Broken Bat - Help: Left Handed Fielders

Forum >> Help >> Left Handed Fielders

Post ID	Date & Time	Game Date	Function

#37883	08/01/2016 7:39:56 pm
Huaraches25 Joined: 05/01/2016 Posts: 151 Inactive	How important is it that left handed players stick to 1B/OF. I can imagine 2B/SS/3B being difficult in real life cause you'd kinda have to turn all the way around and face the outfield to properly set your feet to throw to first. Catcher I understand less although it is also the position I have the least experience with and so I don't imagine it'd be much different for Lefty's than rightys. Im asking because I have a guy in my minor's, Benjamin Jimenez who has a 20(!) arm, but he's left handed, and his range is 9. So he probably shouldn't play a lot of center, but I don't like having his rocket launcher waste out in the corners (even in right)and I was wondering how big a deal it would be to play Catcher Updated Monday, August 1 2016 @ 7:40:45 pm PDT

#37885	08/01/2016 9:13:22 pm
MukilteoMike Joined: 08/09/2014 Posts: 3294 Inactive	I haven't had a leftie catcher since the updated penalty several seasons ago. I agree with you. I think I'd try him at catcher. The good thing is he already has his OF status and you can watch his progression behind the plate. I don't think he'll have enough offense or range to be worthwhile in RF. Good luck and let us know how he's doing in a few seasons.

#37896	08/02/2016 8:35:50 am
Rock777 Joined: 09/21/2014 Posts: 9599 Haverhill Halflings III.1	Jimenez is already an OF, so you can always stick him in RF if things don't work out at catcher. I don't think it would hurt to much (just a little OF experience) to train him up at catcher or third.

#37897	08/02/2016 8:42:50 am
Rock777 Joined: 09/21/2014 Posts: 9599 Haverhill Halflings III.1	I still don't see why people think 2B AND SS makes sense. They are opposite sides of the field. Mirror positions. I don't have to face the outfield to throw the ball from 2B to 3B, but somehow you think you would have to do that for the throw from SS to 1B... A right hander throwing from 2B to 3B is EXACTLY the same throw as a lefty throwing from SS to 1B.

#37901	08/02/2016 8:55:24 am
Jason2327 Joined: 09/02/2014 Posts: 719 Abilene Patriots III.2	I am an umpire and quite often now there a lot of left handed fielders playing the infield in high school and doing better than most right handed fielders. From what I have seen,the whole left/right rule for the infield is starting change

#37902	08/02/2016 8:58:49 am
Rock777 Joined: 09/21/2014 Posts: 9599 Haverhill Halflings III.1	That's good to hear. I won't deny there can be a slight mechanical advantage to being a righty, but its easily overcome by a higher level of skill. In my mind the penalty should really be no more than 1 SI in fielding or arm strength, but I suspect it is more here because of the misconception that lefties can't play infield.

#37935	08/03/2016 6:14:03 pm
Huaraches25 Joined: 05/01/2016 Posts: 151 Inactive	Even still that red x is annoying in the least, (maybe a little OCD or something) I played ball two years ago (I'm sixteen so I still play colt and varsity ball) and I played with a kid who was lefty, (I can't actually remember if he just batted lefty or threw lefty too) and he was our main catcher and also played 2B once. If he did throw lefty he didn't have any problems although hr wasn't a great infielder (wasn't his position) Updated Wednesday, August 3 2016 @ 6:18:22 pm PDT

#38640	08/24/2016 11:32:04 am
motko Joined: 09/06/2014 Posts: 358 Nauvoo The Great Horned Owl IV.6	about catchers infield penalty, If theres RHB at bat, and the catcher tries to get a basestealer caught, the batter is not blocking the right-handed throw as bad as if the batter was on the side of the throwing arm. Conclusion: when there is a leftie at bat, it should benefit the left-handed catcher when the catcher is throwing the ball to base 1 or 2, right?

#38645	08/24/2016 2:35:27 pm
Rock777 Joined: 09/21/2014 Posts: 9599 Haverhill Halflings III.1	I believe the argument was that it had less to do with the batter, then the mechanics of the throw. Not that I buy it.