Left Handed 2B,SS,3B

[RchW]

Originally Posted by Malleus Dei

Those of us who are ambidextrous and therefore far, far superior to you simple left-handed folk agree.

Ha Ha, there are many more lefties that can do stuff right handed than the other way around.

[Left-handed Badger]

Originally Posted by Malleus Dei

Those of us who are ambidextrous and therefore far, far superior to you simple left-handed folk agree.

But, you guys are just freaks of nature. I am pretty sure the only you turn out that way is by getting bit by a radioactive insect or something.

[Malleus Dei]

Originally Posted by RchW

Ha Ha, there are many more lefties that can do stuff right handed than the other way around.

Ha, ha, I can do both or either. And at the same time!

[Malleus Dei]

Originally Posted by Left-handed Badger

But, you guys are just freaks of nature. I am pretty sure the only you turn out that way is by getting bit by a radioactive insect or something.

Or, perhaps, having a semi-pro baseball player for a father who tells his naturally left-handed son "Goddamn it, you are *not* going to grow up wrong-handed like your uncle," and who then forces you to do everything that he can ever see you doing right-handed, so that you grow up ambidextrous.

It can be fun to be an ambidextrous natural lefty, though. I have actually been able to deliver the famous line from the fight in the Princess Bride ( "I have a secret...I am not right handed") three times, once when actually using a sword.

[RchW]

Originally Posted by Malleus Dei

Or, perhaps, having a semi-pro baseball player for a father who tells his naturally left-handed son "Goddamn it, you are *not* going to grow up wrong-handed like your uncle," and who then forces you to do everything that he can ever see you doing right-handed, so that you grow up ambidextrous.

It can be fun to be an ambidextrous natural lefty, though. I have actually been able to deliver the famous line from the fight in the Princess Bride ( "I have a secret...I am not right handed") three times, once when actually using a sword.

So you made my point. You are a natural lefty

On a serious note, forcing some kids to be right handed can have serious consequences. My father was the most uncoordinated person I knew. He had left-handedness beaten out of him as a child. I remember seeing him almost cry because he could not use tools without hurting himself. It affected his personality badly. I used to hammer nails for him because he was always hitting himself. I quickly learned to hammer nails using either hand while helping him.

[Malleus Dei]

Originally Posted by RchW

On a serious note, forcing some kids to be right handed can have serious consequences.

Oh, tell me about it. I could write a book about having a brilliant successful natural athlete perfectionist of a father who lived the motto "The totally relentless pursuit of excellence is its own reward."

My step-father, in contrast, was a laidback Bavarian who lived the motto "Having a bad day? Ach, then let's have another beer." He, interestingly enough, was left-handed. When I asked him if he regretted being a lefty, he said, "God made me that way. Who am I to argue with God?"

Mal, drinking a beer as he types this

[Left-handed Badger]

Originally Posted by Malleus Dei

Or, perhaps, having a semi-pro baseball player for a father who tells his naturally left-handed son "Goddamn it, you are *not* going to grow up wrong-handed like your uncle," and who then forces you to do everything that he can ever see you doing right-handed, so that you grow up ambidextrous.

It can be fun to be an ambidextrous natural lefty, though. I have actually been able to deliver the famous line from the fight in the Princess Bride ( "I have a secret...I am not right handed") three times, once when actually using a sword.

Guess I was lucky then. My dad was happy I was a lefty. Guess he knew he had that lefty pitcher. Anyway, my mother "accidently tried to make me right-handed as a baby one time. Sub-conciously she put the toy I had in my left, in my right. Supposedly, I just look at her stupidly, and put it back in my left. This caused to realize what she had done, and feel guilty. When my dad found out, he fussed about that being wrong to force something like that on a kid. Which was ironic, my dad was usually the one who was making mistakes as a parent, LOL. Like when he took me to softball practice with him. And when he was leaving forgot he brought me. Half way home he remembered at least.

[Left-handed Badger]

With it being a righthanded world lefties have to learn how to do somethings righty. I use scissors better with my right for example.

[canadiancreed]

Originally Posted by Malleus Dei

Oh, tell me about it. I could write a book about having a brilliant successful natural athlete perfectionist of a father who lived the motto "The totally relentless pursuit of excellence is its own reward."

My step-father, in contrast, was a laidback Bavarian who lived the motto "Having a bad day? Ach, then let's have another beer." He, interestingly enough, was left-handed. When I asked him if he regretted being a lefty, he said, "God made me that way. Who am I to argue with God?"

Mal, drinking a beer as he types this

that is an awesome quote

[Malleus Dei]

Originally Posted by Left-handed Badger

And when he was leaving forgot he brought me. Half way home he remembered at least.

Don't feel bad, my father left my older sister in another state one time.

[Malleus Dei]

Originally Posted by canadiancreed

that is an awesome quote

He was, in his own quiet, reverential, and very non-assuming way, an awesome guy. I miss him.

[rocknfire7]

Originally Posted by Left-handed Badger

Like when he took me to softball practice with him. And when he was leaving forgot he brought me. Half way home he remembered at least.

That's funny, when I was 3 my dad forgot to take me home after a game ( he was a coach for 11-12 year olds). My Mom asked him where their son was and he said "What!! I thought he was with you! "

[jte87]

Originally Posted by Twelvefield

Going off-topic, but I have some fine Lenn Sakata trivia:

He was a coach for the Edmonton Trappers AAA team.
His cousin was Harold Sakata, the guy who played Oddjob in "Goldfinger".

My source is a Lenn Sakata Trappers' baseball card.

It doesn't mean anything to this topic, but it's nice to get some remembrance in for the Trappers.

Lenn Sakata has been the manager of the San Jose Giants for a few seasons, and managed them to last season's California League Championship.

I got here doing a search for left handed infielders, because I had seen it mentioned in some other threads and got a small impression that they WOULD be in the game.

Is this correct?

Sorry to rehash what is probably an old topic that has already had it's days of people going back and forth, but I would like to know. Sorry if the answer is contained in this thread.

[mrbill]

Here's the summary so we don't start down the path again.

The original argument was to stop the game from *creating* left-handed throwing 2B/3B/SS. There was never a motion to stop people from *editing* left-handed throwing 2B/3B/SS, on their own.

There's a correlary argument to keep the game from letting left-handed throwers learn to play 2B/3B/SS with ability on par with right-handed throwers.

Now, the fielding engine is going to change in the next version, so its hard to say how this will work.

The first request should be simple to grant, the 2nd probably requires some thought. But, there's enough stats (or, lack of stats) to back up that left-handed throwers should not be able to play those positions at a major-league level without a fairly large penalty, probably equivalent to having no rating at those positions, because of the extra time required to make throws on the move from any of those positions to first base.

Before jax chimes in, teams always need left-handed bats, so if it was possible, SOMEONE in 100 years of history would have made a living being a left-handed hitter/thrower playing one of those positions. That has not been shown to have happened, so the request is that the new player-creation engine and fielding-learning engine should both respect that left-handed throwers can't play those positions.

Again, it leaves open the possibility to edit the players yourself, but because modern baseball (since the advent of gloves) hasn't produced one such player, 99% of people would find good fielding, left-handed throwing 2B/3B/SS impossible players.

[Gambo]

I really only skimmed through the posts but felt I should give my opinion...

I am an ambidextrous ballplayer who played with a few guys who went on to be sucessful minor leaguers (hehe). I played primarily as a righty but played a year or two as a lefty because of arm problems. I played 2B,3B,C,1B,LF & RF and actually played all of them in practice & at least once in a game:

Firstbase - easier as a lefty due to throws/picks, playing the hole and visibility fielding.

Secondbase - much easier as a righty, double plays are easy as long as it's not in the hole between 1st base. Also, cut off throws can be disasterous becuase you are not only angled bad for the relay but you cannot see the field well to react.

3rdbase - a nightmare as a lefty, there's a bit too much stress in making quick throws, however, turning the double play is easier then you think. It was easier to lead the 2B toward first due to the natural tendency of the throw.

Outfield - no difference

Catching - not much difference except as a lefty it seemed to be harder to catch breaking pitches especially from righties. Balls tended to skim off the heel of the glove.

[Michael Xavier]

So... is this new version of OOTP going to have code for one-armed players or not? The Lahman database version of Pete Gray and I need to know.

[mrbill]

Originally Posted by Gambo

Secondbase - much easier as a righty, double plays are easy as long as it's not in the hole between 1st base. Also, cut off throws can be disasterous becuase you are not only angled bad for the relay but you cannot see the field well to react.

Curious how hard the throw to 1st was when the SS was tossing it to you from up the middle? That's where I imagine the hardest turn would be to make a throw.

[Malleus Dei]

Originally Posted by Gambo

3rdbase - a nightmare as a lefty, there's a bit too much stress in making quick throws, however, turning the double play is easier then you think. It was easier to lead the 2B toward first due to the natural tendency of the throw.

I had problems setting up for the throw to second, but the throw itself wasn't a problem. It was field the ball, shift and set up to throw (and make sure that you get the footwork just right), and then throw. Parts 1 and 3 weren't bad. Part 2 was the problem.

[Gambo]

Curious how hard the throw to 1st was when the SS was tossing it to you from up the middle? That's where I imagine the hardest turn would be to make a throw.

Good point, I wasn't even thinking about that. Turning the 6-4-3 was probably the hardest thing to do.

I don't think I ever had to try turning one in a game but in practice all you could do was cheat in order to get in a better position to catch and turn. You basically had to be in motion once the SS/3B released. Guage the ball, get feet set, pivot hips to catch ball then go full opposite end of that pivot to throw. (which isn't as bad as it sounds) Even then any ball deep to the shortstop left you out of position and good footwork was needed.

Thinking about it at any upper level you could easily kill yourself trying to turn that with a 250lb bearing down on you.

[Gambo]

I had problems setting up for the throw to second, but the throw itself wasn't a problem. It was field the ball, shift and set up to throw (and make sure that you get the footwork just right), and then throw. Parts 1 and 3 weren't bad. Part 2 was the problem.

The setting up was always the most difficult part. You have to try to beat down years of doing as a righty and positioning you body certain ways.
I always found pivoting and footwork pretty easy; then again I'm only in the 5'8 area.

The footwork stuff definately came in when turning the double play though...

I was fortunate in that baseball was the only sport I played as righty. Because of football, and basketball I was used to throwing as a lefty on the run.