Expert: Geoff - 8/8/2007

Question
my son has always played second base in the summer rec league growing up and has done very well, last year he went  out for highschool ball and his coach told him he has no place being there, this last summer we went to a competitive ball team and he never missed a ball all summer long, now we are at sophmore level so he moves to third with a new coach who has said nothing yet (2nd) day, but others are trying to tell him leftys dont play infield..... do you have some MLB names that are lefty on third?
 thinks , mike

Answer
Hi Mike,

Thanks for writing.

As far as 3rd basemen, shortstops, or 2nd basemen throwing left-handed, it is incredibly rare in Major League Baseball.

In the fairly recent past, only two names: Mike Squires and Don Mattingly come to mind as left-handed throwers who played some 3rd base.  Squires played 14 games at 3rd for the 1983-1984 White Sox, Mattingly played 3 games at 3rd for the 1986 Yankees.  Both of these cases were short-term emergency situations.

Lefty throwers who play in the infield play 1st base, not 2nd, 3rd, or short (nor do they play catcher).

The reason why is mostly so that they can make a stronger throw, throwing across their body, when they throw the ball to first base after fielding a ground ball.  Your son's coaches aren't concerned with his ability to field a ground ball, their concern is him getting a quick strong throw over to first base.

Best Wishes,

Geoff