Lefty Specialist?

[Italian_Stallion]

My son's MLB career is off to a hot start. For the past few months, I had given up hope my 4-year-old would make it to the pros. He tends to throw the ball behind him. We've talked about his release point, but he just sticks out his tongue and makes fart noises.

It turns out he had been throwing with his off-hand. The kid's a lefty. This is a mystery. Other than the occasional left-handed layup, I can't do squat as a southpaw.

This poses a serious problem. He was supposed to be the next great third baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals. Buck? Anyone? Has there been a lefty third baseman in the modern era?

 

[Steak Snabler]

Mattingly played a few games there in an emergency situation in 1986, but no, no one in the 20th century and onward has played a significant number of games there as a lefty.

The reason is a simple one: people would bunt them to death.

 

[Italian_Stallion]

Mattingly played a few games there in an emergency situation in 1986, but no, no one in the 20th century and onward has played a significant number of games there as a lefty.

The reason is a simple one: people would bunt them to death.

Hey, it didn't work on Jim Abbott.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

The Bill James reason: lefties who can throw hard are too valuable as pitchers, so they are put on the mound. If you can throw and are left-handed, you won't be playing third, SS, or catcher for long.

 

[Steak Snabler]

The Bill James reason: lefties who can throw hard are too valuable as pitchers, so they are put on the mound. If you can throw and are left-handed, you won't be playing third, SS, or catcher for long.

And if they can throw AND run, they play the outfield.

Of the three infield positions, I would think shortstop would be the "easiest" to play as a lefty, though I can still see problems with throwing from the hole.

Second base would be nigh impossible, especially turning a 5-4-3 double play.

Here's a fun stat for you ... a guy named Hick Carpenter played 1,059 games as a lefty-throwing third baseman in the 19th century ... and made 591 errors. Even with Victorian-era glove technology, that's a lot.

 

[mike311gd]

Mattingly played a few games there in an emergency situation in 1986, but no, no one in the 20th century and onward has played a significant number of games there as a lefty.

The reason is a simple one: people would bunt them to death.

Mike Squires played a game in 1983.

 

[expendable]

Get him a good first-baseman's glove and teach him how to stretch for the high throw coming in from the short stop.

 

[Captain_Kirk]

The Bill James reason: lefties who can throw hard are too valuable as pitchers, so they are put on the mound. If you can throw and are left-handed, you won't be playing third, SS, or catcher for long.

Exactly. You've got to turn him into a pitcher, Stallion. Come on now--don't screw this up. You don't know how many fathers hoped, wished, and prayed that their youngster would show a leaning to the left in their sporting abilities that could be nurtured and parlayed into a professional paycheck. Only to have them turn out righty, no matter how many times they tied that arm behind their back.

You know the kind of coin a good major lefty pitcher brings in? That's gold, Jerry, pure gold.

You can probably go ahead and retire now and just coast off his future earnings.

 

[Fly]

Left-handed pitchers last forever throwing junk.
Or make him a bowler...less money but cake conditions

 

[Angola!]

Left-handed pitchers last forever throwing junk.
Or make him a bowler...less money but cake conditions

But then he'd have to encourage his kid to grow a mullet.

 

[pallister]

I thought this thread was about Fenian.

 

[Captain_Kirk]

I thought this thread was about Fenian.

Wouldn't that be a lefty flamethrower?

 

[Big Buckin' agate_monkey]

I think your four-year-old and I would get along great. I often stick out my tongue and make fart noises too.

 

[Chef]

Benny Diestafano just got a hard-on over reading this thread.

 

[Rumpleforeskin]

I was a lefty and my parents were both right handed. Some how, they managed to teach me baseball pretty well. They switched what they did and tried to make it easy for me.

 

[93Devil]

Make him a lefty golfer. Just ask Phil, who only golfs lefty.

Most golf courses are set up to go against righties.

 

[Chef]

Mattingly also played some third base.

 

[slappy4428]

Mattingly played a few games there in an emergency situation in 1986, but no, no one in the 20th century and onward has played a significant number of games there as a lefty.

The reason is a simple one: people would bunt them to death.

Mike Squires played a game in 1983.

Also caught, didn't he?

 

[Chef]

http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Benny_Distefano

 

[buckweaver]

Only 11 left-handers have played a game at third base since 1901.

The corrupt Hal Chase deserves his reputation as one of the greatest fielders in history. The left-handed Chase played 35 games at second base, three at shortstop and one at third in his 15-year career. He wasn't that great at 2B, but he handled six perfect chances and started a double play while playing one game at 3B for the Yankees in 1908.

Hall of Famer "Wee" Willie Keeler played 17 games at 3B after 1901. He also played 19 G at second base and, unlike Chase, had a better-than-league-average fielding percentage there. Not to mention 2 G at shortstop.

More recently, Mike Squires, as mentioned, played 14 games at 3B over two seasons with the White Sox (1983-84). Didn't see a lot of action: 12 chances in 14 games, but no errors.

Don Mattingly did indeed play three games at 3B in 1986. He handled 13 chances, made one error, and started two double plays, so all in all, not too shabby.

Terry Francona handled three chances at third base for the Expos in 1985.

Mario Valdez didn't make a play while making an appearance at 3B for the White Sox in 1997.

You've also got Buck Freeman (6 G, 1904-05); Milo Netzel (6 G, 1909), Hall of Famer George Sisler (2 G, 1916); Hall of Famer Jesse Burkett (1 G, 1902) and Charlie Grimm (1 G, 1918), all making appearances at third base.