Barney & Clyde by Gene Weingarten; Dan Weingarten & David Clark for October 13, 2023

So… Why aren’t there left-handed baseball catchers?

And nice hairdo, Cynth… Oh, it’s part of the bed.

Since Webster is a robot why can’t it emulate the drone controler instead of operating it with a paw?

There are several theories why there haven’t been any “real” appearances by a lefty catcher for over a century (see Https://wWw.mLb.COM/news/why-there-are-no-left-handed-catchers-in-mlb at the MLB website for a very nice summary). None of those reasons are really conclusive, and the primary cause seems to be that any young player with a good left-handed throwing arm will probably be guided toward pitching at school and minor-league levels.

A snipe hunt.

What happens if he finds one, Webster?

not funny

In major league baseball, few catchers have ever

Worn mitts on their right hand and thrown with their left.

The last one played thrice on the ’89 roster.

It’s not like no lefties have ever been deft.

It’s one thing to have the third basemen and shortstops

Be righties in light of the widdershins runs,

But catchers don’t deal with the same limitations,

So why are there almost no left-handed ones?

Some think righty hitters adversely affect

Lefty catchers, but righties’ majority’s slim.

Besides, catchers thwarting the stealing of bases

Do equally well with the left throwing limb.

It’s true that a lefty has trouble in throwing

Out runners at third, but let’s note the reverse:

A righty must pivot to throw to the first base,

So why would a lefty be markedly worse?

It’s thought there’s more “tail” on a left-handed throw,

But we don’t have statistics to back up the claim.

A lefty may have an advantage for catching

The curveballs and sliders that righties will aim.

Admittedly, lefties will struggle to tag out

A runner who comes all the way to home plate,

But that rarely happens, and basemen have managed

Some back-tagging methods that work out just great.

Perhaps the best reason: The hard-throwing lefties

Are typically trained to be pitchers instead.

If not, then it’s simply a foolish tradition

Or habit that keeps them from getting ahead.

Since he didn’t specify major league, there’s hope. It’s also possible that a major league catcher may exist who is lefthanded but plays right (I know some hockey players shoot opposite to their otherwise dominant hand).

dale long