"I have a reason for it: mothers," said Brewers coach Rich Donnelly, a former catcher."That might sound crazy but mothers don't want their kids to play football or catch in baseball because they're afraid they'll get hurt. You go to a Little League game and nobody wants to catch. They put the big kid behind the plate."
Ash has another theory for the shortage: laziness.
"Most kids think it's too demanding of a position," he said. "They don't want to put the time and energy into it that it requires to be good. They'd rather swing the bat."
I agree. Looking back to my younger days, parents did not want their kids catching, especially if they played another sport. It opened up the opportunity for other, less talented kids to play longer than they maybe normally would have. Still, it is a very demanding position to play, and many kids would rather play the glory positions up the middle-pitcher, shortstop, and center field.
With the advent on pads that sit behind kids' knees, there is a shot that young catchers today will get to the upper levels with les wear and tear on their knees. Even if you are concerned about the demands of the position on your kids bodies, you may still want them to gain experience at the position. It just may be their ticket to a dream one day.
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