Switch hitting story

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Jan 24, 2009
617
18
When DD turned to the left side at 11yo, I followed the advice of those recommending that she become a 'switched' hitter and not a switch hitter. Two mediocre years later she finally became the top BA on her TB team, hitting in the upper .500's...swinging away.

Yesterday we went to the park to hit for a while, because my 11yo boy wanted some long front toss with a HR fence (he has great power for his small size). The boys were hitting baseballs and the girls using softballs, and at some point my 13u DD and 11u DS start talking smack and a 'home run derby' of sorts ensues.

Well, leftie DD hits a few baseballs and doesn't quite clear the 201' fence, while little bro hit a few out. She asks if she can hit 'righty' and says "I can hit further from the right, even though I hit better from the left." HuH? Sure enough, she turns on a pitch and hits a dinger. (small kid and baseballs mind you)

DD has hit exclusively from the left in games and practices for three years. About 18 months ago she commented that a RH swing now feels 'weird' or wrong and she was comfortable from the left. She had her best power year ever this season. "So how can you hit for more power from the right now?"

Well, the story goes like this... my back yard is a continual wiffle ball game for 7-8 months per year. It is quite literally like watching the movie 'The Sandlot.' My six kids plus the three travel ball neighbors and some other neighborhood kids probably average 4 hours per day, seven days per week during the summer. (They haven't heard about tv and video games, lol). Anyway, there has always been one hard-and-fast rule when the kids are playing these pickup/barnyard games...NO adult input unless we see a safety issue. The parents just let it all play out and take care of itself and it is a thing of beauty how well a bunch of kids makes it work. This is THEIR time. It is not practice or training. It is just FUN. They have a blast and the parents pretend not to even pay attention.

Since the kids playing vary in age by many years, they decided that to make things more 'fair' that the older kids have to bat from the 'wrong' side...whichever that may be. Further, the size of the sandlot is constrained by trees such that they get in the way of the longer hits, so the kids often play 'TCB ball', not 'wiffle ball'.

DD is one of those older kids that has to hit from the right, since she is a LHB now. She has been getting reps, and a lot of 'em, from the right and often with tcb's (the smaller ones). I have now discovered that I have a switch hitter on my hands, even if inadvertently. Given her age (turns 14 in a few weeks/grade 8), I think it may be best to let her be a 'switch' hitter, and not just a 'switched' hitter. She claims that her average and the 'feel' is best from the left, but that she can go deeper batting right.

I'm not exactly sure what to do here, but it seems to be a 'good problem.'

Thoughts? (and no, they do not throw the tcb balls. Once put in play it becomes a game of fetch and tag with tcb's.)

VW
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
Nice story, my whiffe ball game is assume.

I discussed this with someone I respect and have come to this conclusion.

If a Player is being switched to the other side they need to be committed, no switching back and forth. Once they are comfortable with the “off” side they can approach the plate anyway they want. I think you need to face some really good pitchers where the player is making a decision to bat left or right is based on their pitches, otherwise pick a side a go with it.
 
Jan 24, 2009
617
18
The reason you cite is the reason to switch...the ability to bat left or right based on the pitcher's pitches. She proved in her third year from the left that she was more than comfortable/competent. She was on fire! She drank the koolaid for 3 years and batted exclusively from the left. I figure that fall ball may be the time to try some reps and add another weapon to the arsenal since she shows plenty of promise.

Some say that there is no reason to switch hit in the girls game. Apparently they have not heard of a curveball pitcher or a screwball pitcher.

Cheers and good points quincy!
 
Nov 26, 2010
4,784
113
Michigan
When DD turned to the left side at 11yo, I followed the advice of those recommending that she become a 'switched' hitter and not a switch hitter. Two mediocre years later she finally became the top BA on her TB team, hitting in the upper .500's...swinging away.

Yesterday we went to the park to hit for a while, because my 11yo boy wanted some long front toss with a HR fence (he has great power for his small size). The boys were hitting baseballs and the girls using softballs, and at some point my 13u DD and 11u DS start talking smack and a 'home run derby' of sorts ensues.

Well, leftie DD hits a few baseballs and doesn't quite clear the 201' fence, while little bro hit a few out. She asks if she can hit 'righty' and says "I can hit further from the right, even though I hit better from the left." HuH? Sure enough, she turns on a pitch and hits a dinger. (small kid and baseballs mind you)

DD has hit exclusively from the left in games and practices for three years. About 18 months ago she commented that a RH swing now feels 'weird' or wrong and she was comfortable from the left. She had her best power year ever this season. "So how can you hit for more power from the right now?"

Well, the story goes like this... my back yard is a continual wiffle ball game for 7-8 months per year. It is quite literally like watching the movie 'The Sandlot.' My six kids plus the three travel ball neighbors and some other neighborhood kids probably average 4 hours per day, seven days per week during the summer. (They haven't heard about tv and video games, lol). Anyway, there has always been one hard-and-fast rule when the kids are playing these pickup/barnyard games...NO adult input unless we see a safety issue. The parents just let it all play out and take care of itself and it is a thing of beauty how well a bunch of kids makes it work. This is THEIR time. It is not practice or training. It is just FUN. They have a blast and the parents pretend not to even pay attention.

Since the kids playing vary in age by many years, they decided that to make things more 'fair' that the older kids have to bat from the 'wrong' side...whichever that may be. Further, the size of the sandlot is constrained by trees such that they get in the way of the longer hits, so the kids often play 'TCB ball', not 'wiffle ball'.

DD is one of those older kids that has to hit from the right, since she is a LHB now. She has been getting reps, and a lot of 'em, from the right and often with tcb's (the smaller ones). I have now discovered that I have a switch hitter on my hands, even if inadvertently. Given her age (turns 14 in a few weeks/grade 8), I think it may be best to let her be a 'switch' hitter, and not just a 'switched' hitter. She claims that her average and the 'feel' is best from the left, but that she can go deeper batting right.

I'm not exactly sure what to do here, but it seems to be a 'good problem.'

Thoughts? (and no, they do not throw the tcb balls. Once put in play it becomes a game of fetch and tag with tcb's.)

VW

what position does she play in the field? If she is a pitcher I would rather see her bat on the side of the plate where her pitching arm is most protected. ie. left handed pitcher batting left handed.
 

rdbass

It wasn't me.
Jun 5, 2010
9,131
83
Not here.
2 words -CHASE UTLEY.(this is exactly how he spent his summers) These words don't count, Chase spent his young life playing like this and where is he now? No not Philly,the pros. Switch hitter also.Not so much now.
 

Ken Krause

Administrator
Admin
May 7, 2008
3,911
113
Mundelein, IL
In baseball, as I understand it, the advantage of switch hitting comes from the way the pitcher delivers the ball. A 3/4 overhand delivery at 90+ mph can be pretty intimidating. Going opposite the pitcher gives the hitter more of an edge.

In softball, because the delivery is underhand and pretty much on a vertical plane it's not so much of an advantage. It doesn't look like you're going to be hit by the ball when it's thrown.
 

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