Switch hitters against Dickey...

[Bluejaysfan65]

Was watching the Jays and Rays game and noticed that when Ben Zobrist (who is a switch hitter) came up to bat against R.A. Dickey (who is a righty) and batted from the right hand side. Does this have anything to do with the effects if the knuckleball?

[snepp]

Re: Switch hitters against Dickey...

Zobrist is a better hitter historically from the right side, that would be my guess.

[55]

Re: Switch hitters against Dickey...

Zobrist is a better hitter historically from the right side, that would be my guess.

Actually, the vast majority of switch hitters, if not all of them, will always bat right-handed against a knuckleball pitcher no matter what their splits are. I remember Victor Martinez always doing it when the Red Sox would come to town and Wakefield was pitching. The reason for this is that it is just easier to try and read the pitch when batting from the right side of the plate. Now, I have never been in that position myself, but I do recall several analysts (some of which were former players) all saying it. Why can they see the pitch better from the right side? I have no idea, but the switch hitters all seem to think that they can.

[snepp]

Re: Switch hitters against Dickey...

It likely makes it a bit easier to take a HBP as well if you're on the same side.

[Bluejaysfan65]

Re: Switch hitters against Dickey...

Actually, the vast majority of switch hitters, if not all of them, will always bat right-handed against a knuckleball pitcher no matter what their splits are. I remember Victor Martinez always doing it when the Red Sox would come to town and Wakefield was pitching. The reason for this is that it is just easier to try and read the pitch when batting from the right side of the plate. Now, I have never been in that position myself, but I do recall several analysts (some of which were former players) all saying it. Why can they see the pitch better from the right side? I have no idea, but the switch hitters all seem to think that they can.

It likely makes it a bit easier to take a HBP as well if you're on the same side.

Hmm... Interesting...

[PhilliesFan13]

Re: Switch hitters against Dickey...

Shane Victorino is another one who does this against Dickey too.

[Bluejaysfan65]

Shane Victorino is another one who does this against Dickey too.

Yeah. I saw that when he and the Red Sox first came to town this season but I though it might've been only him.

[Sandman42]

Re: Switch hitters against Dickey...

Not every switch hitter will do it though. I remember Bernie Williams used to do it against Wakefield. Maybe they are just going to their natural side, since knuckleball pitchers don't really have platoon splits?

[Blzer]

Re: Switch hitters against Dickey...

I'd imagine that has something to do with it. I'm a natural righty and started switch-hitting when I was twelve. Although I believe my swing is better from the left side and I can drive a fastball further, I simply don't have the top-hand power or true control in my swing as I do from the right side. In other words, I can't hit a fungo left-handed.

I'd probably end up doing the same thing if a righty knuckleball pitcher really only threw that pitch.

[Bluejaysfan65]

I'd imagine that has something to do with it. I'm a natural righty and started switch-hitting when I was twelve. Although I believe my swing is better from the left side and I can drive a fastball further, I simply don't have the top-hand power or true control in my swing as I do from the right side. In other words, I can't hit a fungo left-handed.

I'd probably end up doing the same thing if a righty knuckleball pitcher really only threw that pitch.

I guess it could be more comfortable... Secondly, how do you learn to switch hit? Isn't it natural?

[Blzer]

Re: Switch hitters against Dickey...

I guess it could be more comfortable... Secondly, how do you learn to switch hit? Isn't it natural?

Wasn't for me. Not everybody is ambidextrous; I'm one of them.

Like anything, it takes time. I was one of those small, fast kids. During practice one day there were only a few of us, so while hitting I said: "What the hell..." and switched to the left side. I took some swings, and although they were ugly, they still felt comfortable. My vision on that side was okay, and my coach was thinking: "Hmm, maybe we can do something with this." He taught me proper drag bunting while I made it my own to practice my left-handed swing. I idolized Bonds' swing as something to attempt to replicate (or at least the better/fundamental parts of it), and in the next few years it became more than something good.

Anyway, it didn't help me do anything else better left-handed. Throwing, writing, brushing my teeth (though I've been doing that lefty for the past few years 'just because,' and now I can do that just as well as I can right-handed)... and I still can't hit a fungo left-handed. It has less to do with the swing and more to do with the awkwardness of setting up and tossing it that way, but even still I can't imagine that my lack of top-hand power would help me in a situation like that.

I think switch-hitters must think the same thing when facing a knuckleballer. Because they pitch it so slowly and get a lot of loft fly balls, switch-hitters would probably prefer to go to their side that gives them the most top hand strength, which would be their natural hitting side.

Anyway, some switch-hitters are ambidextrous; I happen to not be one of them.

[Bluejaysfan65]

Re: Switch hitters against Dickey...

Wasn't for me. Not everybody is ambidextrous; I'm one of them.

Like anything, it takes time. I was one of those small, fast kids. During practice one day there were only a few of us, so while hitting I said: "What the hell..." and switched to the left side. I took some swings, and although they were ugly, they still felt comfortable. My vision on that side was okay, and my coach was thinking: "Hmm, maybe we can do something with this." He taught me proper drag bunting while I made it my own to practice my left-handed swing. I idolized Bonds' swing as something to attempt to replicate (or at least the better/fundamental parts of it), and in the next few years it became more than something good.

Anyway, it didn't help me do anything else better left-handed. Throwing, writing, brushing my teeth (though I've been doing that lefty for the past few years 'just because,' and now I can do that just as well as I can right-handed)... and I still can't hit a fungo left-handed. It has less to do with the swing and more to do with the awkwardness of setting up and tossing it that way, but even still I can't imagine that my lack of top-hand power would help me in a situation like that.

I think switch-hitters must think the same thing when facing a knuckleballer. Because they pitch it so slowly and get a lot of loft fly balls, switch-hitters would probably prefer to go to their side that gives them the most top hand strength, which would be their natural hitting side.

Anyway, some switch-hitters are ambidextrous; I happen to not be one of them.

Hmm... I may try to hit lefty once in a while....

[TheNumber35]

Wasn't for me. Not everybody is ambidextrous; I'm one of them.

Like anything, it takes time. I was one of those small, fast kids. During practice one day there were only a few of us, so while hitting I said: "What the hell..." and switched to the left side. I took some swings, and although they were ugly, they still felt comfortable. My vision on that side was okay, and my coach was thinking: "Hmm, maybe we can do something with this." He taught me proper drag bunting while I made it my own to practice my left-handed swing. I idolized Bonds' swing as something to attempt to replicate (or at least the better/fundamental parts of it), and in the next few years it became more than something good.

Anyway, it didn't help me do anything else better left-handed. Throwing, writing, brushing my teeth (though I've been doing that lefty for the past few years 'just because,' and now I can do that just as well as I can right-handed)... and I still can't hit a fungo left-handed. It has less to do with the swing and more to do with the awkwardness of setting up and tossing it that way, but even still I can't imagine that my lack of top-hand power would help me in a situation like that.

I think switch-hitters must think the same thing when facing a knuckleballer. Because they pitch it so slowly and get a lot of loft fly balls, switch-hitters would probably prefer to go to their side that gives them the most top hand strength, which would be their natural hitting side.

Anyway, some switch-hitters are ambidextrous; I happen to not be one of them.

That's the same way I was when I started switch hitting. I was a lead off hitter my whole time playing hardball, so one year when I was like 10 or so, they asked me to flip around and take a couple cuts from the left side because they saw me screwing around left handed before practice. I did it and it turned out I could hit the ball pretty damn well from the left side, and with a bunch of practice I actually had pretty good numbers hitting left handed in high school and travel ball.

Now all I play is slow pitch softball so because of the speed and loft on the ball, I basically only hit right handed because I feel like I have better bat control with my dominant hand (right). But back to your original point, I'm not ambidextrous but practicing with my left handed swings made it comfortable enough to do it in a game.