When to give up switch hitting?

[Duman]

Lexington infielder Greg Buchanan is hitting .366 for the month of August.  According to the radio broadcast of the game yesterday, it corresponds to him going to batting exclusively right handed instead of being a switch hitter. 

I wonder if this is worth considering for other struggling switch hitters such as Ralph Henriquez, who shows much more power from the left side of the plate.

[kevwun]

I don't see the point in switch hitting when it strips someone of their power and that seems to happen to just about all of them.  There is a benefit if someone can hit equally from both sides, but that seems to be a very rare gift.  I'm not sure it's something that can be learned.

[JimR]

I don't see the point in switch hitting when it strips someone of their power and that seems to happen to just about all of them.  There is a benefit if someone can hit equally from both sides, but that seems to be a very rare gift.  I'm not sure it's something that can be learned.

of course it can be learned and probaly is 100% of the time. the loss in power does not happen to "just about all" of them.

[kevwun]

I'm talking about the ability to hit equally well from both sides.  Lance Berkman learned to switch hit, but he doesn't hit the same from both sides.  I don't see the benefit in guys like Berkman and Chipper Jones doing it, when they aren't the same hitter from both sides.  Opposing teams use it against them.

[VirtualBob]

I'm talking about the ability to hit equally well from both sides.  Lance Berkman learned to switch hit, but he doesn't hit the same from both sides.  I don't see the benefit in guys like Berkman and Chipper Jones doing it, when they aren't the same hitter from both sides.  Opposing teams use it against them.

More posts from the clue-free zone. 

Especially for switch hitters that are naturally left-handed, the benefit of switch hitting is never having to deal with a curve from a LHP ... Often their hitting against RHP will suffer if they try to hit lefty all the time.  Almost nobody is "the same hitter from both sides" ... As Jim points out, some of it can be learned, but there are natural tendancies that are different. 

Watch the game, not the box scores.

[Duman]

I'm talking about the ability to hit equally well from both sides.  Lance Berkman learned to switch hit, but he doesn't hit the same from both sides.  I don't see the benefit in guys like Berkman and Chipper Jones doing it, when they aren't the same hitter from both sides.  Opposing teams use it against them.

Chipper is naturally right handed but most of his power comes from batting lefty.  You make Chipper hit from the right exclusively and you have Sean Casey type hitter on your hands.  You let him hit from both sides of the plate and you get average & power.

[Kent's Moustache]

I'm talking about the ability to hit equally well from both sides.  Lance Berkman learned to switch hit, but he doesn't hit the same from both sides.  I don't see the benefit in guys like Berkman and Chipper Jones doing it, when they aren't the same hitter from both sides.  Opposing teams use it against them.

You mean, in the same way that they often vary their starters between RHPs and LHPs?

Crafty bastards...

[austro]

You mean, in the same way that they often vary their starters between RHPs and LHPs?

Crafty bastards...

Nobody plays fair anymore.