A very random question

[Pedro Cerrano]

Why can so many ballplayers throw righty but hit lefty, but you rarely see a guy who throws lefty hit righty? Some guys that throw righty and bat exclusively lefty that come to mind, just off the top of my head, include Robinson Cano. And it seems like every switch hitter in history throws right handed. Other than Rickey Henderson, I can't think of any player that throws lefty and hits righty.

A bit of a background. I am left handed, but I've always hit righty, it just felt more normal. The other day, as a joke I decided to try hitting lefty in the cage and while it felt insanely awkward, I was driving the ball a little better. That's what led to this question. Is it something biological? What makes hitting "lefty" batting from that side of the batters' box? Is it because your left hand is your guide hand when hitting lefty? Or because you drive off your left leg? Both?

Any info would be appreciated.

[SammyBirdland]

I throw lefty but hit righty. I golf righty, play guitar righty, shoot guns and bows lefty.

[Pedro Cerrano]

I throw lefty but hit righty. I golf righty, play guitar righty, shoot guns and bows lefty.

What do you write with?

I write and throw lefty, eat lefty (Lord do I eat lefty haha). But I also play golf and hockey righty, which is generally an extension of my right-handed hitting

I've never shot a gun but on arcade games I "aim" with my right hand and pull the trigger with my left hand.

[SammyBirdland]

What do you write with?

I write and throw lefty, eat lefty (Lord do I eat lefty haha). But I also play golf and hockey righty, which is generally an extension of my right-handed hitting.

I've never shot a gun but on arcade games I "aim" with my right hand and pull the trigger with my right hand.

I write lefty. What you described is shooting a rifle righty. Your trigger finger is the dominant hand.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Another thing I've never gotten. Wouldn't guitar playing be reversed? It's easier to strum than to grip chords right? So it makes sense that I'd use my left hand to grip the chords. What the hell did Hendrix know anyway?

[Pedro Cerrano]

I write lefty. What you described is shooting a rifle righty. Your trigger finger is the dominant hand.

Well I meant pull the trigger with my left hand, I had a typo there and said I did both with my right hand.

[SammyBirdland]

Another thing I've never gotten. Wouldn't guitar playing be reversed? It's easier to strum than to grip chords right? So it makes sense that I'd use my left hand to grip the chords. What the hell did Hendrix know anyway?

Both hands have an important job with guitar. Gripping chords is difficult to do with your non-dominant hand, but so is making strum patterns or, even worse, plucking individual strings.

[OrangeJerseys]

The pick hand is way underrated. Way.

[Can_of_corn]

Because they are naturally right handed but have learned to hit left handed as it is advantageous to do so. Lot more right handed folks out there then lefties.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Why is it more advantageous? Because there are more righty pitchers? What about the shift and the fact that a ton of lefties can't hit left-handed pitchers a lick.

[Can_of_corn]

Why is it more advantageous? Because there are more righty pitchers? What about the shift and the fact that a ton of lefties can't hit left-handed pitchers a lick.

Yes. The shift isn't a righty/lefty specific tool, even if it was, it has only recently come into vogue.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Yes. The shift isn't a righty/lefty specific tool, even if it was, it has only recently come into vogue.

Sure it is, shifting the infield to the left for a righty doesn't make sense because a guy playing that far into the OF grass wouldn't be able to throw the runner out in time.

[Can_of_corn]

Sure it is, shifting the infield to the left for a righty doesn't make sense because a guy playing that far into the OF grass wouldn't be able to throw the runner out in time.

You can certainly shift defenders if you have a right handed pull hitter up. It doesn't work to the extent that it does against a lefty but the principal is the same.

Kinda a moot point since shifts of that sort were rare before the last couple seasons.

[Hallas]

My parents tried to force me to be right-handed even though I'm naturally lefty. As a result, I:

write right

eat switch

throw left

bat right

golf right

tennis left

kick left/switch

shoot pistol left

shoot rifle right

pull bowstring right

Regarding batting sports (bat, golf, tennis) a right-handed batting and golf swing is similar to a left-handed tennis backhand, so depending on what you consider proper swing mechanics to be, it may be easier to bat right-handed if you have a good left-handed tennis backhand.

Also, baseball selects for pitchers to pitch lefty, batters to bat lefty, and fielders to throw righty. Thus, you're more likely to see players that throw righty and bat lefty due to this selection tendency.

[scOtt]

Anecdotal, but in little Wayne'sBar (population 10,000) I played Little League and Pony League with two guys who batted left and threw right. One of them was one of the league's best.