Rich Fronheiser wroteWho cares if you're uncovered? They catch the ball anyway. If they don't, you're wearing gear.
Perhaps all the LL catchers you've had catch everything. Not the case with me.
I have found through the years that when the catcher sets up way outside, the pitcher invariably throws a fastball inside and hits me in the left arm/elbow. If a pitcher has any kind of control, I don't care where the catcher sets up.
It always seems like the catchers I get that do this can't catch, and it's always with a wild pitcher. The ball rarely ever finds my gear. I have really good gear, but it should go on my arms, fingers, stomach or thighs, because that's where I usually get nailed.