idea is that pitchers are used to throwing to the glove of a RH catcher. Maybe it would be hard to get used to a LH catcher.


ABS's thought is probably more correct though.

it is a good point, but that doesnt explain why there are left handed throwing first baseball and outfielders.

[Nerfherders]

Actually they encourage first baseman to throw lefty because they dont have to turn around to catch the ball from the left side of the infield.

[abc11435]

If you throw left handed, wouldnt it be hard to thrwo out a runner at 3rd base? I mean you almost never have to snap throw to 1st...

[pantagrapher]

If you throw left handed, wouldnt it be hard to thrwo out a runner at 3rd base? I mean you almost never have to snap throw to 1st...

That's what I always thought was the reasoning—that it's much, much harder for a lefty to get leverage for the all-important throw to third. It's probably a combination of the reasons stated in this thread. They all seem to make sense.