Switchhitter

[GA42sDad]

Know of a player who is really strong from the right side. She has been working from the left side due to speed and quickness. According to her last tournament she is beinning to get stronger from the left side. She is starting her first year in 12u this fall. Should she continue what she is doing or should she try and really begin to focus on one side or the other.

Thanks for any input.

 

[chinamigarden]

I would focus on left side unless she is a right handed pitcher. In that case I would stick with right handed batting.

 

[shockcoach]

If she were on my team, she would be a lefty. I switched a girl around a couple of years back and let her bat right handed in a fall tournament. I told her that this was her last time hitting from the right side. She hit .386 for me a year ago. This past spring, she hit .608.

China,

I'm curious as to what being a right handed pitcher has to do with it? The girl I mentioned above is also a right handed pitcher who's ERA this past year was 1.53 with a 14-1 W-L record.

 

[chinamigarden]

If she were on my team, she would be a lefty. I switched a girl around a couple of years back and let her bat right handed in a fall tournament. I told her that this was her last time hitting from the right side. She hit .386 for me a year ago. This past spring, she hit .608.

China,

I'm curious as to what being a right handed pitcher has to do with it? The girl I mentioned above is also a right handed pitcher who's ERA this past year was 1.53 with a 14-1 W-L record.

Batting left handed exposes the right arm to pitches. Having a pitcher hit on her pitching elbow or wrist could keep her out of the circle.

 

[starsnuffer]

Go left and stay there. You need to take them out of their comfort zone so they can fully commit to going left. So long as they think they can go right when they're under pressure, they'll never be as good as they can be from the left side.

If she's a power hitter from the right, give her time, she'll build up strength and will hit for power from the left too, and then she will be a triple-threat.

-W

 

[SBFAMILY]

My dd is a right handed hitter. At 12 Dave Paetkau conviced me to convert her to the left side. Howard Carrier taught her to hit first before slapping. Stay with one side, don't switch hit this isn't baseball.

 

[GA42sDad]

Thanks for the input. I agree with all the posts. The problem is trying to convince the parents that staying onthe left side is whats best for her future. I think sometimes we forget that we need to look at each players chance for the future.