HS Tryouts for switch hitter -- what to expect in assessment

[steddie]

For the entire season, my son has been disciplined and has batted from both sides depending on the pitchers he has faced. Most pitchers he has faced have been RH, so he has gotten most of his game swings from the left side. He has built up good strength batting lefty, but his right side is still stronger.

Can anyone say what player should expect the coach to do in the assessment? Would he throw to left handed batters and right handed? Or have a left handed coach or player throw some also? Any insight on extra preparation player can make before tryout is much appreciated.

[omg]

For the entire season, my son has been disciplined and has batted from both sides depending on the pitchers he has faced. Most pitchers he has faced have been RH, so he has gotten most of his game swings from the left side. He has built up good strength batting lefty, but his right side is still stronger.

Can anyone say what player should expect the coach to do in the assessment? Would he throw to left handed batters and right handed? Or have a left handed coach or player throw some also? Any insight on extra preparation player can make before tryout is much appreciated.

Just tell your son to turn around and bat from the other side after after a few pitches. It's that simple.

[CoolHandLuke]

I can almost guarantee you that they will not switch up BP throwers to accomodate a switch hitter. I am a switch hitter as well. Have him take half his cuts from one side then switch over for the rest. He will know ahead of time how many swings he will get.

[Jake Patterson]

I can almost guarantee you that they will not switch up BP throwers to accomodate a switch hitter.

I agree...

[steddie]

Thanks guys

[tradosaurus]

Is switch hitting really necessary?

I'm thinking of all of the guys in the HOF with the highest batting averages and wondering how many were switch hitters?

I can see switch hitting in little league and possibly into high school but when the pitching becomes more challenging why not bat from your strongest side?

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/column...tim&id=5524029

[CoolHandLuke]

I can see switch hitting in little league and possibly into high school but when the pitching becomes more challenging why not bat from your strongest side?

Your rationale is backward. Switch hitting doesn't become effective until players are older and throwing breaking pitches. That's when you reap the return on your time investment spent on switch hitting. Switch hitting is meaningless in little league (other than to prepare for future years). There is no advantage to switch when balls are not breaking. I didn't start to switch hit until HS, and I can tell you it made me a better hitter for sure.

[dominik]

also consider that you don't have to be equally strong from both sides to be an effective switch hitter.
You just have to be better than your split against the same side pitcher.

So switching can make sense even if you only hit .260 from the weaker side if it is still better than your same side pitcher platoon.

for example in the MLB there are many lefty hitters who hit .300 against righties and .200 against lefties. if those hitters could switch to hit .250 from the right side they would still benefit.

[scorekeeper]

…I didn't start to switch hit until HS, and I can tell you it made me a better hitter for sure.

Yes, you certainly may have been a better hitter than when you weren’t hitting from both sides, but its impossible to KNOW you were a better hitter than you might have been had you concentrated on swinging from your strongest or most natural side.

[scorekeeper]

also consider that you don't have to be equally strong from both sides to be an effective switch hitter.
You just have to be better than your split against the same side pitcher.

So switching can make sense even if you only hit .260 from the weaker side if it is still better than your same side pitcher platoon.

for example in the MLB there are many lefty hitters who hit .300 against righties and .200 against lefties. if those hitters could switch to hit .250 from the right side they would still benefit.

You’re correct that that’s the way is SHOULD work, but coulda, shoulda, woulda …

The wrench in the gears is, no one can ever know if the 100,000 swings they took from their weaker side were taken from their stronger side, they wouldn’t have been overall “better”, thus erasing any advantage, and possibly even being more successful than if they hit from both sides.

[CoolHandLuke]

Yes, you certainly may have been a better hitter than when you weren’t hitting from both sides, but its impossible to KNOW you were a better hitter than you might have been had you concentrated on swinging from your strongest or most natural side.

You can say that about anything in life. You never know. But I know my body and I know my swing and I'm certain switch hitting helped me. I'm a natural righty but hit slightly better lefty. A lot of people bash switch hitting but it's usually from people who never tried it or were unsuccesful at it. Maybe it's not for everyone but for people who switch hit, it's a real benefit. Personally I don't like sliders coming at my ear hole dropping down for a strike.

[dominik]

You’re correct that that’s the way is SHOULD work, but coulda, shoulda, woulda …

The wrench in the gears is, no one can ever know if the 100,000 swings they took from their weaker side were taken from their stronger side, they wouldn’t have been overall “better”, thus erasing any advantage, and possibly even being more successful than if they hit from both sides.

there are theories though that there is a carryover effect from the other side.

for example sports scientists have developed coordination programs for young kids that do contain both sides even if you use only one because of the positive effect on coordination as well as injury prevention (one sided rotational movements are supposed to be quite bad for the body).

so actually those swings from the other side are not completely wasted.

[mudvnine]

Personally I don't like sliders coming at my ear hole dropping down for a strike.

Appears Ted Williams didn't like that either..... .350 and 261 HRs vs. RHP compared to .303 and 44 HRs vs. LHP

Nor did Barry Bonds for the most part..... .303 and 535 HRs vs. RHP compared to .289 and 227 HRs vs. LHP

Or Ken Griffey Jr...... .291 and 444 HRs vs. RHP compared to .269 and 186 HRs vs. LHP

And finally Ol' Babe (although it was only tracked when a lefty started even if a RHP came in later)..... .351 and 218 HRs vs. RHP compared to .327 and 487 HRs vs. LHP

Now granted, the HR #s are a little unrealistic, because these hitters all faced more RHP than they did LHP, but the BA differences are pretty interesting IMO.

[scorekeeper]

You can say that about anything in life. You never know. But I know my body and I know my swing and I'm certain switch hitting helped me. I'm a natural righty but hit slightly better lefty. A lot of people bash switch hitting but it's usually from people who never tried it or were unsuccesful at it. Maybe it's not for everyone but for people who switch hit, it's a real benefit. Personally I don't like sliders coming at my ear hole dropping down for a strike.

I’m not a switch-hitter basher at all. Heck, I did it myself with some success. All I’m saying is. You never really know what might have happened. I’m not saying you made a mistake. And heck, I haven’t got a clue what you mean by “slightly better”. Maybe you mean you hit with more contact as a lefty or for a better average, but maybe you just think so because you picked up a 2-3 step advantage from the left side.

Many believe that it’s a real benefit, but that doesn’t make it true.

Every batter has some pitch they’re afraid of, don’t like, or for some reason just can’t seem to “get it”. You did what you felt you had to do, and that’s fine. Just please don’t try to say the same thing couldn’t have been accomplished some other way.

[scorekeeper]

there are theories though that there is a carryover effect from the other side.

for example sports scientists have developed coordination programs for young kids that do contain both sides even if you use only one because of the positive effect on coordination as well as injury prevention (one sided rotational movements are supposed to be quite bad for the body).

so actually those swings from the other side are not completely wasted.

I never said or meant to imply they were wasted at all! All I’m saying is, its not a 1-1 exchange.