Quote:
Originally Posted by Matt Arnold
Left-handed catchers are one that I never really understood why there are none. Yeah, I get the motion to third would be a bit tough, but so many catchers right now are perfecting the back-pick to first, and that would be the same motion. And you would kind of think that a lefty catcher would actually be beneficial in terms of fielding bunts or short plays, at least in terms of the throw to first on them. I've also heard that they don't work as well on plays to the plate for tagging, but again, that feels like a minor concern that you would just need to practice. I dunno - maybe just a case of nobody wants to risk it, so any lefty with the arm for catcher is probably better suited as a reliever anyways.
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Yeah, sorry to sound like a broken record but it's the last bit. Left-handers make up a third of all pitchers but like 5% of the general population. You're putting in 6 to 7 times as many lefties as you are righties and that in turn means that pretty much everyone who is a. left-handed and b. has an above-average arm gets turned into a pitcher. All of this "the motion is awkward" stuff is after the fact logic. After all, right-handed first basemen have many of the same issues as left-handed 3B, for example, but right-handed first basemen abound.