For example, in all of my years as a fan, I have never seen a left-handed catcher.

Although the ratio of left-handed baseball players to right-handed is the same as the ratio among people generally, history shows that the major leagues seem not to want left-throwing catchers.

A pitcher, first baseman, or any of the fielders may throw left, but catchers are only allowed to throw right.

Why? Do managers and coaches discourage left-handed players from becoming catchers? Considering they face the field, ready to throw equally to any position, it would seem that it would not matter whether a catcher is left or right-handed.

Here?s another.

For almost as long as baseball has existed, there have been two circles, each about a yard in diameter, on either side of home plate.

Indeed, among the plethora of new ball parks being built today, the circles are placed in some parks, but not in others.

Turns out that most fans and people who should know don't know what these circles are for.

In a press box recently, while we were looking down on the field, I asked a group of reporters and broadcasters if they knew what the circles were for. They either didn?t know, or they thought they were batting circles.

When I asked them how they would like to be the next batter in one of these circles, their brows became furrowed. Do you know what the circled areas are for? The answer is below, but think about it before you look.

Have you ever wondered why the pitcher?s mound is raised?

Pitchers warm up on flat ground. When a pitcher is returning to the game after a long time on the disabled list, it is reported that he "pitched from flat ground today."

So what is the reason a pitcher does not pitch in a game from an area that is as flat as the rest of the field?

Speaking of pitchers, often, just when a pitcher is about to deliver, a batter will call time and it?s given to him by the umpire. If the pitcher, because of his style turns away to begin his pitch, he may not see this.

So what a surprise when, in mid throw, he suddenly sees a batter who isn?t there, his catcher standing, and an umpire waving like he?s at the top window of a burning high rise.

What does he do? Either he tosses the ball anyway, or he holds up.

If he does the latter, he could injure himself because of the way he has prepared both his muscles and his mind.

Aside from injuries, it seems not to be fair that pitchers should have to suffer someone else?s whim.

If a pitcher make the slightest move after he has "come set," and makes any other motion but to throw to the batter, he will be called for a balk, and a ball is called for the batter. If the other team has any runners on, they advance one base. With bases loaded, the pitcher's twitch could cost his team a run.

As I wonder about the vagaries of baseball, from time to time, I come up with intelligent solutions. This is one of those times. It's designed to protect pitchers from hurting themselves, and to minimize frivolous strategy by batters.

Once a pitcher has "come set," time cannot be called by the batter, and the pitch must be thrown within five seconds after coming set. If a batter asks for time, he is denied it and a strike is called on him. If an umpire calls time for a legitimate reason, the pitch would be nullified, even if thrown and hit.

Could you imagine a home run being denied? How would an umpire know when five seconds are up? Practice. After all, they consider themselves career judges.

Oh yes, the circles by the batters? cage are called fungo boxes, where the coaches stand during practice to hit balls to the infield.