Master Index of Archived Threads


Natural Side

AG/DC Jun 27 2008 07:22 AM

I was watching the linke to see Reese Havens. His swing kind of reminded me of Gregg Jeffries', and I wondered if he switch-hit. He doesn't, but I went on to ponder an old thought: how many switch hitters call lefty their "natural side." I've got to imagine not many, as their are stronger advantages to batting lefty (no bailouts against two thirds of all pitchers and step and a half closer to first) than there are to batting righty (no bailouts against one third of all pitchers and a step and a half further from first). So the motivation just isn't as obvious. I'm going to guess that, while coaches everywhere are trying to turn righthandeed hitters with speed into switchies, any players who bat lefty first and start switch-hitting are doing it under their own volition. I think it's a natural assumption that guys who hit better lefthanded are natural lefties, but I don't think that's so. They may have just developed that way because of the ever-increasing amount of reps from that side. Was a HoJo a natural lefty? Was Backman? I know Mookie did a little better batting lefthanded, and I don't think he started batting from that side until AA or AAA. So my question is: which switch-hitters do we know were actual lefties first?

Benjamin Grimm Jun 27 2008 07:29 AM

I don't know of any, but I would think that there might be some natural lefties who are just so bad at hitting left-handed pitchers that they might try batting from the right side. Whether any of them were successful enough as right-handed batters that they actually became switch-hitters, I don't know. On the possibly inaccurate theory that the hand a player throws will usually indicate which side of the plate he'd naturally bat on, here's a list (from the UMDB) of switch-hitters who throw left-handed: Hank Aguirre Bob Beall Lance Berkman Vida Blue Ron Bryant Scott Bullett Morgan Burkhart Melky Cabrera John Candelaria John Cangelosi Craig Caskey Norm Charlton Dave Collins Jay Dahl Doug Dascenzo Jack Daugherty Jack DiLauro Jamie Easterly Greg Garrett Larry Gura Mark Guthrie Carlos Hernandez Ramon Hernandez Tom Hilgendorf Reggie Jefferson Tyler Johnson Gary Lavelle Mickey Lolich Mickey Mahler John Martin Greg Mathews Sid Monge Roger Moret Fred Norman Billy O'Dell Jim O'Toole Ryan Olson Dan Ortmeier Donovan Osborne Wes Parker Troy Patton Brock Pemberton Yorkis Perez Erik Plantenberg Kris Regas Wandy Rodríguez Ron Roenicke Kevin Rogers J. C. Romero David Segui Dan Serafini DaRond Stovall Nick Swisher Bob Sykes Bob Veale Dan Warthen Mitch Webster Matt Williams Brad Woodall

seawolf17 Jun 27 2008 07:35 AM

Not for nothing, but it looks like MiniWolf is going to go the Rickey Henderson bats-right-throws-left route, which is exciting for his draft prospects in 2024.

AG/DC Jun 27 2008 07:39 AM

Keeps him from playing the infield. If Ricky threw righthanded, he might have been the best secondbaseman ever.

Frayed Knot Jun 27 2008 07:40 AM

A decent-sized chunk of that list are pitchers who probably fit the 'too incompetent at hitting to face a same-side hurler' category. Just off the top of my head: Hank Aguirre Bob Beall Vida Blue John Candelaria Norm Charlton Jack DiLauro Larry Gura Mark Guthrie Mickey Lolich Mickey Mahler Sid Monge Roger Moret Fred Norman Jim O'Toole Donovan Osborne Wandy Rodríguez Kevin Rogers J. C. Romero Bob Veale ... and probably a few others.

sharpie Jun 27 2008 07:45 AM

I believe Vida Blue is still the answer to the question of who was the last switch-hitting AL MVP?

AG/DC Jun 27 2008 07:52 AM

Guys I Remember Bob Beall Lance Berkman Vida Blue Melky Cabrera John Candelaria John Cangelosi Norm Charlton Dave Collins Doug Dascenzo Jack DiLauro Larry Gura Mark Guthrie Ramon Hernandez Gary Lavelle Mickey Lolich Mickey Mahler Donovan Osborne Wes Parker Brock Pemberton Yorkis Perez Wandy Rodríguez Ron Roenicke J. C. Romero David Segui Nick Swisher Bob Veale Dan Warthen Mitch Webster Matt Williams Guys Who Sound Kind of Familiar but I Can't Say Morgan Burkhart Jamie Easterly Carlos Hernandez Reggie Jefferson Dan Serafini Bob Sykes Guys I Don't Remember Hank Aguirre Ron Bryant Scott Bullett Craig Caskey Jay Dahl Jack Daugherty Greg Garrett Tom Hilgendorf Tyler Johnson John Martin Greg Mathews Sid Monge Roger Moret Fred Norman Billy O'Dell Jim O'Toole Ryan Olson Dan Ortmeier Troy Patton Erik Plantenberg Kris Regas Kevin Rogers DaRond Stovall Brad Woodall

seawolf17 Jun 27 2008 07:56 AM

Guys Who Sound Kind of Familiar but I Can't Say Morgan Burkhart Jamie Easterly - former Indians pitcher Carlos Hernandez Reggie Jefferson - outfielder, also Indians, I think Dan Serafini - pitcher Bob Sykes - Cardinals pitcher , early 80s Guys I Don't Remember Hank Aguirre - two-guard for the Pistons in the 1980s Ron Bryant Scott Bullett - former Rochester Red Wing Craig Caskey Jay Dahl Jack Daugherty - former Cavaliers center Greg Garrett - the tall guy on Everybody Loves Raymond Tom Hilgendorf Tyler Johnson - recent Cardinals OF John Martin - mid-80s Cardinals pitcher Greg Mathews - mid-90s Cardinals pitcher Sid Monge - mid-80s pitcher (Expos?) Roger Moret - mid 70s Red Sox pitcher Fred Norman Billy O'Dell Jim O'Toole Ryan Olson Dan Ortmeier - recent OF (Oakland?) Troy Patton Erik Plantenberg Kris Regas Kevin Rogers DaRond Stovall Brad Woodall

Vince Coleman Firecracker Jun 27 2008 07:56 AM

sharpie wrote: I believe Vida Blue is still the answer to the question of who was the last switch-hitting AL MVP? You are correct, sir! That's a fun little factoid. The last NL MVP switch-hitter is: oh. Jimmy Rollins.